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{{short description|Roadside eateries in the Indian subcontinent}}
{{refimprove|date=November 2020}}
[[File:Pranjal Dhaba - National Highway 76 - Shivrajpur - Shankargarh - Allahabad 2014-07-04 5674.JPG|thumb|300px|right|A dhaba on [[National Highway 76 (India)|National Highway 76]] near [[Prayagraj]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], India.]]
[[File:Punjabi Daba, Rekong Peo, HP., India.jpg|thumb|300px|A Dhaba at [[Rekong Peo]], Himachal Pradesh, India]]
[[File:Dhabafood.JPG|thumb|300px|right|Food at a dhaba in [[Punjab, India]].]]
[[File:Resturant of a Gurdas Maan Fan.jpg|thumb|300px|right|A Punjabi dhaba in [[northern India]], near [[Chandigarh]].]]
[[File:Ohri's.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Dhaba in Madhapur Hytech City, [[Hyderabad, India]].]]
A '''Dhaba''' is a roadside restaurant in the [[Indian subcontinent]]. They are on highways, generally serve local cuisine, and also serve as [[truck stops]].<ref>{{cite web | last=Balasubramaniam | first=Chitra | title=Food Safari: In search of Murthal ke paranthe | website=[[The Hindu]] | date=February 2, 2013 | url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/magazine/food-safari-in-search-of-murthal-ke-paranthe/article4364734.ece | access-date=June 26, 2015}}</ref> They are most commonly found next to [[Filling station|petrol stations]], and most are open 24 hours a day.

Dhaba roadside eateries are a common feature on national and state highways. Earlier frequented only by truck drivers, today eating at a dhaba—urban or roadside—is a trend.<ref name="tripathi2013">{{cite book|author=vaishali tripathi|title=Dhabe Ka Khana: Delight of Punjabi Dhaba [vegetarian]|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XoYcAgAAQBAJ|date=4 October 2013|publisher=Partridge Publishing India|isbn=978-1-4828-1176-6}}</ref>

==Etymology==
The word has been alleged in [[folk etymology]] to stem from ''dabba'', m., box, [[lunch]] box, [[tiffin]].

ad]] which ran from [[Peshawar]], [[Rawalpindi]] and [[Lahore]] through [[Amritsar]], [[Shimla]] and further to [[Delhi]] and [[Calcutta]].

There is now a large network of the Indian and Pakistani immigrant communities worldwide, and many have opened dhabas in far lands (such as at service stations on the [[Trans-Canada Highway]] network).

Dhabas were characterized by mud structures and cots to sit upon ([[charpai]]) while eating. A wooden plank would be placed across the width of the cot on which to place the dishes. With time, the cots were replaced by tables. The food is typically inexpensive and has a 'homemade' feel to it.

==Cuisine==
Indian food served in dhabas is wholesome and full of rustic flavour. Food is served on big brass or steel [[thali]] (plates) and drinks – water, [[lassi]], milk (of several varieties), or tea, as well as [[Chorba|shorbas]] (soups) – are served.

Two types of food are served in the dhabas – non-vegetarian cuisine (which is the most popular) and vegetarian fare termed ''[[Vaishnavism|vaishno]] dhabas'' (where food is cooked in pure [[ghee]] or clarified white butter). [[Dal makhani|Dal makhni]] is a popular dish in the vegetarian dhaba.

== Tandoor ==
The [[tandoor]] (also called ‘tandooria’ or [[dhatti]]) is a barrel-shaped clay or earthenware oven, which makes the cuisine special. It is a versatile kitchen appliance for making [[roti]]s and [[naan]]s and a social institution. In rural North India, the community tandoor, dug in the ground and either coal-fired or (more recently) electrically heated, is a meeting place for women, who bring the kneaded atta (dough) and sometimes marinated meats to have them cooked while socializing.<ref>http://www.shvoong.com/medicine-and-health/nutrition/1866706-specialities-punjabi-cuisine/</ref> Until a few years ago, this phenomenon existed in urban neighbourhoods, too. Even today, a few neighbourhoods in [[Delhi]] and [[Lahore]] have a community tandoor.

