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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.
Most commonly, dhabas are found next to petrol stations, most are open 24 hours a day. Since most Indian and sometimes Pakistani 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 characterized by mud structures and cots to sit upon (called 'chaarpai' in Hindi) while eating. A wooden plank would be placed across the width of the cot on which to place the dishes and customers squatted on the cot while eating. 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-.[citation needed]
See also
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