When it comes to Punjabis and their fondness for food, no other place epitomises it better than Amritsar, which together with Lahore, served as the gastronomical capital of Undivided Punjab. Known for its typical street food grilled in tandoors, which are a mainstay of every Amritsari household, and dipped in dollops of desi ghee, Amritsar continues to carry forward the Punjabi food legacy characterised by traditional flavours and recipes with a distinctive Punjabi touch down to the very last bite.
Celebrating Punjabis’ love for food on the occasion of Baisakhi, JW Marriott Chandigarh is bringing “Amritsar Di Galiyan”, a food festival inspired by the traditional recipes and flavours handpicked from the streets of Amritsar, to The Cafe@JW, its all-day dining restaurant. “Amritsar Di Galiyan”, which started on a delicious note today and will go on till April 29, is not only reminiscent of the warm hospitality and rich culinary heirlooms of Amritsar but also evokes nostalgia of an era gone by.
Adding a distinct Punjabi flavour to Baisakhi festivities this time around, the master chefs at JW Marriott Chandigarh are recreating the magic of Amritsari cuisines to make the Punjabi New Year celebrations truly special. After all, indulging in and celebrating with food comes naturally to Punjabis, who simply love hearty meals that go with their hearty spirits.
An integral part of Amritsar’s cultural essence, the passion for food remains ingrained in its people. Moreover, the holy city is visited by thousands of pilgrims from all over the world every year who identify the city with The Golden Temple on one hand and its delicious food offerings on the other. So much so, the local favourite food haunts have gained popularity which extends much beyond the city’s borders.
“For us, Baisakhi signifies celebrations and the upbeat spirit of Punjabis. Since celebrations in Punjab invariably revolve around food, this Amritsar food festival emerged as a natural choice. Amritsar offers an insight into the rich Punjabi culinary culture like no other city can. That’s precisely the reason why some cuisines have an Amritsari tag to it, Amritsari machchi, Amritsari kulcha and Amritsari papad-wadiyan, to name a few. From a complex recipe like Bhatti ka Murg to a simple yet sumptuous Amritsari Khoya Phirni, our sumptuous spread will have all the star dishes inspired from the holy city itself. The festival will also introduce quirky yet famous snacks from the streets of Punjab which are household names and with which we have experimented for the first time, such as Amritsari Kulcha, Aam Papad Ki Chaat or a Pithi Poori,” said Chef Naveen Handa, Executive Chef, JW Marriott Chandigarh.
When a food festival proudly declares that it is celebrating Punjab, we have every reason to be ready for the world-famous spicy aromatic ‘dal’. For this reason, Amritsar Di Galiyan will feature the Amritsari staple ‘Langar waali dal’ in the menu. For meat lovers, the chefs have given an Amritsari twist to Lamb Chops to suit the Punjabi palate by preparing them on a tawa. Live counters, much like the ones we have in the streets of Amritsar, will feature traditional street favourites like Pithi Poori, Aloo Launji and the quintessential Jalebi with Rabdi.
Another highlight of this food festival are the handpicked dishes of Amritsari papad and waddiyan sourced from the century-old Paparan Bazaar, which claims to be preparing papads and waddiyans based on recipes passed on from generation to generation. Amritsar Di Galiyan will feature delicacies made from Waddiyan, a spicy mixture of urad dal and spices such as whole peppercorns and crushed red chillies, like the Amritsari Wadiya Paneer Ki Shammi and the Amritsari Wadiyon Ka Pulao. A sumptuous highlight of the condiments section will be the famous Pudina Chutney made with tamarind and Amritsar special anardana powder.
A team of JW Marriott Chandigarh, including the hotel’s General Manager, Mr Dilpreet Bindra, and Chef Naveen Handa, themselves explored the street food of Amritsar and sourced the best available condiments for the food festival, including waddiyan, papad and aam papad, and came back with a host of traditional recipes for this food festival.
“We picked up the finer nuances of cooking by observing the famous specialities being made live in the city. Most of the recipes in their menu are heirlooms passed on from generation to generation, which is what makes them timeless. There is no written word on the measure of spices, ghee and other ingredients used in the dishes. The ingredients are added with an instinctive estimate, which is something inherent in these masters of Amritsari cuisine,” said Mr Dilpreet Bindra.
So, here’s an opportunity to celebrate this Baisakhi with the sumptuously exquisite and authentic food of Amritsar at JW Marriott Chandigarh. This delicious meal can be enjoyed for dinner at The Cafe@JW from 7:30 pm onwards at INR 1956/- inclusive of taxes and for lunch on Saturday and brunch on Sunday between 12.30 pm to 4 pm at INR 1416/- and 1770/ (inclusive of taxes), respectively. You can also call at 0172-3955555 or +91 998 889 8309 to reserve your table at The Cafe@JW at JW Marriott Chandigarh.