33+ Punjabi Restaurant Vocabulary: Order Happiness On A Plate!

Punjabi Restaurant Vocabulary_Ling app_learn Punjabi_Punjabi Restaurant

Punjabis are now widely spread all over the globe, and their cuisine is even more so. You can expect to find ghee (clarified butter), butter, fenugreek leaves, paneer (cottage cheese), mustard greens like coriander, fennel, mustard seeds, and more in most dishes. Now, in case you are allergic to any of these or have a particular distaste for some, you might want to learn some Punjabi restaurant vocabulary to tantalize the tastebuds. Let’s dig in!

Before we get into Punjabi restaurant vocabulary, take a look at the common serving style of most Punjabi foods. You can find:

  • ਥਾਲੀ Thali: A large platter of various Punjabi dishes cooked to perfection. Often there is a choice between vegetarian and non-vegetarian. It can also be considered staple food at home. It includes a special bread, often ਨਾਂ Naan, and ਚਾਵਲ Chawal, steamed rice.
  • ਬਿਰਯਾਨੀ Biryani: It is a delicious rice dish with a fragrant aroma. It usually has meat and pairs well with kebabs or chicken curry.
  • ਕੇਬਾਬਸ Kebabs: They can be considered small balls of meat or spicy minced meat on skewers that are made over burning charcoal.
  • ਤੰਦੂਰੀ Tandoori: This includes Tandoori roti, Tandoori chicken, and other grilled meats cooked in a special oven made of clay. Vegetables can also be done in a Tandoor oven.
  • ਰਾਇਤਾ Raita: It is a full-fat yogurt used like a sauce which goes well with most Punjabi food. You can find herbs, chilies, cucumber, and tomatoes. The best part is it brings a balance with the other spices on the table.
  • ਲੱਸੀ Lassi: It is a yogurt drink that can be sweet or salty. Often people prefer cold sweet lassi with hot and spicy Punjabi food. Mango lassi is also quite popular.
  • ਕੁਲਫੀ Kulfi: This is a traditional Indian ice cream made of pistachio, milk, sugar, saffron, cardamom, and more. It is the number one dessert of Punjabis.

We could say this is quite common for most Indian restaurants. Now that you know what to expect at your table in a Punjabi restaurant, let’s look at how you can order your food.

 

Familiarizing Punjabi Restaurant Vocab

Punjabi Restaurant Vocabulary Ling app learn Punjabi Thaali

The key to ordering well in a Punjabi restaurant is to know the names of what you are looking for in Punjabi. Here is a restaurant vocabulary that will help:

English Punjabi Restaurant Vocabulary Pronunciation
OrderਆਰਡਰArdara
WaiterਬਹਿਰਾBahira
MenuਮੀਨੂMinu
Hostਮੇਜ਼ਬਾਨMezabana
Chefਸ਼ੈੱਫSaipha
TableਟੇਬਲTebala
PlateਪਲੇਟPeleta
KitchenਰਸੋਈRasoi
Reservationਰਿਜ਼ਰਵੇਸ਼ਨRizaravesana
MealਭੋਜਨBhojana
Servedਸੇਵਾ ਕੀਤੀSeva kiti
DishesਪਕਵਾਨPakavana
SpicesਮਸਾਲੇMasale
Specialਵਿਸ਼ੇਸ਼Visesa
TravelਯਾਤਰਾYatara
DrinksਡਰਿੰਕਸDarikasa
EatਖਾਓKhao
EatingਖਾਣਾKhana
ExpensiveਮਹਿੰਗਾMahiga
CheapਸਸਤੇSasate
NutsਗਿਰੀਦਾਰGiridara
PotatoesਆਲੂAlu
CreamਕਰੀਮKarima
Vegetable dietਸਬਜ਼ੀ ਖੁਰਾਕSabazi khuraka
Deep friedਚੰਗੀ ਤਰਾਂ ਤਲਿਆCagi taram talia

 

How To Order Food In A Punjabi Restaurant

Punjabi Restaurant Vocabulary_Ling app_learn Punjabi_People Ordering

When you need to order a meal, of course, you can point at the picture and tell them. But won’t it be great if you could order like the native speakers of Punjab? Without needing to go down the Indian food glossary, check out some simple phrases you can say that will help you feel right at home with Punjabi cuisine. They include some of the Punjabi restaurant vocabulary mentioned above:

English Punjabi Restaurant Phrases Pronunciation
Hello. ਸਤ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਅਕਾਲSat Sri Kal
What do you have to eat? ਤੁਹਾਨੂੰ ਕੀ ਖਾਣਾ ਹੈTuhanu ki khana hai
I can speak a little bit Punjabi.ਮੈਂ ਥੋੜੀ ਜਿਹੀ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਬੋਲਦਾ ਹਾਂMaim thori jihi pajabi bolada hai
I am on a vegetarian diet.ਮੈਂ ਸ਼ਾਕਾਹਾਰੀ ਭੋਜਨ ‘ਤੇ ਹਾਂ।Maiṁ śākāhārī bhōjana’tē hāṁ
What is chana masala?ਚਨਾ ਮਸਾਲਾ ਕੀ ਹੈ?Canā masālā kī hai?
Can I have a less spicy chickpea curry?ਕੀ ਮੈਂ ਘੱਟ ਮਸਾਲੇਦਾਰ ਛੋਲੇ ਦੀ ਕਰੀ ਲੈ ਸਕਦਾ ਹਾਂ?Kī maiṁ ghaṭa masālēdāra chōlē dī karī lai sakadā hāṁ?
Two bottles of water, please.ਕਿਰਪਾ ਕਰਕੇ ਪਾਣੀ ਦੀਆਂ ਦੋ ਬੋਤਲਾਂ।Kirapā karakē pāṇī dī’āṁ dō bōtalāṁ.
This is my favorite food.ਇਹ ਮੇਰਾ ਮਨਪਸੰਦ ਭੋਜਨ ਹੈ।Iha mērā manapasada bhōjana hai.
What vegetable dish do you have?ਤੁਹਾਡੇ ਕੋਲ ਸਬਜ਼ੀਆਂ ਦਾ ਕਿਹੜਾ ਪਕਵਾਨ ਹੈ?Tuhāḍē kōla sabazī’āṁ dā kihaṛā pakavāna hai?
Is this deep-fried?ਕੀ ਇਹ ਡੂੰਘੀ ਤਲੀ ਹੋਈ ਹੈ?Kī iha ḍūghī talī hō’ī hai?
I will have rice cooked with lentils and mixed vegetables.ਮੈਂ ਦਾਲ ਅਤੇ ਮਿਕਸਡ ਸਬਜ਼ੀਆਂ ਨਾਲ ਪਕਾਏ ਹੋਏ ਚੌਲ ਖਾਵਾਂਗਾ।Maiṁ dāla atē mikasaḍa sabazī’āṁ nāla pakā’ē hō’ē caula khāvāṅgā.
I cannot have milk in my food.ਮੈਂ ਆਪਣੇ ਭੋਜਨ ਵਿੱਚ ਦੁੱਧ ਨਹੀਂ ਲੈ ਸਕਦਾ।Maiṁ āpaṇē bhōjana vica dudha nahīṁ lai sakadā.
Is the ground meat chicken?ਕੀ ਜ਼ਮੀਨੀ ਮੀਟ ਚਿਕਨ ਹੈ?Kī zamīnī mīṭa cikana hai?
Did you add more ghee?ਕੀ ਤੁਸੀਂ ਹੋਰ ਘਿਓ ਪਾਇਆ ਹੈ?Kī tusīṁ hōra ghi’ō pā’i’ā hai?
Do you add lemon juice to the roast meats?ਕੀ ਤੁਸੀਂ ਭੁੰਨੇ ਹੋਏ ਮੀਟ ਵਿੱਚ ਨਿੰਬੂ ਦਾ ਰਸ ਪਾਉਂਦੇ ਹੋ?Kī tusīṁ bhunē hō’ē mīṭa vica nibū dā rasa pā’undē hō?
The food was great.ਭੋਜਨ ਬਹੁਤ ਵਧੀਆ ਸੀ.Bhōjana bahuta vadhī’ā sī.
Do you have anything sweet? ਕੀ ਤੁਹਾਡੇ ਕੋਲ ਕੋਈ ਮਿੱਠਾ ਹੈKī tuhāḍē kōla kō’ī miṭhā hai?
Can I have a gulab jamun, please?ਕਿਰਪਾ ਕਰਕੇ ਕੀ ਮੈਨੂੰ ਗੁਲਾਬ ਜਾਮੁਨ ਮਿਲ ਸਕਦਾ ਹੈ?Kirapā karakē kī mainū gulāba jāmuna mila sakadā hai?
It was nice to meet you.ਤੁਹਾਨੂੰ ਮਿਲ ਕੇ ਚੰਗਾ ਲੱਗਾ।Tuhānū mila kē cagā lagā.
How much is the bill?ਬਿੱਲ ਕਿੰਨਾ ਹੈ?Bila kinā hai?
See you again!ਤੁਹਾਨੂੰ ਵੀ ਦੇਖਣ ਨੂੰ!Tuhānū vī dēkhaṇa nū!

 

Wrapping Up!

Whether you are ordering North Indian or South Indian cuisine, there are always certain mannerisms and etiquette at restaurants that need to be followed. While you are enjoying a simple dish of aloo gobi or tandoori chicken, always make sure to respect the people and culture around you.

It is also good to know about the drinking culture in Punjab. A wedding may have a different atmosphere than a Punjabi restaurant or home. Their boisterous laugh, fun-filled nature, colorful clothing, and catchy music with dance moves make them unique people to behold.

 

Learn Punjabi With The Ling App

learn punjabi ling app

If you want to know more about these people, immerse yourself in the language through the Ling App! This app provides you will every tool you need, be it listening only, or speaking, writing, or reading in Punjabi. Furthermore, it has voice recognition ability to work on your accent and an actual Punjabi speaker ready to speak with you to help you learn more.

It has 62 different languages with the same features. You can personalize the app to topics of your interest and all the lessons are gamified. It will be an experience of language learning through fun!

Download the app today for the experience of a lifetime! Find us on the Apple Store or Google Play Store and start your journey.

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