Amritsar, which is the heart of Punjab, is not given the name of culinary capital of India just like that. Keeping the authentic Punjabi food cravings tradition, the destination leads in India in terms of mouth-watering Indian cuisines.
From different types of stuffed parathas soaked in butter to kulchas, delicious sabjis, varieties of dal preparations and lip-smacking desserts like Lassi, Kulfi, Malai Kheer and an array of sweets, you just can’t get enough of the mouth-watering delights in Amritsar.
If Amritsar is the upcoming travel destination in your bucket list, check out these famous vegetarian dishes and dessert items that hold the flavour of the city and Punjab.
Delicious Vegetarian Food to Try in Amritsar
Punjabis are known for their delicious food and meals all over India and the world. Amritsar being the heritage and holy destination of Punjab tops in its selection of vegetarian culinary delights.
It can be called the king of traditional Indian vegetarian foods housing too many Dhabas, eateries, and restaurants to fulfil your hunger cravings.
The land of Sikh religion attracts tourists from different corners of the world due to its mesmerizing Golden temple, tourist attractions and the delicious culinary delights which are hard to find anywhere else in the world having similar taste and quality.
So, let’s have a look at the most popular vegetarian delights to try in Amritsar and where you can get the best of them.
Guru ka Langar & Kada Prasad at Golden Temple
Apart from seeking the blessings of Guru Nanak Dev Ji from Golden Temple, another primary reason to visit this destination is the unforgettable mouth-watering langar and Kara Prasad.
The sumptuous langar is prepared at the golden temple kitchen, which is known as the largest kitchen of the world. The motive of langar is to promote equality among people irrespective of caste, creed, religion, and enjoy the meal together.
Every person has an equal right to participate in serving the meals to other people in the temple and eating together as a family. It includes Roti, rice, dal, a vegetable dish and kheer as dessert.
Kada Prasad, on the other hand, is offered to Guru Nanak Dev ji at Golden temple and then distributed among the devotees. It is made from wheat flour, ghee, and sugar.
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Amritsari Kulcha at Kulcha Land, Kesar Da Dhaba, Harbans Lal Kulche Wala, Darshan Lal Kulche Wala
Amritsari Kulcha is a very famous stuffed Paratha (bread) of Amritsar which you can get in the best quality at Kulcha Land, Kesar Da Dhaba, Harbans Lal Kulcha, and Darshan Lal Kulche wala.
The dough of this bread is covered in a wet cloth to make it soft, and then it is kept for an hour in a warm place. After that, the dough is again pressed with hand and then rolled into a round flat shape.
The kulcha is filled inside with potato stuffing and baked in a Tandoor oven to bring its outer delicious crispy structure. Cubes of butter are further added on its outer layer to make the taste more delicious. It is also popular in the name of perfect Indian bread and a famous breakfast item in Punjab.
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Sarson Da Saag & Makki Ki Roti at Kesar Da Dhaba, Brother’s Dhaba, Bharawan Da Dhaba
Kesar Da Dhaba is a famous eatery in Amritsar that was founded in 1916, and since then it has been serving its mouth-watering signature item Sarso Da Saag and Makke ki Roti.
The legendary Dhaba had its initial location in Pakistan and even served delivery to famous personalities like Pt.Jawahar Lal Nehru and Indira Gandhi. After India and Pakistan’s partition, it got shifted to Amritsar.
Makki di roti refers to the cornbread while Sarso da Saag refers to the vegetable made from mustard green having Garam Masala, ginger, and garlic as the main spice ingredients. It is Punjab’s heavenly delight, especially during the winter season.
You can also get the finest version of Sarso Da Saag and Makke ki Roti at Brother’s Dhaba and Bharawan da Dhaba which are among the famous eateries in Amritsar.
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Desserts in Amritsar
The topmost item in the desserts when you are in Punjab is the Lassi. Almost at every eatery in Amritsar, you can find Lassi but, for the best version; head on to ‘Ahuja Milk Bhandar’.
The second dessert item to go for is ‘Kulfa’ which is pretty much like an ice cream having layers of Phirni, Kulfi scoops, sweet syrups, falooda and rose water. You can get the best of it at A-one Kulfa in Amritsar.
