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Punjabi Baithak: Punjabi Tapas Culinary Gem in Central London

Covent Garden in London which is known for its vibrant culture and diverse dining experiences, has welcomed a new addition to its culinary landscape. The Punjabi Baithak, opened its doors on Friday, September 1st, 2023, offering a unique fusion of Punjabi flavours, tapas-style dining, and a charming atmosphere that celebrates Punjabi culture. An exclusive feature by FnB columnist Riccha Grrover for Asian Lite International

Opened by long time well-known local, Amrit Mann, Punjabi Baithak is a groundbreaking concept that transforms from a Punjabi Cafe during the day to a lively Punjabi Tapas bar in the evening. It is the very first of its kind in London. The restaurant aims to provide a delightful Punjabi gastronomic journey to its patrons, offering an array of delectable dishes for vegetarians and vegans as well as those who love their non-veg!

During the day, guests can also savour the essence of Punjabi brunch homemade parathas, tandoori wraps, set plates of Punjab Covent Garden favourites with naans, rotis or rice and a steaming mug of Desi Chai, along with cuisine with tapas-style treats such as Punjabi Masala Chips, Chilli Paneer, Mixed Grill. The daytime menu offers a perfect dining solution for theatre-goers, shoppers and working individuals wanting a quick lunch in or to takeaway.

In the evening, the atmosphere at Punjabi Baithak transforms into a vibrant bar grill setting where guests can unwind and revel in the lively ambiance. The drinks menu boasts an enticing selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages including Punjabi specialties like Shikanjavi (a refreshing Punjabi lemonade), and the intriguing Laced Mango Lassi (it’s laced with rum!).  Special beverages have been sourced from the Subcontinent which went through a blind tasting selection process – they’re worth a try!  It’s the ideal place for a relaxed evening friends for a feast of options with sharing plates, sizzlers, and the opportunity to savour Punjab Covent Garden’s signature dishes.

Punjabi Baithak pays homage to the rich tradition of Punjabi hospitality. The term “Baithak” literally translates to “a place to sit,” and in Havelis (large Punjabi homes), it’s where guests would relax, be entertained, and enjoy the company of others. Musical Baithaks were also common; Punjabi Baithak also has a Basement Baithak – a space where The Beatles dined back in the 1960s!  The space still pays homage to them but is now a flexible private hire space, great for small parties, meetings, rehearsals, and small events at very reasonable rates!

This exciting addition to Covent Garden’s culinary scene comes 72 years after Gurbachan Singh Maan opened the iconic Punjab Covent Garden restaurant at 80 Neal Street, which his grandson Sital Singh Maan expended sideways, backwards and upwards. Now Amrit Maan, his great-grandson, has continued the family legacy with the opening of Punjabi Baithak next door at 190 Shaftesbury Avenue.  

It keeps the essence of the Punjab Covent Garden with its dark walls, family images and continues to celebrate Punjabi and British Asian iconic moments too, but with a focus on popular culture and more recent historic (pre-Y2K).  The more casual, lighter atmosphere is helped with the hard floor, high ceiling and neon lighting, and look out for the popular Punjabi sayings on the walls too. The two restaurants complement each other well.

Baithak literally translates as a “place to sit”.  The Baithak would often be a room in a Punjabi residence, like a haveli, where guests would relax and be entertained as they were wined and dined. The service at this restaurant is outstanding; attentive and helpful. The vibe is upbeat and relaxed. Decor items reminiscent of Punjabi heritage transports one back to a golden era gone by. The delectable menu offerings are splendid and evoke nostalgia of the subcontinent and especially Punjab. The food presentation is charming, flavours on point and portion sizes are generous. Very Highly Recommended! 

Amrit S Maan OBE
Punjabi Bhaitak Food- Chef Dheeraj
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Food Lite Blogs Recipes

Punjabi dishes to try at home

A simple but flavourful recipe made using rice and chana lentil. This is a protein rich recipe which is also served in Guruduaras as parshad. Chana Dal Khichdi is a one pot meal which is delectable and easy to prepare…reports Asian Lite News

The harvest festivals of the northern belt of India signify the conclusion long nights and usher in sunny winter days. Food being the most essential part of India, here are some Punjabi dishes you should try at home by Hansveen Kaur from online portal Momspresso.com.