== Ingredients ==
Most menus are made according to the season. The universal favourite is [[chole bhature]] which is a year-round item and is available at every wayside dhaba; it originated in Northern India but is now found anywhere in the Indian subcontinent or other countries where the [[South Asia]]n diaspora have migrated in large numbers. But, the pride of the Punjabi winter cuisine is [[sarson ka saag]] (curry made out of mustard leaves) served with blobs of white butter accompanied by [[makki ki roti]] and [[lassi]].

Some dishes are:

*Wheat and maize (the staple food grains), all [[lentils]], especially [[black gram]] and [[Chickpea|yellow gram]], [[rajma]] (kidney beans), and [[Chickpea|chana]].
*Popular spices in Indian cuisine are [[coriander]], [[cumin]], [[cloves]], [[cinnamon]], [[cardamom]], [[black pepper]], red [[chili powder]], [[turmeric]], and [[Mustard (condiment)|mustard]]. One of the main crops is mustard or sarson: Its leaves are used to make ''sarson da-saag'' curry while its seeds are used for tempering and for making [[mustard oil]], which is widely used as a cooking medium.
*Milk and dairy products such as [[Dahi (curd)|''dahi'']], ''[[paneer]]'' cream, butter and ''[[ghee]]'' are used. Butter is an important cooking medium apart from being consumed raw along with the food.
*Non-vegetarian food, especially chicken, is a favourite. Mutton and fish are also cooked.
*All types of vegetables

== Vegetarian specialities ==
The simple vegetarian meal served could be a [[paratha]] of many kinds depending on the type of vegetable stuffing one wishes to have – the [[aloo paratha]]s is the most popular. Parathas stuffed with cooked, mashed and spiced vegetables such as cauliflower are popular for breakfast with curds or tea.

Vegetarian meal – for lunch or dinner – consists of ''[[chana masala]]'', ''pindi chana'', vegetables and lentils, [[Sarson da saag|''sarson ka saag'']], ''[[palak paneer]]'', ''bharwan karela,'' ''subz [[korma]]'', ''[[rajma]]'' or ''[[kadhi]]''.

[[Paneer]] dishes are a must in a vegetarian menu. It is cooked with every kind of vegetable, the popular dishes of such variety are [[palak paneer]] or [[saag paneer]], [[mutter paneer]], ''[[paneer makhani]]'' etc.

''[[Naan]]'' and ''[[paratha]]'', rotis made of maize flour ([[makki di roti]]), [[chappati]]s made out of the flour of maize and ''[[rumali roti]]'' are typical [[Indian breads]].

The basic gravy used for vegetables and meat dishes is onion-tomato-garlic-ginger.

== Rice ==
A predominantly wheat-eating people, the Punjabis cook [[rice]] only on special occasions. Rice is rarely cooked plain or steamed and is always made with a flavouring of cumin or fried onions. ''Sada chawal'' – plain rice – is served with other wheat-based dishes. [[Biryani|Vegetable biryani]] (fried veg rice) is also a favourite dish.

In winter, is rice cooked with [[jaggery]] is ''gurwala chawal'', or ''rao ki kheer'' delicacy when cooked on slow fire for hours with sugarcane juice, and sometimes rice is also cooked with green peas.

== Non-vegetarian options ==
Authentic items include kadhai murg, [[tandoori chicken]], tali machali amritsar, rara gosht, [[chicken tikka masala]], peppery tandoori chicken., anda paneer (egg curry), seek kebabs, butter chicken, vegetarian and non-vegetarian [[kathi roll]]s, etc.

Non-vegetarian popular starters include [[kebabs]] – Gosht Pudhina Sheek, Tangri and Macchi Hariyali Tikka and [[Chicken Tikka]].

Murg yakhni shorba and chicken shorba are popular soups.

