IndiaWhat to eat in India: top 10 dishes
Traveling to India? These are the ten dishes it is best known for, from everyday staples to festive classics, with a short background and a tip on where and when to eat each one. Ranked by how widely they are known around the world.
01Biryani
Biryani is a mixed rice dish traditionally made with spiced meat, seafood, or vegetables. It was present in Mughal-era India, though whether it was created there is debated. It is thought to derive from a Persian rice dish, either pilau or birinj biryan.
Travel tip Found in specialty biryani restaurants and at celebrations and family feasts. It is usually served with a cooling yogurt raita on the side.
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02Curry
Curry is a dish with a spicy sauce, initially in Indian cuisine, then modified by interchange with the Portuguese, followed by the British, and eventually thoroughly internationalised.
Travel tip In India there is no single dish called curry; every region has its own gravies, eaten at home and in restaurants. Order a few different ones and share them with rice or bread.
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03Chutney
A chutney is a condiment associated with cuisines of the Indian subcontinent. Chutneys are made in a wide variety of forms, some raw such as with coriander, others cooked with sugar, like mango chutney.
Travel tip Served as a small side with snacks, breakfast dishes and meals. Flavors range from fresh coriander or coconut to sweet and tangy fruit versions.
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04Chapati
Chapati is an unleavened flatbread originating from the Indian subcontinent. Chapatis are made of atta, a type of whole-wheat flour, mixed into dough with water. It is cooked on an iron griddle known as a tava, then puffed up over direct heat.
Travel tip An everyday bread at home and in simple eateries, eaten fresh and hot with curries and vegetables. Tear off a piece with your hand and use it to scoop up your food.
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05Lassi
Lassi is a yogurt–based beverage with a smoothie-like consistency. The word 'lassi' for the drink is a borrowing from Hindi, first attested in 1882; its ultimate origin is unclear, and has been suggested as derived ultimately from Sanskrit lasya (stickiness)…
Travel tip A popular cooling drink on hot days, sold at roadside stalls and in restaurants. You can usually choose sweet, salted or fruit-flavored versions.
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06Gulab jamun
Gulab jamun is a sweet dessert or mithai which had originated in the Indian subcontinent, and is popular in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Burmese cuisines. Gulab jamun are also common in nations with substantial populations of South Asians.
Travel tip A classic sweet for festivals, weddings and family gatherings, also sold in sweet shops. It is best eaten warm in its syrup at the end of a meal.
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08Papad
A papadam is a snack that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Dough of black gram bean flour is either deep-fried or cooked with dry heat (flipped over an open flame) until crunchy.
Travel tip Often brought to the table as a crunchy starter or side in restaurants, and eaten with meals at home. Break it up and enjoy it with chutney or on its own.
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09Paneer
Paneer is a fresh acid-set cheese, common in South Asian cuisine, made from cow milk or buffalo milk. It is a non-aged, non-melting soft cheese made by curdling milk with an acid, such as lemon juice or citric acid.
Travel tip A staple for vegetarians, found in many restaurant menus, usually cooked in spiced gravies or grilled. It is especially common in northern Indian cooking.
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10Dosa
A dosa (in Indian English) or thosai (in Malaysian English and Singapore English) is a thin, savoury batter bread in South Indian cuisine made from a fermented batter of ground black gram and rice. Dosas are served hot, often with chutney and sambar.
Travel tip A popular breakfast and snack in South India, served in small eateries and at home. Tear off pieces and dip them in the chutney and sambar served alongside.
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