The other dessert items to go for are ‘Pinni Sweet’ made from lentil and Jaggery at ‘Kanha Sweets’; Gajar ka halwa made from carrots at ‘Novelty Sweets’; Gulab jamum and Fried Jalebis at ‘Gurdas ram jalebiwala’.
Amritsari Lassi at Ahuja Milk Bhandar, Gian Di Lassi, Kanha Sweets, The Kulcha Land, Kesar Da Dhaba
Ahuja Milk Bhander is famous in Amritsar for its incompatible creamy Lassi. The shop serves Lassi to visitors in tall glasses with a thick texture to scoop it like ice cream while drinking.
The shop is special in Amritsar due to its secret Lassi recipe which brings out the mouth-watering flavour and taste which even big chefs have failed to bring. Other famous areas to have Lassi in Amritsar are – Gian Di Lassi, Kanha Sweets, Kulcha Land, and Kesar Da Dhaba.
Lassi is a kind of drink which s compulsory for the people in Punjab after a meal or to beat the summer heat. It is prepared by blending Yogurt, water, fruit, spices, added flavours and, served cool to the people. Don’t miss this dessert at any cost while in Amritsar.
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Kulfa at A-one Kulfa
Kulfa is a renowned dessert in Amritsar which is a modification to the Indian version of Kulfi. It is a traditional sweet dish that hails from both India and Pakistan.
It is a cold dessert and brings ultimate relief in the hot summer days. It is prepared using fat milk, which is known as Khoya in Indian language, which is further blended with cardamom powder, saffron, nuts, and dry fruits and stored to freeze.
After the item gets frozen and forms a solid structure just like ice cream, it is cut into pieces and served to people. In Amritsar, you can get the best quality Kulfa at A-one Kulfa shop on Crystal Chowk. The Kulfas come in different flavours, and each scoop tastes heavenly melting in your tongue.
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Jalebi by Sharma Sweet Shop, Gurdas Ram Jalebi Wala, Sanjha Chulha
Jalebi is another delicious Indian Sweet dish, and in Amritsar, you find it in the best quality and taste at Gurdas Ram Jalebi Wala. It is a tiny shop in Amritsar but, is famous all over the city for its aromatic and tempting fresh Jalebis at only Rs.10.
The dessert is prepared by deep frying the batter made from plain flour. The batter is rotated in different circular shapes in the oil with the battering cone, and then those shapes are deep fried soaking in sugar syrup.
It has a tempting crystalline orange colour texture that melts in the mouth with each bite dipping your taste buds in sweet flavours. It is accompanied best with curd or consumed with breakfast. Other places to have Jalebis in Amritsar are- Sharma Sweet Shop and Sanjha Chulha.
Pinni & Besan Laddos at Kanha Sweets
Pinni is a famous Punjabi sweet that is mostly consumed during the winter season. It is made from wheat flour, Jaggery, almonds, Urad dal and soaked in pure desi ghee with Khoya used for flavouring.
The sweet is given a round shape and tastes amazing to satisfy your sweet taste buds. Besan laddo is another traditional Indian sweet mostly used in occasions, religious ceremonies and marriage functions.
It has a delicious light brown texture and is prepared from Chickpea flour, sugar and ghee with added pistachio for flavouring. It also has a round shape and looks like balls. Both the sweet items are very famous in Amritsar, and you have their best versions at Kanha Sweet Shop.
Gajar Ka Halwa at Novelty Sweets, Ruby’s Restaurant, Ahuja Sweets, Kanha Sweets
Gajar ka halwa is a finger licking Indian dessert that you will find in the best quality in Amritsar at Novelty Sweets. The sweet shop was established back in 1950 at the Lawrence road in Amritsar and is famous all over the city for its mouth-watering desserts especially Gajar ka Halwa.
You can also try out the other sweet corners like Ruby’s Restaurant, Ahuja Sweets and Kanha Sweets for mouth-watering Gajar ka Halwa.
The dessert item is a carrot based sweet dish or pudding that is prepared using grated carrots, water, milk, and sugar that is soaked in Ghee with added almonds, nuts, and pistachios for flavouring.
If you are a sweet lover, Gajar ka halwa at Novelty Sweets in Amritsar should not be missed.
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