Most meat delicacies are eaten with plain rice, phulka or tandoori [[roti]] without ghee or butter.

== Sweets or desserts ==
[[File:Firni.JPG|thumb|Firni]]
Sweets include firni or [[phirni]] (a sweet dish made of milk, rice flour, and sugar and chilled in earthenware bowls), [[gulab jamun]] and [[burfi]]. The desserts include fresh hot [[jalebi]] with vanilla ice cream, [[rasmalai]] and [[saffron|kesari]] [[kheer]].

[[File:Patiala Lassi.JPG|thumb|Patiala lassi]]
The saffron-mixed buttermilk (lassi) of [[Amritsar]]; milk boiled with almonds, pistachio, and dry-dates in winter; and the same mix boiled into a thick liquid and then solidified in a banana-shaped mould in the form of a kulfi are desserts. [[Panjiri]], [[whole wheat flour]] fried in sugar and ghee, heavily laced with dry-fruits and herbal gums is in eaten in the winters to ward off cold.

==Regional variations==
[[Haryana]] has dhabas all over and dhabas of [[Murthal]], [[Sonipat]] on [[Grand Trunk Road]] are famous for delicacies including [[Paratha|Murthal Paratha]], Haryanvi Daal, Cheese Bread Pakora and more.<ref>[http://www.tribuneindia.com/2004/20040327/windows/main1.htm Dhabas of Murthal and Haryana], ''The Tribune'', 2004</ref><ref>[http://www.thehindu.com/features/magazine/food-safari-in-search-of-murthal-ke-paranthe/article4364734.ece Food Safari: In search of Murthal Paratha], ''The Hindu'', 2 Feb 2013</ref><ref>[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/Highway-Bites-Dhabas-Vs-food-chains/articleshow/48843912.cms Highway Bits: Dhabas versus food chains], ''Times of India'', 7 Sept 2015]</ref> ''"Garam Dharam"'' (Hot Dharam) vegetarian dhaba based on [[Sholay]] theme at Murthal [[Sonipat]], with fruit parathas as one of its speciality, is owned by the [[Bollywood]] action hero [[Dharmendra]].<ref name=dharam1>[https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=auto&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fzeenews.india.com%2Fhindi%2Findia%2Faction-star-of-bollywood-dharmendra-opens-veg-dhaba-at-murthal-in-haryana%2F376100 GOOGLE ENGLISH TRANSLATION India's action hero Dharmendra opened Dhaba in Murthal, named Hot Dharam] and [http://zeenews.india.com/hindi/india/action-star-of-bollywood-dharmendra-opens-veg-dhaba-at-murthal-in-haryana/376100 ORIGINAL NEWS मुरथल में इंडिया के एक्शन हीरो धर्मेंद्र ने खोला ढाबा, नाम रखा है 'गरम धरम'], [[Zee News]] 24 Feb 2018.</ref>

==Overseas==
The word has come to represent [[cuisine of the Indian subcontinent]] so much that many [[Indian restaurants]] in [[Asia]] ([[Bangkok]]), [[Europe]] and [[Americas]] ([[Trinidad and Tobago]]) have adopted it as a part of the name.

==See also==
{{Div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[Indian cuisine]]
* [[Pakistani cuisine]]
* [[Dabbawala]]s of Mumbai
* [[Cha chaan teng]] Hong Kong diners
* [[Greasy spoon]]s in Britain
* [[Hawker centre]]s of Singapore
* [[Kopi tiam]] in Southeast Asia
* [[Tapri]] in central and south India
* [[Truck stop]]s in North America
* [[Kesar Da Dhaba]]
{{Div col end}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Alcohol in India}}
{{Indian beverages}}

[[Category:Restaurants by type]]
[[Category:Transport culture of India]]
[[Category:Punjabi culture]]
[[Category:Indian restaurants]]
[[Category:Trucking subculture]]
[[Category:Indian trucking industry]]

Dhaba - Revision history

CleanupBot II at 05:25, 14 August 2023