New Delhi

At its core, chole bhature is a combination of two dishes: chole - a spicy chickpea curry, and bhature - a type of fried bread made with maida flour. Popular throughout North India, the dish was invented in Delhi in the 1940s. It is commonly accompanied by onions, pickles, mint ... Read more

Aloo tikki is a flavorful snack that is popular in North India and Pakistan. It consists of potatoes (aloo) and onions made into croquettes (tikki), which are then flavored with various spices and deep-fried. The croquettes are a staple of every chaat stall in Mumbai an... Read more

Nihari is a popular meat-based dish originating from Old Delhi. When Pakistan gained independence in 1947, numerous immigrants from Delhi settled in Karachi, where they established their own restaurants, so nihar is also associated with Pakistani cuisine. The dish consists of slowly cooked meat s... Read more

Pakora is a savory, deep-fried Indian snack made with pieces of vegetables such as cauliflower and eggplant. Although it is a quintessential Indian snack that can be easily found on numerous street corners, it can also be made at home. Traditionally, pakoras are at their most popular during sprin... Read more

Although it originated in Punjab, dal makhani has become one of the most popular Indian lentil dishes, both in the country and outside of its borders. It consists of red kidney beans and whole black lentils, which also go under the name urad. The dish is prepared with hefty amounts of gh... Read more

Probably the best known of all Indian dishes, murgh makhani, internationally referred to as butter chicken, is a staple dish at most Indian restaurants. The dish originated in Delhi during the 1950s, when a man named Kundan Lal Gujral opened his restaurant called Moti Mahal. The restaura... Read more

Rajma is one of the most popular vegetarian dishes of North India. It consists of red kidney beans which are stewed in a rich gravy combined with numerous spices. The dish is usually prepared for festivities and special occasions, when it is typically served alongside rice and breads such as roti... Read more

This simple Indian dish consists of red beans (rajma) and cooked rice (chawal). Rajma is traditionally made with onions and tomato purée which acts as a gravy for the red beans. This dish makes for a complete vegetarian meal that is suitable for lunch or dinner. If desire... Read more

Korma is a creamy meat stew (although it could also be made in a vegetarian version) with a mild flavor, made with saffron, yogurt, and various spices such as coriander, ginger, cumin seeds, chiles, and turmeric. It is believed that it originated in the royal kitchen of Akbar during the mid-1500s... Read more

Kheer or payasam is an ancient Indian dessert, a creamy rice pudding that is made in several versions across the country. It is a common dish at numerous Indian ceremonies, festivals, and celebrations, although it can be consumed any time of year. Kheer is made by boiling rice, wheat, or... Read more

Dahi vada is a popular Indian snack that can also be served either as a main dish or as an accompaniment to vegetable or meat dishes. The dish originates from North India and consists of savory lentil-based fried balls (vadas) that are soaked in a thick yogurt (dahi). This popul... Read more

Gajar ka halwa is a sweet pudding made with grated carrots, milk, sugar, nuts, clarified butter known as ghee, and dried milk known as khoya. The dessert originated in Northern India and Pakistan, but today it's consumed throughout India as an everyday treat or a traditional swe... Read more

Paneer is a moist fresh cheese with a soft and crumbly texture, made from pasteurized cow's milk or water buffalo's milk. Unlike most cheeses, paneer does not involve rennet in the production process, and that is what makes it completely vegetarian. It has origins in India and Bangladesh... Read more

Ghee is a type of clarified butter that is considered a superfood by many people. It is cooked for a long time so that nearly all of the milk and moisture is removed. In India, due to the hot climate, butter has to be stabilized for storage and use, so people decided to clarify it. Altho... Read more

Basmati is a long-grain rice variety that was originally grown and cultivated in India and Pakistan. The rice is characterized by its flavor and aroma, which is very nutty, floral, and slightly spicy. Once cooked, the grains remain individual and don't stick to each other, which allows curry and ... Read more

Garam masala is an intensely aromatic blend of ground spices such as cinnamon, cumin, cardamom, cloves, and peppercorns. Its name can be literally translated as hot ingredients, and is sometimes described as an aromatic blend that is meant to heat the body. This spice blend has ... Read more

The thick, mild malai is a homemade dairy product made with heated milk which is refrigerated until a thick layer of fat is created on top. Yellow in color, malai is usually skimmed off by hands, stored in containers, and the procedure is repeated until all fat and proteins have been sep... Read more

Indian dahi, also known as curd in the Indian context, is a traditional fermented dairy product similar to yogurt but distinct in its preparation and taste. It is made by introducing a bacterial culture to lukewarm milk, which then ferments the milk sugars (lactose) into lactic acid. This process... Read more

