Drinks in Punjab are the same as the ones through out India, But they have a Punjabi twist to them.
Chai is a Indian Tea. It is more popular than coffee, and street vendors called "chai wallahs" (sometimes spelled "chaiwalas") are a common sight in many Punjabi neighborhoods.
Lassi is a traditional North Indian beverage, originally from Punjab made by blending yogurt with water, salt, and spices until frothy. Yogurt is mentioned in ancient Indian texts, and so is buttermilk. Yogurt sweetened with honey is used in Hindu rituals. Traditional lassi is sometimes flavored with ground roasted cumin. The Lassi of the Punjab sometimes uses a little milk and is topped with a thin layer of malai, a clotted cream, also known as Devonshire cream. Lassis are enjoyed chilled as a hot-weather refreshment. With a little turmeric powder mixed in, it is also used as a folk remedy for gastroenteritis.
Sharbat is a popular Middle Eastern and South Asian "juice" that is prepared from fruits or flower petals. It is sweet and served chilled. It can be in concentrate form and eaten with a spoon or mixed with water to create the drink. It was popularised by the Mughal rulers one of whom sent for frequent loads of ice from the Himalayas to get a cool refreshing drink.
There are many types of liquor and beer available at most restaurants. A classic liquor found in Punjab is Royal Stagg, which is made by Segrams; the taste and quality is similar to Segrams 7. The beers are actually pretty good, some favorites are Kingfisher, Flying Horse and Taj Mahal. Kingfisher is exported throughout the world. There are also some liquors and beers available that are of very poor quality; you can usually distinguish the quality by the price-- you'll get what you pay for. Imported brands are also available in some of the higher- class restaurants but the price is much steeper. You can expect to pay up to 3 or 5 times the price of local liquors. Usually only a selected few imports are available and Johnnie Walker is usually one of them. If you are taking a gift for people in Punjab, who you know that drink and won't get offended, then taking some kind of Scotch Whiskey is a good idea.
Desi Daroo,(also known in different parts of the country under other names). It is made by fermenting the mash of sugar cane pulp in large spherical containers made from waterproof ceramic (terra cota) up to near 100% alcohol. However, it is a dangerous drink, mainly because of the risk of alcohol or copper formaldehyde poisoning.
Coffee, also known as Madras Filter Coffee or kaapi is a sweet milky coffee made from dark roasted coffee beans (70%-80%) and chicory (20%-30%), especially popular in the southern states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The most commonly used coffee beans are Peaberry (preferred), Arabica, Malabar and Robusta grown in the hills of Kerala (Malabar region), Karnataka (Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru) and Tamil Nadu (Nilgiris District).
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Punjab (India)
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Punjab (India) - updated May 2024
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Punjab (India) Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