Kada Parshad

Kada Parshad is made with whole wheat flour, ghee and sugar. It is offered to all visitors at gurdwaras and has religious significance. Kada parshad is made daily at the Gurdwara with the unique flavor of devotion and served in true Sikh spirit of equality among all. As a sign of humility and respect, visitors accept the offering with hands cupped and raised. Kids in particular are very fond of this treat!

Langar Ki Dal

Have you ever tasted langar? If so, then you must be familiar with the rich and creamy Punjabi langarwali dal made with Split black urad lentil and chana lentil. Put the lentils with water and whole spices to cook on slow flame in the evening and keep stirring it to become thick and creamy, this adds the flavour. By the morning its ready to be served after tempering it.

Meethe Chawal

A traditional Punjabi dessert of long grained, highly aromatic Basmati rice and sugar syrup. This saffron colored dish, is usually served flavored with cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon and kesar. Dry fruit like pistachios, almonds, walnuts, cashews ans raisins are added to enhance the flavor of this awesome recipe. It’s one of the most loved dishes of Punjabi households.

Chana Dal Khichdi

A simple but flavourful recipe made using rice and chana lentil. This is a protein rich recipe which is also served in Guruduaras as parshad. Chana Dal Khichdi is a one pot meal which is delectable and easy to prepare. The khichdi with lots of flavours and texture will surely make everyone crave for more. It is a wholesome nutritious meal in itself, which is an added benefit.

Makki ki Roti with Sarso ka Saag

Served with a dollop of white butter or Makhan and crispy warm Makki Ki Roti with Sarso Ka Saag is soul warming during the chilling winter season in Northern India. This classic North Indian Dish is not only easy to make but healthy too as it is cooked in a manner that preserves all nutrients of green leaves accompanied by the bread made from corn meal.

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Punjabi to be introduced in Australian schools

Punjabi is Australia’s fastest-growing language while Hindi continues to be one of the top 10 languages used in Australian homes…reports Asian Lite News

Making it the newest language for its schools, the government of Western Australia has announced that a Punjabi curriculum will be developed and made available for pre-primary to Year 12 students of the state.

This follows the announcement in 2021 of the development of syllabuses for Hindi, Korean and Tamil, which will be introduced to schools in the region starting 2023.

Sue Ellery, a leader in the Legislative Council in the state Parliament and also the Education and Training Minister, announced on Tuesday that curriculum writers will start developing Punjabi syllabuses and support materials for schools from January.

Punjabi will be fully developed in Western Australia, where languages education becomes compulsory from Year 3, by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority.

While the pre-primary to Year 10 Punjabi syllabuses will be available to schools from 2024, it is anticipated that the Year 11 courses will be available to students in 2024, with the first ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank) Course Examination to be set in 2025.

The local government believes that with more than 190 languages spoken throughout Western Australia, linguistic diversity is a great strength of the State and provides a range of social, cultural and economic benefits.

“I am pleased to see the ongoing expansion of languages curriculum for WA students, and the development of Punjabi curriculum is particularly fitting given it could support students in key future employment opportunities,” said Ellery in a statement issued by the Western Australia government.

As Australia deepens cooperation with India in all spheres, the minister spotlighted that the WA government led the State’s largest-ever business delegation to India earlier this year amid a broader strengthening of engagement with New Delhi.

Punjabi is Australia’s fastest-growing language while Hindi continues to be one of the top 10 languages used in Australian homes.

Punjabi, as per the 2021 Census released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, has had the largest increase, showing 239,033 people using Punjabi at home.

The Cultural Diversity Census revealed that the top five languages used at home, other than English, were Mandarin (2.7 per cent), Arabic (1.4 per cent), Vietnamese (1.3 per cent), Cantonese (1.2 per cent) and Punjabi (0.9 per cent).

Western Australia, which has the largest land area of any Australian state or territory with around 10 per cent of the continent’s total population, has a sizable population of Punjabis after Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland.

Indians, attracted to the State for its exceptional climate, buoyant economy and relaxed lifestyle, are generally based around the State’s capital, Perth.

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Lite Blogs Music

‘Music is like what breath is to life’

Believing that it is important that young and upcoming singers do not look for shortcuts, he says that consistent riyaaz is paramount…reports Sukant Deepak

At the age of 13, he ran away from home to Gorakhpur in search of a guru after listening to a voice on the radio. Training under Ustad Rahat Ali Khan of Gorakhpur and imbibing the Patiala Gharana style of singing, singer Daler Mehndi, one of the very few Punjabi musicians who continue to be relevant decades after he took to the mic, says that his commitment to music is like what breath is to life.

