India is a place that has welcomed and adapted international cuisines gracefully. You will find MacDonald’s, KFC, Pizza Hut, Italian and such other restaurants at every corner in almost all major and minor cities in the country. But even with all these, the Indian cuisine has never had a setback. The best thing about the cuisine here is that it is as diverse as the country. The food of each state is deeply influenced by its geography, climate, and culture. Although there are so many types of food that you would find irresistible, we present to you some gastronomic delights that everyone who visits this country must eat.
Popular Indian Dishes
1. Vada Pav
Made with mashed potato and onion, deep-fried in chickpea flour (besan), the vada is eaten with a pav (a type of bread) and is considered to be the staple diet of people in Maharashtra. This humble food is not only cheap but also available in streets and Indian fast food joints. It is usually eaten with dry garlic and sweet-sour chutneys.
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2. Masala Dosa
Originally a South Indian dish, the Masala Dosa is quite commonly cooked in most households in India. This special dosa (made with rice and urad dal batter) is filled with a potato and onion masala. This is served with coconut chutney and sambhar.
3. Aloo Parantha
The aloo parantha is the roti or chapatti stuffed with aloo or potato filling. A typical Punjabi dish, this is eaten with yogurt and pickle and do not forget, lots of ghee too!
4. Butter Chicken
One of the proudest members of the Punjabi cuisine is definitely the delicious butter chicken. Largely tomato-based, this curry is cooked with chicken marinated in yogurt and lots of butter. Although not very spicy, this is a rich Indian food dish that would definitely satisfy your palette.
5. Biryani
Biryani is an aromatic rice dish that is cooked with vegetables or marinated chicken or mutton. You will find different varieties of biryanis in each part of the country, making it one of the most popular Indian dishes. Some of the most commonly available biryani dishes include the Kerala Malabar chicken biryani, Hyderabadi mutton biryani, etc.
6. Rogan Josh
Rogan Josh is a boneless lamb curry that is cooked with Kashmiri red chili which gives the dish its unique red color. Cooked in yogurt and other Indian spices, this Kashmiri dish can be eaten with Indian bread and rice.
7. Chaat
Chaat includes a lot of mouth-watering dishes which are bhelpuri, panipuri, Dahi-puri, Sev puri, etc. While chaat is local to Mumbai, it is not restricted to the city. You can enjoy chaat in the streets of all the states.
8. Gulab Jamun
Gulab Jamun is a sweet dish made by deep-frying dry milk balls and then later adding them to the caramelized sugar syrup. It is one of the most common Indian sweet-dishes served as dessert for almost all special occasions. One of the newest twists in this dish is savoring it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
9. Pav Bhaji
Traditionally a Maharashtrian dish, the pav bhaji has taken the fancy of people all over India today. The Pav (buttered Indian bread) is served with a thick bhaji (a gravy made with mixed vegetables and several Indian spices). To add to the taste, you can add chopped onions, a dash of lemon and some extra melted butter. Once you taste it, it would definitely enter your favorite food list.
10. Dhokla
Dhokla is prepared by steaming a batter made of fermented rice and chickpea flour. This traditional Gujarati breakfast dish is a little sweet and at the same time savory which has made it quite popular in different parts of the country as a snack. While it tastes yummy on its own, the dhania chutney definitely adds to its taste.
11. Chicken Curry
You will find different varieties of chicken curry depending on where you are in India. While the chicken curry of almost all places is delectable, you must not miss it in Kerala, Maharashtra, Mangalore and Goa.
12. Indian Bread
Indians have experimented a lot with the bread. Some of the bread that you can have with Indian gravies include naan, kulcha, tandoori roti, chapatti, rumali roti, etc. Each of these bread has different versions of them. You can eat them plain or with some kind of stuffing. While the naan and roti are the popular North Indian versions of Indian bread, South India too contributes different types of parottas. Be sure to get a taste of each one of these amazing Indian bread.
13. Samosa
Majorly filled with potato, onion and green peas stuffing, the triangular-shaped samosa is a favorite Indian tea time snack. Although this is the most common version of the samosa, other versions including dry samosa, sweet samosa, Chinese samosa, coconut Samosa, etc. are also slowly gaining popularity.
14. Idli-Sambar
Prepared with fermented rice and served with the spicy Sambar, the idli-sambar combo is the most common breakfast dish made in most South Indian households. However, the popularity of this dish has made it a common dish in households across the country. What’s more, is that it is extremely healthy! Do taste this simple, yet appetizing dish.