Holy basil or tulsi is one of the varieties of basil originating from India. This plant has violet flowers and blossoms, while the stems are green with a purple tinge. It is much spicier than the other varieties of basil, so it's often called hot basil. The leaves, seeds, and stems are o... Read more

Ghost pepper or bhut jolokia is a hot chili pepper that's cultivated in the Northeast Indian states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Nagaland, and Manipur. Due to the fact that it's one of the spiciest chili peppers in the world, the Indian Army even uses them to create military grade chili ... Read more

Grown in India since ancient times, and still cultivated throughout Southeast Asia, Africa, Australia, and South America, mung bean is a legume with many forms: whole, split with skins, split and hulled, and sprouted, but it also comes in the form of flour. It is a versatile and highly nutritious... Read more

Chaat masala is a spice mixture that's widely used in Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi cuisine. It often consists of coriander, asafoetida, red chili powder, tamarind powder, cumin, amchoor (dry mango powder), and kala namak (black salt). The origins are somewhat murky, but it is believed that ... Read more

Amchur is a spice and condiment originating from India, but it's also often used in Pakistan. It's made from unripe mangoes that have been sliced, dried in the sun, then ground into a powder. The resulting powder has an intense aroma and tangy flavor. It adds a nice level of acidity to a vast num... Read more

Rohu (lat. Labeo rohita) is a species of freshwater fish of the carp family native to South East Asia that populates the rivers of India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Nepal. It has a streamlined body with a slightly arched head and a small mouth. The color is a bright silv... Read more

A simple highball cocktail made with gin and tonic water poured over ice, then garnished with a lime wheel is called Gin and Tonic. In the early 19th century, the cocktail was introduced to India by British officers. Malaria was a persistent problem in India, so the officers used the coc... Read more

This traditional Indian yogurt-based drink hails from the pre-refrigeration era when Punjabi farmers mixed their milk with sugar and curd, and kept the concoction in clay pots. Lassi is often flavored with a variety of fresh herbs, different spices, fruits, and floral essences. It is typically mi... Read more

Mango lassi is one of the most popular lassi varieties, consisting of yogurt (dahi) and fresh mango. It commonly includes cardamom, water, and sugar. The ingredients are combined until the drink is creamy and frothy. Mango lassi should always be served well-chilled. Among numerous types ... Read more

This prestigious tea was named after the Indian city of Darjeeling, the center of Bengali tea cultivation and once the starting point of a caravan route to Tibet. Even today this ancient city is still best known for the very best quality tea of the same name. The tea cultivation in the West Benga... Read more

Chai masala is an aromatic beverage originating from India. It is made with a combination of sweetened black tea and milk that is spiced with a masala mix—which typically includes cardamom, ground ginger, cloves, cinnamon, and black peppercorns. However, the choice and the exact pr... Read more

As the name suggests, this lassi variety is sweetened. Along with sugar, it incorporates yogurt (curd) and usually some fruit or flavorings such as saffron or cardamom. Sweet lassi is often enjoyed after a meal or simply as a refreshing drink that is especially popular during warm summer days. La... Read more

Indian filter coffee is a preparation technique in which coffee is brewed with the use of an Indian coffee filter. This filter consists of two chambers—the upper one with a perforated bottom used to hold ground coffee and the bottom one in which brewed coffee is slowly dripped. Thi... Read more

Assam is a type of Indian black tea made from the leaves of Camellia sinensis var. assamica. This tea is only produced in the north-eastern Indian state of Assam. In the past, Assam tea was mainly thought of as a mass-produced black tea, but artisanal-produced high-quality teas are becom... Read more

Salted lassi is a savory lassi variety prepared with yogurt (dahi), salt, and typically roasted cumin powder (bhuna jeera). It commonly includes pepper and other spices, and it is sometimes diluted with water. The preparation consists of mixing the ingredients until the combination is we... Read more

This strong Indian spirit is made with second or third distillation of the cashew fruit. Although there are two types of feni—one distilled from cashew fruit and one from fermented toddy of the coconut palm—cashew variety is praised for its quality and has also been awarded G... Read more

Thandai is a North Indian milk-based beverage that incorporates nuts, seeds, and various spices. The preparation starts with a thick paste that is usually made with a different combination of nuts and spices such as cashews, almonds, cardamom, peppercorns, poppy seeds, and fennel seeds. ... Read more

Jal jeera is a refreshing and thirst-quenching non-alcoholic drink that hails from India. The drink is quite versatile, but it usually includes a combination of herbs and spices such as cumin seeds, fresh coriander leaves, mint, salt, and pepper. It can also have some dried mango powder,... Read more