Vaisakhi or Baisakhi is a religious festival in Sikhism celebrated on the 13th or 14th of April every year as per the Nanakshahi Calender.
Baisakhi is observed as a thanksgiving by the farmers to WAHEGURU for the rabi crop harvest for the season; and for even more flavorful season ahead.
Like any other festival in Sikhism we celebrate with path and langar ki seva.
Here I have collected a few loved recipes of the Punjabi cuisine that are loved by all.
1. The very first hast be this dal that is served all across gurdwaras in langar and is quite popularly known as Langar wali dal. It’s simmered slowly with some regular spices but tastes out of the world. Click on the link below for recipe.
2. Matar Paneer is synonymous to Punjabi Cuisine. This recipe guarantee restaurant style thick gravy as well as flavor. Click on the link below for recipe.
3. Chole puri are also one the loved dishes in Punjabi culture typically made on weekends or holidays so everyone get to enjoy it hot and delicious. Click on the link for recipe.
4. People around the world associate Punjabi’s with Sarso da saag and makki di roti. Try my version and it will be your favorite. Click on the link for recipe.
5. The best Vadiya(lentil dumplings) pulav that you will taste. It’s filled with lots of onions and peas. Click on the link for recipe.
Punjabi Vadiya Da Pulav/Pilaf | How To make Wadiyan Da Pulav
6. Arbi is made a particular way in Punjabi cuisine. Do try it even if you don’t like it. It may decieve you with the flavors. Click on the link for recipe.
7. Mothi Chawal as it is known among Punjabi’s makes an elaborate meal. Any meal, dinner or gathering is incomplete with Rajma Masala. Click on the link for recipe.
8. Baingan Ka bharta is rich on onions with smokey desi flavor. My mom’s secret to making the best baingan ka bharta is to saute the onions well on slow flame. Click on the link for recipe.
http://theyellowdaal.com/punjabi-baingan-bharta/
9. Chole to be served with Rice or bhature. Ohh, mouthwatering. Click on the link for recipe.
10. Simple sabji but amazing flavors. My mom’s recipe again. You will not look at Tori the same way. Click in the link for recipe.
Now for an interesting read a little bit about Baisakhi ⬇
While the Sikhs celebrate Vaisakhi across India; rest of India wonders if it is about doing Bhangra and dancing.
No, it is not; Baisakhi holds a lesson for all Indians…… Specially in this day and age…
So this day in 1699, in a congregation of people from all across India…standing there listening to their Guru, Sree Gobind Rai. Gobind Rai asked for human sacrifice of five men one after the other. Five men from different castes from different parts of India stood up from the crowd of thousands.
– A shopkeeper, Baniya called Daya Ram from Lahore
– A farmer, Jat called Dharam Das from Meerut
– A so called low-caste water carrier, called Himmat Rai from Jagannath Puri, Odisha
– A tailor,of Cheemba caste called Mukham Chand from Dwarka, Gujarat
– A barber, of Naai caste called Sahib Chand from Bidar, Karnataka
With his choice of disciples from five different corners of India, Gobind Rai ji visualised the national dream… from the coast of Gujarat along Western Arabian Sea to coasts of Odisha along the Bay of Bengal; from the great Plains of Punjab to the the Gangetic Plain and then onto the Deccan peninsula covering Karnataka.
Do not forget that at that time, all these were separate states; it was Guru Gobind Singh ji that thought of all of them as one…
this Baisakhi day of 1699.
With the choice of disciples from five different caste-groups, he visualised an integrated class-less society.
The five were christened as the First Five Khalsa Sikhs, and the five in turn christened their Guru as the sixth. Gobind Rai was now Gobind Singh ji. All caste names and surnames were dropped, & a common surname was proposed for all Indians across India; a surname that denoted a caste-less, class-less creed of men willing to sacrifice themselves for the nation and against injustice.
And the swaroop he chose for the class-less people was an amalgmation of the ancient Indian thought of Rishis (as mentioned by Guru Gobind Singh in the Sarbloh Granth) and the Kshatriya tradition of Warriors, hence the Jooda, the hairs and the Talwar. The concept of Miri-Piri was coded in the dress-system of this new society envisioned by him. A group of people who were strong in Miri (Physical Strength and material possessions) and Piri (Spiritual Strength and humility)
So, the five so called lower castes were given the temporal strength of a Rishi (a Brahmin citadel till then ) and the Physical responsibilities of a Kshatriya (a duty till then limited to the Rajputs).
This motley group of people uprooted Afghan and Mughal rule from entire North India from the Yamuna to the Khyber pass, such was the power of this vision.
And this was the Indian that he envisioned from the five corners of HIS nation.
Guru Gobind Singh ji was a visionary par excellence. His vision has been diluted and limited to Sikhism, that is a travesty.
Awake India, awake to his vision. Leave those caste barriers, acquire knowledge, be strong in body and be a Khalsa in spirit. Your religion doesn’t matter. Khalsa is a state of mind, not just a religion.
Happy Baisakhi…
If you like this recipe please like it and leave your valuable comments. You can follow my Facebook page to join me in my food journey. If you wish to replicate this recipe please link back to this post.
Follow me On TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST
Share this post if you like it.⤵
Seeing your baigan recipe I got nostalgic cz I still have the taste which aunty used to serve when I went to your place after school… Baigan bharta and ghee lagi roti,raita
Thank you so much for your comment dear. Those days will never come back but the good memories remain??