“It is my highest truth and the sole purpose of my life. It is the art form in which I have found my oneness,” he tells .

The singer, who recently released his single ‘Apna CM’ dedicated to Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, admits that social media has completely changed the music scenario, with singles ruling the roost and albums becoming a thing of the past.

“This is a great time for all performing artists. In this age of fast consumption, variety is the key. One can now work on tracks according to how she/he is feeling and not wait for an entire album considering the latter would sometimes take years or months. It is a great feeling to be able to continuously work on your music and ensure that it comes out timely and regularly,” says Mehndi, who has to his credit evergreen numbers like ‘Ho Jayegi Balle Balle’, ‘Dardi Rab Rab Kardi’, ‘Tunak Tunak Tun’, ‘Zor Ka Jhatka’ and ‘Nach Baby Nach Kudi’.

At a time when in face of Punjabi singer Moosewala’s recent murder, there has been much debate about the lyrics in contemporary Punjabi songs, Mehndi says he has always been extremely conscious about the lyrics he uses.

“As an artist, our art has a capacity to bring about behaviour change in society. I believe each one of us should strive for that. It is extremely important for artists to be conscious about what we are doing,” says the singer and lyricist who has been instrumental in making Bhangra popular worldwide, as well as Indian pop music independent of Bollywood music.

Believing that it is important that young and upcoming singers do not look for shortcuts, he says that consistent riyaaz is paramount.

“Humility is important and staying away from alcohol and drugs will benefit them greatly.”

Mehndi, who recently started a series ‘Jewel of Music’ that involves looking for talents who have not been able to get their due owing to lack of exposure, financial conditions, family restrictions or other reasons, says, “We are releasing albums and singles of such talented artists.”

Ask him what comes first –lyrics or the music, and he says that it all depends on the creative flow. Stressing that most of my songs are created extempore, he adds, “The famous ‘Namoh Namoh’ was created in Islamabad while performing on stage and ‘Kudiyan Shehar Diyan’ came together with words and music while performing live on stage in Nagpur.”

Adding that the government and large corporates must patronise musicians and artists as they are the custodians of values and art culture for future generations, he concludes, “They need to be financially comfortable, give them tax and health benefits.”

ALSO READ-Change your vibes with music

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Lite Blogs Music

Amandeep Singh : Punjabi music is making waves

Singh recently released a new party song titled “De-Daaru” by Indian music label Bullman Records. The party song rejoices friendship and living moments of happiness, says the music label…writes Siddhi Jain.

Without any language barriers, people love hearing Punjabi music. Punjabi pop music artist Amandeep Singh, better known by his industry name Deep Money, says that Punjabi music is making waves and is well-accepted in Bollywood and among Bollywood lovers. “In fact, we see most of the Bollywood songs using Punjabi lyrics nowadays,” he tells.

Deep Money debuted in 2011 with Yo Yo Honey Singh with the single ‘Dope Shope’ and says he has had a challenging music career. He is known for his work on ‘Race 3’ (2018) and ‘Veerey Ki Wedding’ (2018), among others.

“With god’s grace, I achieved big things after my first single. These days Punjabi music is hitting the charts globally. In every Bollywood movie, there is at least one Punjabi song. In the coming days, Punjabi music will break more records,” says the ‘Heeriye’ singer.

Singh recently released a new party song titled “De-Daaru” by Indian music label Bullman Records. The party song rejoices friendship and living moments of happiness says the music label. Directed by Ashish Rai, AD Deepak Taggar and produced by Sabby Airy and Aishwary Tripathi, it was released in late March and is gaining popularity.

Says Deep Money: “I hope the song comes up with the new party wave as it’s a hip groove along to number.”

“The pandemic continues and we have seen people stuck inside their homes for months now and people are getting frustrated with the same boring life, not able to go out or party or have fun. Luckily we’ve got a vaccine and everyone is aware of all the precautions to be taken. So, we have come up with the new party song as a gift to help them groove through the months to come. Though people are facing so many tensions, they should relax and enjoy their life following all the guidelines imposed by the government,” he said.

Punjabi pop music is often accused of glorifying alcohol consumption and the objectification of women. When asked his thoughts on it, the Punjabi singer who has recently worked with Isabelle Kaif says: “Punjabis are fun-loving and believe in making people happy. If we talk about glorifying alcohol in Punjabi music, we intentionally indicate that when life gives you lemons, make lemonade, which means to always cheer your life no matter what you’re going through.”

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