Family-run restaurant bringing taste of northern India to Valley

KERMAN, Calif. (KFSN) -- Located in the Kerman shopping center off of Highway 180 and N. Madera Avenue, family-owned and run Punjabi Plate is sharing the cuisine of northern India with the Central Valley.

"There is a large Indian community in Kerman, so a lot of the people here know about our culture and they're always willing to learn," says co-owner Kamaldeep Kaur.

Kamaldeep and her husband opened the restaurant with their two family friends less than two weeks ago but have already gained a following. So far, customers are gravitating toward the samosa and roti.

"We have a selection of naans, which is basically bread that is made in the clay oven," Kamaldeepp said.

She and her family immigrated to Kerman from Punjab in the 90's,

In addition to the rich agricultural scene, Kaur says it's the community that made her and her sister, Jasmine, want to stay and share their culture with others.

"It really is a family-style business, so whatever we can do, we try to jump in," Jasmine said.

From sweet to savory, you can add a little spice or sample the vegetarian options. This family is here to help people expand their palettes.

We enlisted the help of junior reporter Imaani Kaur to get the inside scoop on the must-try dishes.

The vegetarian appetizer is filled with green and sweet chili sauce, potato, onion and yogurt. Served cold, it's the perfect starter for summer.

"You have to eat them all in one bite or they spill," Imaani said. "You don't want them to spill all over your clothes or you're going to get all dirty."

So far, they're finding the best-sellers are the butter chicken, chicken and fish pakora dishes.

Desserts are also available to grab and go.

"We want people that are traditionally Punjabi to be able to enjoy authentic dishes from their homeland or that they grew up eating, but then also for people that have never tried Indian cuisine to be able to come and sample a variety of dishes," Jasmine said.

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