Traveling outside of east bay in San Francisco you can be in farm country in no time. But Sikh farming communities? Yes indeed.
The San Joaquin valley, a stretch of around 150 miles between Sacramento to the north and Fresno down south is prime farming country. Largely almonds, grape vines to yield raisins, and olive is grown here.
Due to historic migrations over the last few decades the Sikh faith from India by way of Canada as well as direct migration came and settled here. The climate is similar to their native Punjab (region where the Sikhs predominantly live in India) and they took to what they know best - farming. Since then they have moved up in the supply chain by growing, harvesting, transporting and cooking the foods they produce. Sikhs in America own among other businesses trucking companies, truck stops, restaurants and of course acres of farms.
As a result the land is filled with everything from Gurudwaras (temple for their faith), to eating establishments that mimic the roadside stalls of northern India.
We made full use of this valley of plenty on a recent road trip (over 300 miles round trip) to see our kid race 3 miles at the state finals in the sport of cross country running. I did not want to simply have a 100x carbon footprint just going to the race and back so decided to make the most of it by stopping at all holes in the walls that offered this Punjabi cuisine.
Naan - staple Indian bread made in an earthen oven called the tandoor is a standard accompaniment to all of the curries. Sikhs know how to do it best. Light and airy but with an earthy and wholesome flavor, these puffed and buttery breads with or without crushed, roasted garlic (I prefer with) and some flavorful curries with either goat meat in an onion and tomato sauce; tandoor baked chicken in a spicy orange colored tikka masala; luscious cheese called paneer immersed in a gravy of spinach and mustard green.
These were some of the traditional delicacies we feasted on both going to Fresno and on the way back.
Some of the restaurants also feature a grocery store attached to it and offered Indian sweets. These made for perfect desserts both after the meal and as a snack driving through a steady drizzle that arrived with the onset of December to soak the parched earth of the central valley.
That there is a town called Delhi on the highway to Fresno is a bizarre coincidence (Delhi is India's capital and borders the region of Punjab) but the etymology has nothing to do with the Sikh populace that lives there.
The San Joaquin valley, a stretch of around 150 miles between Sacramento to the north and Fresno down south is prime farming country. Largely almonds, grape vines to yield raisins, and olive is grown here.
Due to historic migrations over the last few decades the Sikh faith from India by way of Canada as well as direct migration came and settled here. The climate is similar to their native Punjab (region where the Sikhs predominantly live in India) and they took to what they know best - farming. Since then they have moved up in the supply chain by growing, harvesting, transporting and cooking the foods they produce. Sikhs in America own among other businesses trucking companies, truck stops, restaurants and of course acres of farms.
As a result the land is filled with everything from Gurudwaras (temple for their faith), to eating establishments that mimic the roadside stalls of northern India.
We made full use of this valley of plenty on a recent road trip (over 300 miles round trip) to see our kid race 3 miles at the state finals in the sport of cross country running. I did not want to simply have a 100x carbon footprint just going to the race and back so decided to make the most of it by stopping at all holes in the walls that offered this Punjabi cuisine.
Naan - staple Indian bread made in an earthen oven called the tandoor is a standard accompaniment to all of the curries. Sikhs know how to do it best. Light and airy but with an earthy and wholesome flavor, these puffed and buttery breads with or without crushed, roasted garlic (I prefer with) and some flavorful curries with either goat meat in an onion and tomato sauce; tandoor baked chicken in a spicy orange colored tikka masala; luscious cheese called paneer immersed in a gravy of spinach and mustard green.
These were some of the traditional delicacies we feasted on both going to Fresno and on the way back.
Some of the restaurants also feature a grocery store attached to it and offered Indian sweets. These made for perfect desserts both after the meal and as a snack driving through a steady drizzle that arrived with the onset of December to soak the parched earth of the central valley.
That there is a town called Delhi on the highway to Fresno is a bizarre coincidence (Delhi is India's capital and borders the region of Punjab) but the etymology has nothing to do with the Sikh populace that lives there.
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