Share this link via
Haryanvi cuisine is like the people of Haryana - simple, earthy and inextricably linked to the land. In Haryana, the emphasis is on food that is wholesome, fresh and prepared with little or no fuss at all. Food always evolves out of a certain cultural context. The simpler the culture or civilisation, so is the cuisine which is uncomplicated and essentially implies sustenance. Haryana with its essentially agrarian culture has retained simplicity in its cuisine.
The 'Land of Rotis' is an apt title for Haryana, as people are fond of eating different kinds of rotis here. Wheat rotis are common and so are baajre ki roti. In earlier times, rotis would be made from a flour of wheat, gram and barley, a truly nutritious and healthy combination. Then there is the gochini atta made from wheat and gram flour. However with the rising price of gram and barley, people prefer the comparatively cheaper wheat flour, a loss both in terms of taste and nutrients.
Haryana is well known for its cattle wealth and is the home of the famous Murrah buffalo and the Haryana cow. No wonder there is an abundance of milk and milk products in Haryanvi cuisine. People make butter and ghee at home and use these liberally in their daily diet. Homemade fresh butter is called nooni or tindi ghee and is churned daily in most homes. It is customary for a girl's family to give her gifts of ghee (clarified butter), gondh (edible gum), laddus (a sweetmeat made of gram flour) and dry fruits when she becomes a mother. Buttermilk, chaaj is a favourite drink and is an instant cooler for summers. Lassi made from yoghurt is another popular drink, almost a meal in itself. The Haryanvi's love for lassi can be gauged from the fact that thandai, a sweet, milk based drink is called kachi lassi in Haryana.