FATEHABAD.FAITHWEB.COM Website
of Fatehabad district of Haryana, India
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Food
of Fatehabad, Haryana
Haryanvi cuisine is like the people of Haryana-simple, robust
and inextricably linked to the land. In Haryana, the accent 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 civilization, so too the cuisine which is uncomplicated and
essentially implies sustenance. However, Haryana with its essentially
agrarian culture, has retained a 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 teste and nutrients.
Haryana is well known for its cattle wealth and can claim to be
the home of the famous Murrah buffalo and the Haryana cow. Little wonder
then that 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. Home made butter is called nooni or tindi ghee and is churned fresh
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 considered very cooling.
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.Fresh vegetables are the main stay of Haryanvi cuisine which is
primarily vegetarian. Dals are not consumed daily and vegetables seasoned
lightly are preferred. Tinda, ghia (kind of sweet gourd) and other seasonal
vegetables
constitute a major part of the daily diet in Haryana. On special
occasions, pethe ki subji is made. Bajre ki khichri and raabri, made from a
paste of millet flour cooked and then mixed with lassi are also relished
greatly here.
Haryanvis also like teet ka achar or pickle made from the fruit
of the Kair tree. As the fruit is bitter, it is first crushed and then
soaked in brine to remove the bitterness. Later, spices and oil are added. The
pickle is ready
to be consumed after some days.
