In India and Pakistan, highways are dotted with local restaurants popularly known as dhabas (singular: dhaba; Hindi: ढाबा). They generally serve local cuisine, and also serve as truck stops.
Food at a local Dhaba in Punjab.
Most commonly, dhabas are found next to petrol stations, most are open 24 hours a day. Since most Indian truck drivers are of Punjabi descent, and Punjabi food and music is quite popular throughout India, the word dhaba has come to represent any restaurant that serves Punjabi food, especially the heavily-spiced and fried Punjabi fare preferred by many truck drivers.
The word has come to represent Indian local cuisine so much that many Indian restaurants in Europe and America have adopted it as a part of the name.
Dhabas were traditionally characterized by mud structures and cots to sit upon (called 'chaarpai' in Hindi) to have food. A wooden plank would be placed across the width of the cot to keep dishes. One needed to squat on the cot and have food. With time, the cots were replaced by tables. The food is typically inexpensive and has a 'homemade' feel to it.
Etymology
The word has been alleged in folk etymology to stem from Punjabi dabba, m., box, lunch box, tiffin. However with all such etymologies there is no basis in reality. Initial consonantal dh- does neither give rise to nor develops from consonantal d-.
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