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Indian Recipes

50 recipes

Indian cooking is not one cuisine but dozens, shaped by climate, religion and trade. The north leans on wheat breads, dairy, tandoor-cooked meats and rich gravies built on onion, tomato and ghee, with Mughal influence in biryani, kebabs and kormas. The south eats more rice and lentils, with coconut, tamarind and curry leaves, and fermented batters for idli and dosa. Coastal Kerala, Goa and Bengal cook fish with coconut, vinegar or mustard oil. Strong vegetarian traditions, especially in Gujarat and Rajasthan, mean that pulses, vegetables and paneer carry many meals. Spices are toasted, ground and added at different stages, and a final tempering (tadka) of whole spices in hot fat finishes many dishes. A typical meal pairs rice or flatbread with dal, a vegetable, yogurt and a pickle. Street snacks such as samosa, pani puri and vada pav, and festive sweets such as jalebi and gulab jamun, are part of daily life.

Staple ingredients

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Common questions

What is Indian food known for?

Layered spicing, sharp regional differences and a huge range of vegetarian dishes. Curries, dals, breads such as naan and roti, biryani, dosa and idli, snacks like samosa and chaat, and sweets like gulab jamun are among the best known.

What is the national dish of India?

India has no official national dish, because cooking varies so much by region. Dal with rice or roti is the most common everyday meal, and biryani, butter chicken and masala dosa are among the dishes best known abroad.

Is Indian food always spicy?

No. Many dishes are mild, such as butter chicken, kheer and idli, while others are very hot. Spicy in India refers to aromatic spices as much as chili heat, and the chilies in most recipes can be adjusted.