15. Gajar Ka Halwa
This is a dish made of carrot, milk, and sugar and is usually enjoyed during the winter season. If you have a sweet tooth, you will definitely enjoy this desert which is seasoned with cardamom, Kesar, and dry fruits. It is also sometimes served with ice cream.
16. Chole Bature
If you enjoy spicy food, you would definitely love chole bature. The chole is a thick spicy curry which is served with huge deep-fried, fluffy bread. It is a common snack that is eaten for breakfast in the North of India.
17. Filter Coffee
Although you would find loads of cafes serving the different types of lattes and mochas, nothing can beat the South Indian filter coffee which is served in small tumbler and glass.
18. Dal Makhani
Dal Makhani is a type of lentil curry that is made with black dal. The thing that makes it unique is that the lentils are cooked overnight. Moreover, the richness comes from the fresh cream added at the end.
19. Jalebi and Rabdi
Jalebi is a spiral-shaped sweet made by deep-frying flour and then dipped in hot-sugary syrup. While it tastes really good on its own, you must definitely try it with rabadi, a dish made with condensed milk and garnished with sugar, spices, and nuts.
20. Indo-Chinese
While this is not originally Indian, the Indians have given a great twist to the Indian cuisine which is extremely popular with most Indians. Be it the Hakka noodles or triple schezwan rice or Gobi Manchurian or chicken chili, the Indo-Chinese is spicy and remarkably mouth-watering too.
21. Fish Curry
The fish curry of the coastal areas of the country is to die for. Be it Goa, Kerala or Bengal, do not miss the fish curry and rice of these places.
22. Pickles
A wide range of pickles is what you will find in India. From mango to chilies to garlic to prawns, there are pickles for all kinds of likes and tastes available in this country.
23. Tandoori Chicken
The tandoori chicken is commonly served as a starter in most restaurants and is a famous Indian food. It is cooked at very high temperatures in the traditional tandoor after being marinated in yogurt and other Indian spices.
24. Kulfi
Kulfi is India’s answer to ice cream. Made by freezing sweetened flavored milk, Kulfi is available in pista, malai and Kesar flavors.
25. Ras Malai
Soft and creamy are what describe Ras Malai the best. Made from thickened saffron milk and paneer (cottage cheese), this is one of the best Indian sweet dishes.
The Indian cuisine is not limited to these 25 Indian food dishes. There is the laddoo, the Kati roll, paneer butter masala, etc., all of which can make you fall in love with the cuisine as well as the country
Thank you for this list of Indian dishes. I am visiting India soon and will definitely try some of these.
Lots of good wishes for your India trip. We hope you have a gourmet experience!
I have tried almost all of the Indian dishes mentioned here, but my favorite is South Indian dosa and filter coffee. There is no absolutely no competition to these simple, yet flavorful dish and beverage.
We agree with you! There is no better breakfast than dosa served with sambar and chutney and a tumbler of hot filter coffee.
The best thing about Indian food is that there is a such a good balance of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes.
We agree with you! There is no better breakfast than dosa served with sambar and chutney and a tumbler of hot filter coffee.
I have a sweet tooth and love the Indian desserts. Rasmalai, gulab jamun, and jalebi are to die for.
Yes, they are the best! Do try kufi and gajar ka halwa as well.
I am an Emirati and love to try Indian restaurants. My favorites are chole bhature and chicken curry. Would love to visit India some of the authentic dishes.
These are our favorites too. We hope you get to visit India soon to try these dishes.
I want to visit India for yoga. And when I do, I will taste all the Indian food that you’ve given here.
We hope that you get to visit India soon to learn yoga and to taste all the delicious Indian dishes.
We are a country known for its diversity, and you’ve shown it that we are not behind food as well in comparison to other countries.
Yes, you are right. Indian cuisine is as diverse as the country itself. Each part of the country has unique flavors and food style.
It feels so good to read about Indian food and everything about India.
We are glad that you like to read about India. We hope that you visit India soon and explore our places as well as the food.
Where is momos????
It is also one of the mouth watering dishes popular in majorly North Eastern part of India though it is a Tibetan originated cuisine but we Indians love momos, extremely.
Hello Kajol. Yes I do love momos too, but its not an indian food. So I have not added in the list. But yes, I will definitely go for the next part of this post which will cover the dishes loves the Indians most.
Really good!!! really a pleasure to be born in india