You will find this delicacy in any local street food stall as well as the premium five-star hotels of Amritsar city. Freshwater fish called singhara or sole is used to make this delicious spicy and fried fish dish. The fish is tender and succulent on the inside and slightly crispy on the outside. A  perfect snack for cold winter evenings, it is served  with mint-and-coriander chutney. In colloquial language, the dish is known as Amritsari Machhi.
In earlier times, the poor, who were settled near the rivers, would cook fish extensively as it was easily available. Soon fish-based dishes found their way into the Mughal kitchens, where various innovations were added using masalas and cooking techniques.

A host of spices and yoghurt are used to make this richly flavoured traditional mutton curry.  The gosht is cooked for a long time to ensure the flavours are well infused into the meat. The word 'bhuna' in Asian cooking means cooking the curry until it is reduced and becomes thick. This way it gets more easily coated to the meat, which appears brown in colour. Served with jeera (cumin) rice, bhuna ghost makes a great option for lunch or dinner. 

Also known as murgh makhani, butter chicken is a delectable staple of most non-vegetarians in the country. It is made using puréed tomatoes, spices and dried fenugreek leaves. Dollops of butter and fresh cream, along with a pinch of sugar, give the chicken a deep and balanced flavour. The curry is best enjoyed with butter or garlic naan (traditional Indian breads). It is said that the dish finds its origins at the Moti Mahal, Darya Ganj, in Delhi. The story goes that in the 1950s, the place was already popular among tandoori chicken lovers. The cooks at the restaurant were in a habit of recycling the left-over chicken juices by adding butter and tomato to them. Once, this sauce was tossed with pieces of tandoori chicken by accident. Thus, was born the decadent butter chicken that sets mouths drooling all over the world. It is creamy with thick, red tomato gravy and tastes slightly sweet. The dish almost melts in the mouth as the juice percolates into the chicken pieces making them juicy and tender. 

Amritsar's old markets are filled with stores selling spices, papad (thin and crisp disc-shaped food) and varians, which are small nuggets of lentils. To prepare varian, lentils are ground into a paste, mixed with spices and then dried in the sun. Try adding them to curries for a burst of flavours!

To warm up on wintry days, the womenfolk of Amritsar make a perfect mix of healthy and flavourful dishes. Sarson da saag is one such dish that is made using mustard leaves, along with spinach, green chillies and spices. A generous  dollop of butter adds richness to the dish that is best served with makke di roti (Indian bread made using corn flour).

This scrumptious dish originated from the Mughlai cuisine and the word 'shahi' translates into royal. The delicious curry of  shahi paneer is made with soft chunks of paneer (cottage cheese) that are cooked in a gravy made using tomatoes, cream and spices. It is best served with naan or tandoori roti (Indian breads) or basmati rice.