Traditional Punjabi Lunch Thali

Name: Traditional Punjabi Lunch Thali
Total time: 7200 s
Yield: 2 people
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 3 tbsp oil; 1/2 cup rajma; 1 bay leaf; 1 large onion finely chopped; 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste; 2 large tomatoes finely chopped; 1 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder; 1/4 tsp turmeric powder (haldi); 2 tsp cumin powder (jeera); 2 tsp coriander powder (dhania); 1 tsp amchoor powder; 1 tsp garam masala powder; 1 tbsp coriander leaves for garnish; 1 large brinjal; 3 tbsp mustard oil; 1/2 tsp cumin seeds (jeera); 1/2 tsp kalonji (nigella seeds); 1 medium onion finely chopped; 4-5 cloves garlic finely chopped; 1 inch piece of ginger finely chopped; 1-2 green chilies finely chopped; 1 large tomato finely chopped; 1 tsp salt or to taste; 1/2 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder; 1/4 tsp turmeric powder; 1 tsp cumin powder (jeera); 1 tsp coriander powder (dhania); 1 tsp garam masala powder; 1 tbsp coriander leaves for garnish

Madhu Bindra @madhubindra

Rajma Chawal is a popular traditional lunch meal in most Punjabi households. Convert it into a rich and balanced thali with baingan ka bharta, aloo raita, and panjiri. With mukka pyaaz, achaar, papad, and buttermilk on the side. Jee ayaa nu! #CA2025 #ThaliTraditions #PunjabiLunchThali

Madhu Bindra @madhubindra

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Ingredients

2 hours

2 people

Rajma Masala
3 tbspoil
1/2 cuprajma
1bay leaf
1large onion finely chopped
2 tbspginger garlic paste
2large tomatoes finely chopped
1 tspsalt
1/2 tspKashmiri red chilli powder
1/4 tspturmeric powder (haldi)
2 tspcumin powder (jeera)
2 tspcoriander powder (dhania)
1 tspamchoor powder
1 tspgaram masala powder
1 tbspcoriander leaves for garnish
Baingan ka Bharta
1large brinjal
3 tbspmustard oil
1/2 tspcumin seeds (jeera)
1/2 tspkalonji (nigella seeds)
1medium onion finely chopped
4-5 clovesgarlic finely chopped
1 inchpiece of ginger finely chopped
1-2green chilies finely chopped
1large tomato finely chopped
1 tspsalt or to taste
1/2 tspKashmiri red chili powder
1/4 tspturmeric powder
1 tspcumin powder (jeera)
1 tspcoriander powder (dhania)
1 tspgaram masala powder
1 tbspcoriander leaves for garnish
Aloo Raita
2 cupscurd
2-3small potatoes
1-2green chillies finely chopped
1/4 tspsalt
1/4 tspblack salt or kala namak
1/8 tspKashmiri red chilli powder
1/2 tsproasted and crushed cumin seeds
1 tspcoriander leaves for garnish
Jeera Rice
1/2 cupBasmati rice
2 tbspoil
1bay leaf
1 tspcumin seeds (jeera)
10-15black peppercorns
1/2 tspsalt or to taste
1/4 tspturmeric (haldi)
Nut-Free Panjiri
1 cupwhole wheat flour
1/3 cupdesi ghee
2 tbsppoppy seeds (khus khus)
2 tbspdesiccated coconut)
2 tbspraisins (kishmish)
1/2 tspcardamom powder
1/4 tspdry ginger powder (saunth)
1/2 cuppowdered sugar

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Steps

2 hours

1

For the Rajma Masala: Soak the rajma overnight. Pressure cook it in 3 cups of water, bay leaf, and salt until softened. Drain and save the water.
2

To prepare the masala, heat oil in a pan. Add the onions and saute until translucent. Add ginger garlic paste and saute for a minute. Add tomatoes with the dry masalas. Saute again until the oil starts appearing on the sides. Add the boiled rajma and saute. Now add the liquid as per gravy you want. Bring it to a boil, cover with a lid and cook for 5 minutes. Or pressure cook it again for two whistles. Adjust the salt and gravy as per your taste. The Rajma Masala is ready to serve.
3

For the Baingan ka Bharta: Wash, dry, and prick the brinjal. Roast it over an open flame until the skin is charred and the flesh softens. Once cool, peel off the skin, and mash the flesh.
4

Heat mustard oil to smoking point and let it cool a bit. Add cumin and nigella seeds until they crackle. Saute chopped garlic, ginger, and green chilies until aromatic but not browned. Add onions and cook until translucent. Add tomatoes with salt and cook until they soften. Add in the dry masalas and mix. Add the mashed brinjal, mix well, cover and cook until oil appears at the sides. Finish with garam masala. Baingan ka bharta is ready to serve.
5

For the Aloo Raita: Boil the potatoes with salt. Allow them to cool and chop into small pieces. Take curd in a large bowl and beat it well. Season it with salt, kala namak, Kashmiri red chilli powder, and roasted cumin seeds. Add in the chopped potatoes and green chillies. Mix. The Aloo Raita is ready to serve.
6

For the Jeera Rice: Wash and soak the Basmati rice for 20-30 minutes. Heat oil in a pan. Add in the cumin seeds, bay leaf, and peppercorns. Saute until they begin to crackle. Add in the turmeric powder and mix. Immediately add the drained rice and mix. Add a cup of water with salt. When the water starts to bubble, lower the heat to the minimum. Cover it with a lid and let it cook until the water dries up and the rice is done. The jeera rice is ready to serve.
7

For the Nut-free Panjiri: Dry roast the poppy seeds on low heat until aromatic. Set aside. Heat desi ghee and roast whole wheat flour on low heat until golden and nutty. Add desiccated coconut and raisins, roasting until the raisins puff up. Turn off the heat and mix in roasted poppy seeds, cardamom powder, and dry ginger powder. Transfer to a bowl to cool. Once the mixture has cooled down, add the powdered sugar and mix. The nut-free panjiri is now ready to serve.
8

Assembling the Thali: Add a portion of all the dishes prepared in the katories and garnish (excluding panjiri) with chopped coriander leaves. Assemble the thali for serving with mukka pyaaz, mirch, achaar, papad, and buttermilk on the side. Jee ayaa nu!