India has a variety of dishes to suit everyone’s appetite. It’s a paradise for vegetarians who can have a range of delicious foods. It’s difficult to make a list as there is a lot of diversity in cuisines, as per different regions. Here are some of the popular dishes that you must try if you are in India.
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1) Biryani
It’s the most loved delicacy in India due to its aroma and taste. The dish is believed to have originated from the Middle East and brought to India by the Mughals. It consists of long-grained basmati rice with meat cooked together with different spices. There is a lot of variety in this dish, like the Hyderabadi Biryani, Kolkata Biryani, Chettinad biryani, Awadhi Biryani, Malabar Biryani, etc. Also, there are options for vegetarians as well as the Paneer Biryani.
2) Pav Bhaji
The dish has its humble origins in being a snack for the mill workers in the colonial era Bombay. It’s currently among the most popular dishes in the country and is available everywhere. It consists of a gravy cooked with tomatoes and different vegetables with spices and is consumed with a piece of soft bread. There are a few varieties of this dish available with different spices and vegetables.
3) Dosa
It’s a popular snack made of fermented rice and gram, and it’s as thin as a crepe. The dish is eaten with a tangy vegetable stew called Sambar and a coconut paste called chutney.
There are some varieties made by stuffing the Dosa with preparations made from potatoes, onions, and other spices. The varieties include Masala Dosa, Mysore Dosa, Rava Dosa, and many more. Additionally, there is a thick pizza or pancake-like version of this dish, and it’s called Uthappam. Uthappam comes with a topping of Onions, Tomatoes, Potatoes, and Chillies. They can also be consumed with Sambar and chutney.
4) Chole Bhature
It’s a popular dish in North India that is made from the humble Chickpeas. The gravy called Chole is a spicy and tangy preparation of Chickpeas along with different spices and is consumed with a soft bread called Bhature. The dish is available in most parts of India and can be consumed with different breads like Rotis instead of Bhature.
5) Chaat
The popular street food makes your taste buds work with its sweet, spicy, and tangy flavors with a crunch. It’s available throughout the country, but it’s more popular in North India.
There are different varieties made by preparations of potatoes, puffed rice, chickpeas along with garnishing of onions, thin noodles, tomatoes, and other spices. Some of the varieties are Pani Puri, Aloo Chaat, Bhelpuri, Sev Puri, Papri Chat, Dahi Vada, Dahi Bhalla, and many more.
6) Dhokla
It’s a staple snack from the state of Gujarat. It’s made of fermented batter from rice gram.
Another variety is the popular Khaman Dhokla that is yellow in color and made from fermented batter from Chickpeas. It’s often consumed with locally made sweet or spicy sauces with ingredients like coriander and coconut.
7) Kachori
It’s a spicy snack made up of fried dumplings stuffed with lentils, potatoes, and other spices. It’s often served with garnishing like tiny fried noodles and curd along with sweet, spicy, and tangy sauces.
8) Paratha
It’s a staple flatbread that is breakfast food in North India. It consists of dough stuffed with vegetables such as potatoes, onions, cabbages, radishes, etc. In the Eastern and Southern regions of India, it’s available as thin and multilayered and flaky pieces instead of stuffings.
9) Palak Paneer
This dish is healthy and tasty at the same time. It’s made from Spinach puree and Indian
cottage cheese called Paneer, along with other spices. The dish can be consumed with any bread or even steamed rice.
10) Butter Chicken
It’s already popular across the world like Chicken Tikka Masala, but you can try it in India for an authentic experience. It’s made of roasted chicken pieces dipped in a creamy tomato gravy that is rich in butter. The dish can be made mild or spicy as per your choice.
11) Dal Makhani
This dish is creamy and buttery, just like Butter Chicken, but the main ingredients are black lentils and kidney beans. The dish originated in North India and is quite popular across the country.
12) Malai kofta
It’s one of the most sought out dishes across restaurants in India. The koftas are balls made of paneer and potatoes that are fried and dipped in a creamy gravy.
13) Smoked pork
Nagaland’s Smoked pork is a popular dish in the North-Eastern state. It’s made of chopped pieces of crispy pork and other locally available ingredients, including Bamboo Shoots. It has a spicy tinge to it as it includes the famed Raja Mirch or Bhut Jolokia, which is among the hottest chilies in the world.
14) Thukpa
It’s a Tibetian dish made of stew consisting of vegetables and hand-made noodles. It’s widely available in the Himalayan regions of India like Arunachal Pradesh, Ladakh, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, etc.
15) Rogan Josh
It’s a Kashmiri dish consisting of Mutton (Goat or Lamb meat) that is delicately cooked along with a spicy and aromatic gravy. The dish is a culinary delight that is often consumed on special occasions.
16) Dal Baati Churma
It’s a special dish from the state of Rajasthan. It’s popular for being spicy and sweet at the same time. It’s made of roasted dough balls, the spicy dal made up of 3-4 types of lentils, and it’s served with Churma, which is crushed pieces of Indian bread and jaggery for the sweet taste.
17) Kulfi
It’s a frozen dessert, made up of sweetened milk and garnished with dry fruits. It’s thicker and creamier than ice-cream, so it’s a pleasure to eat after a nice meal. It has many varieties, made up of different fruits such as mangoes, strawberries, and many more.
18) Rasmalai
It’s a popular dessert made up of cakes of cheese curds soaked in a creamy layer of milk, and then dipped in thickened sweet milk and is garnished with dry fruits and saffron. The cakes are a delight to consume as they melt inside the mouth, leaving a sweet and creamy taste.
