Taste Of India

Snacks

Papadum is a snack that consists of lentil, gram, rice, or chickpea flour. The ingredients are mixed and baked into a thin, crispy cracker bread. It can be eaten as is or with pickles or served with other dishes like curries. Papadum can be topped with chutneys or raita sauce and accompanied by hot tea. There are variations on this dish like rice papadum which is boiled in water and then dried in the sun, masala papadum with spices like black pepper, chilli, cumin, and garlic or jackfruit papadum combining jackfruit with chickpea flour.

Pakora is a savory snack that is deep-fried with pieces of vegetables like cauliflower and eggplant. It is a popular street food. It comes in many varieties but ia usually made with two ingredients - potatoes and another vegetable or your choice of meat. Once combined the ingredients are dipped in flour and deep-fried in ghee. Pakoras are seasoned with turmeric, salt, chilli, or other spices.

Panipuri is a very popular street food in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Nepal. It consists of a hollow puri that is fried until crisp and stuffed with a mix of flavored water called pani, tamarind chutney, chaat masala, potatoes, onions, hot chilis, and chickpeas. In Northern India, panipuri is called golgappa which refers to the crispy shell and gappa to the eating process.

Pav bhaji is a popular street food that originated in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It consists of vegetable curry and is served with a soft bread called pav. The dish was created in the 1850s as a midnight snack when street vendors made it using the leftover vegetables of the day, mashing and combining them with spices with ghee butter. Pav bhaji has a lot of varieties with added cheese, paneer, mushrooms, plantains, and even dried fruit.

Samosas are deep-fried triangular pastries that are filled with various ingredients ranging from vegetables to meat and ingredients like onions, lentils, spiced potatoes, peas, or ground meat. Samosas are served hot and accompanied by chopped onions, yogurt, or fresh, homemade Indian chutneys with ingredients like mint, coriander, or tamarind.

Vada pav is a favorite sandwich in Mumbai. The name refers to the main ingredients - vada or spicy mashed potatoes deep-fried in chickpea batter, and pav or white bread rolls.

Meat Dishes

Nihari is a popular dish that originated in Old Delhi. It is prepared with slowly cooked meat like beef shanks, mutton, or chicken cooked with stock and spices like cumin, cloves, garam masala, and cardamom in big vessels that are sealed with dough. It is cooked from six to eight hours and traditionally eaten at breakfast.

Hyderabadi biryani is a South Indian dish made with basmati rice, goat, mutton, or chicken, lemon, yogurt, onions, and saffron. The two main varieties of this dish are kachchi or raw and pakki or cooked. The richness of flavor comes from cooking raw rice and raw meat together with an exotic blend of spices.

Indian tikka consists of boneless meat usually chicken cut into small pieces and marinated in yogurt and traditional Indian spices like turmeric, cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper, chilli, garlic, and ginger, The meat is roasted over charcoal in a tandoor, the traditional clay oven.

Chicken 65 is a classic dish originating in Chennai, India. It is prepared with deep-fried chicken marinated in ginger, lemon, red chillies, and other spices.

Curry Dishes

Sambar is a curry dish made with tamarind-based broth, lentils, and vegetables. Traditionally it is served with rice or Indian flatbreads.

Keema is a curry prepared with minced lamb or goat meat, green peas, potatoes, ginger, chilli, onions, ghee, garlic, and garam masala spices. It is usually served as a main dish accompanied by pav buns, naan, or other flatbreads. It can be used as a filling for samosas and parathas.

Vindaloo is a flavorful curry that is popular in England and the Indian regions of Goa and Konkan. It is made with marinated pork but other meats like beef, chicken, mutton or paneer can be used. The meat is marinated in wine vinegar and garlic. Spices used include tamarind, cinnamon, cardamom, and hot chillies.

Pulihora is a curry dish that is prepared with rice, turmeric, tamarind, curry leaves, coriander, ginger, and green chillies enhanced by yellow lentils, roasted sesame seeds powder, and mustard seeds.

Chana masala is a tangy chickpea curry usually eaten as a snack, main meal or at breakfast. Chickpeas are simmered in spices and herbs served with rice or Indian flatbreads and garnished with yogurt or sour cream.

Non-Meat Dishes

Upma is an Indian dish prepared with dry semolina or rice flour and cooked into a thick porridge. It is usually served for breakfast with added nuts, beans, and spices like turmeric and chillies. Variations include the use of grated coconut or corn and milk.

Pilaf is a dish prepared with rice, cracked wheat, couscous, or bulgur. It can be combined with meat, vegetables, dried fruit, and spices simmered in a flavored broth.

Dal makhani is a popular lentil dish that is prepared with red kidney beans and whole black lentils. It is combined with heft amounts of ghee and seasonings like ginger, garlic paste, and chilli then slowly cooked in a rich, tomato sauce.

Palak paneer is a vegetarian dish made with paneer cheese in a rich, thick sauce with pureed spinach mixed with tomatoes, garam masala, garlic, and different spices. It is usually accompanied by flatbreads or rice.

Khichdi is a South Asin dish made with rice and lentils. To enhance the flavor spices like cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves, and peppercorns are added.

Basmati is a long-grain rice with a certain flavor and aroma that is very nutty, floral, and spicy.

Korma is a creamy stew that can be made vegetarian or with meat added. It is prepared with saffron, yogurt, and spices like coriander, ginger, cumin seeds, chillies, and turmeric. It is mostly eaten with flatbreads. Ingredients can include coconut, coconut milk, almonds, cayenne pepper, and fennel seeds.

Masala dosa is a traditional southern Indian dish but also popular all over India. It is prepared with a batter of soaked rice and lentils baked into a thin pancake and stuffed with potatoes, onions, and mustard seeds. It is garnished with grated coconut and chopped coriander.

Misai is a specialty dish of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is prepared with curd, pav, moth bean or pea curry, gravy, spiced potatoes, and garnishes like onions, coriander, and tomatoes.

Pancakes and bread

Appam is a popular Indian bowl-shaped pancake prepared with a batter of rice flour and coconut milk. It is usually served with spice condiments like coconut milk curry.

Dosa is prepared with soaked rice and black gram beans ground into a paste and making a thick batter left to ferment overnight, The mixture is enhanced with a handful of fenugreek seeds. The thin pancakes are fried on a griddle.

Idli is a savory cake that is popular at breakfast. It is prepared with a batter made of fermented lentils and rice that are steamed.

Chapati is an unleavened flatbread made with whole wheat flour, water, and salt. The dough is baked on a griddle.

Desserts

Khaja is a dessert prepared with flour, sugar and ghee-based dough deep-fried in oil until golden and crispy. It can be soaked in sugar syrup.

Ras malai is a dessert made with white cream, sugar, milk, and cardamom-flavored paneer cheese called chhana. Other ingredients added to the dessert are almonds, cashews, and saffron. It is served chilled garnished with cardamom seeds or dried fruit.

Rasgulla is prepared with chhena paneer dumplings and semolina dough cooked in a sugary syrup.

Gulab jamun is a dessert based on milk solids kneaded into a dough and shaped into balls and deep-fried in ghee, The balls are soaked into a sugary concoction flavored with saffron, green cardamom, and rose water.