Punjab, the land of five rivers, is known for its cuisine that caters to the characteristic needs of the robust people. The Punjabi Cuisine is not delicate in its flavor. It is purely based upon milk and its products. Though wheat forms their staple diet, they do cook rice on special occasions. They prepare boiled masalas (spices) with liberal amount of clarified butter. The main masala in a Punjabi dish consists of onion, garlic and ginger. The traditional makki-ki-roti and sarson-ka-saag with chunks of home-made butter, accompanied by a glass of butter milk (lassi) is best known. No meal is complete without a serving of lassi or fresh curd and white butter, which is consumed in large quantities. Also popular are exotic pulaos,
biryanis, vegetable pickles and kababs. Within the state itself, there are different preferences.
