Easy Indian Food Recipes ? a trip to Punjab

One thing about delving into the exquisite world of easy Indian food recipes remains the same?that it is an exciting adventure of unbeatable flavours, some bequeathed by the connoisseurs of food, some distinctly evolved by the local settlers, all in all, a roller coaster ride of sugar ?n spice!

A trip to the northern region of the country has one taking the states of Punjab, Haryana, Kashmir and Uttar Pradesh as a rich tapestry of cuisines of the food lovers of yore, the Mughals. Delhi, the capital of India, is a little world on its own. With the ticking of time, each area has developed its characteristic styles and as the multicultural inhabitants enjoy both non-vegetarian and vegetarian fare, the food vies for attention in a constructive manner.

Punjab is placed strategically on the Indian border with Pakistan. Spread over around 50,362 square kilometers, most of it is gently sloping plains, with well watered and highly fertile alluvial soils.

The name of the state of Punjab is derived from the words ?punj? meaning five and ?ab? meaning water since the land is a confluence of five rivers. The five rivers that run through Punjab, having their origins in various small lakes in Himalayas, are Ravi, Chenab, Sutlej, Jhelum and Beas. Beas and Sutlej join forces and flow on to meet the Indus, the tributaries of which crisscross the state making it the most fertile land.

Punjab is called the ?Bread basket of the nation? because it gives India the maximum agricultural output regardless the total amount of area it covers. Around 85% of the area is under cultivation. It produces wheat that can feed the whole of India and contributes around 2% of the world?s wheat produce.

From the bylanes of Punjab comes the piquant flavour of mustard oil and mustard greens, called sarson-da-saag. More help to make the farmers robust, comes from the quarters of diary farms as milk is abundant in this Land of Five Rivers. We move on with a variation of the famous yogurt based drink of Punjab called lassi, an easy Indian food recipe. The thick sweet beverage, it is said, justifies the need for a siesta! Have a taste of a popular stuffed layered bread called aloo parantha. Stuffed with seasoned potatoes and covered with wheat flour dough, it is fun to eat with a bowl of chilled curds and a selection of pickles, even for breakfast. This platter will give you a head start for the day!