In rural Punjab, al fresco eating mainly occurs in self service, roadside food joints called dhabas, frequented by truck drivers and travellers. They always serve dal makhani, which is cooked on a slow fire, often simmering for hours until the lentils turn creamy and are well flavoured with spices. The dal is sometimes rounded off with cream and lashings of butter.

A typical Punjabi meal consists of unleavened flatbread or rotis, yogurt, curried vegetables, and a lentil dish. Dals are a speciality of Punjabi cuisine.