punjabi

Jaspreet learned to make dal makhani at a dhaba on the Amritsar–Delhi highway when he was 16, working nights during college. Twenty years later, he still cooks it the same way — overnight slow-simmer, a full stick of butter, a splash of cream just before service.

His Punjabi thali on our calendar always leads with the dal makhani. Around it he builds: chole, saag paneer, jeera rice, tandoori roti, and a slice of gajar halwa on the winter days.

"Australians think Punjabi food is just butter chicken," he laughs. "It's a full home cuisine. You should taste the ghar-ka-khaana, not just the restaurant version. That's what we do here."