Discover a city

Sections

Hungerlust

Europe

North America

Africa

Asia

South America

Middle East

Antarctica

Central America

Pacific

Caribbean

Wishlists

Sign up

 Asia

 India

 Food & Drink

10 Traditional Indian Dishes You Need to Try

Thali | © Ankur P/Flickr

PRABHU GOWDA

UPDATED: 4 AUGUST 2017

Save to Wishlist

Traditional Indian gastronomy is predominantly a melange of spices and flavours. Akin to its cultural
and linguistic diversity, culinary style in India varies from place to place. And every sub-cuisine has its
own unique take on dishes. Some might be piquant, others less so, but they are all colourful and
enticing. Here are 10 traditional Indian dishes you need to try.

Masala Dosa
Rice is a staple of south Indian cuisine owing to its usage in most of the dishes, including the finger-
licking masala dosa. While dosa is a generic south Indian dish, masala dosa has specific origins in
coastal Karnataka. The preparation of the rice crèpe is relatively simple; rice and lentils are soaked in
water for five to six hours, to prepare the batter, and then it is cooked on a skillet. The types of filling
in masala dosa varies, but is usually a potato and onion curry, dipped in chutney.

Masala dosa | © Connie/Flickr

Rogan Josh

This is an aromatic lamb curry hailing from Kashmir, although it has roots tracing back to Persian
cuisine. Composing of an array of spices, tomatoes, ginger and garlic, Rogan Josh is a mouthwatering
dish adored all over the country. Although the recipe can vary from place to place, the underlying
essence remains the same.

Rogan Josh

© Miansari66/Wikimedia Commons
Hyderabadi biriyani

Biriyani entered the foray of Indian gastronomy with the incoming Mughals, and it hasn’t left with
their departure. Among the numerous biriyani styles, hyderabadi biriyani stands out due to the
mode of cooking and ingredients – rice, meat (lamb or chicken), yogurt, onions and significant
amount of spices to give it a full-on punchy flavour.

Indian chaats

Chaats (savoury snacks) are are the mainstay of Indian street food. Popular snacks
include kachori, pani puri, bhel puri and masala puri, with a base of puffed rice and peas, vegetables
and spices. Chaats originated in north India, and gradually spread to every nook and corner of the
country. It’s no exaggeration to say that once you’ve tried chaats, you’ll keep going back for more!

Pani puri

© Hari Prasad Nadig/Flickr

Makki ki Roti and Sarson ka Saag

Corn flour bread (Makki ki Roti) and a mustard leaf-based dish (Sarson ka Saag) together are a staple
food of the Punjab region in India. It may not look particularly enticing, but the flavour is rich and
satisfying. The nutritive value of Makki ki Roti aur Sarson ka Saag has a hand in all the prominence
the dish enjoys.

Makki ki roti aur sarson ki saag

© Yash Kapoor/Wikimedia Commons

Tunde ke Kabab

This Lucknow-based minced meat kebab is renowned for its ingredients comprising of around 150
different spices. Conventional tunde kebabs are made from buffalo meat, with variations on the
recipe using chicken or mutton. Tunde ka Kabab is chief among the dishes of the Awadhi cuisine
known for its ambrosial delicacies.

Vada Pav

Streets in Maharashtra are incomplete without the presence of vada pavsellers, such is its sway over
the local gastronomy. Vada pav is a vegetarian fusion of potato patty, chilli and other spices
sandwiched in a bread roll known as pav. What began as a simple and cost-effective snack has gone
on to garner widespread popularity in India.

Vada pav

© Krista/Flickr
Beef roast and Parotta

The people of Kerala in India are connoisseurs of beef cookery. The presence of beef in Kerala’s
cuisine has inspired some of the best dishes that always tempt your taste buds and beef roast is
chief among them. Savouring the beef roast with Kerala’s very own bread, parotta, is every meat-
eater’s delight.

Beef roast

© Shobha Elizabeth John/Wikimedia Commons

Smoked Pork

Northeast Indian cuisine has its distinctive features from the rest of the country, making it an
altogether unique culinary adventure. Smoked pork from Nagaland, for instance, incorporates
intriguing elements, such as bamboo plants and raja mirchi — one of the hottest chillies in the
world. Smoked pork is a traditional staple food of Nagaland, usually consumed with rice.

Smoked pork

© Sumit Surai/Wikimedia Commons

Dhokla

Vegetarian savoury snacks in India do not come any better than dhoklas, made from rice and
chickpeas. The fermented rice batter is mixed with chickpeas and steamed, and is then served
garnished with mustard seeds and coriander. Among the plethora of vegetarian dishes from
Gujarat, dhokla is arguably the forerunner.

Dhokla

© Nitish Mehta/Wikimedia Commons

 

Save to Wishlist

Read Next
FOOD & DRINK

13 Meals Worth Travelling to India For

FOOD & DRINK

10 Indian Thalis You Must Try At Least Once

GUIDES & TIPS

Traditional South Indian Dishes You Need to Try

FOOD & DRINK

Foods You Can't Leave Mumbai Without Tasting

FOOD & DRINK

10 Irresistible Indian Dishes You Can’t Afford To Miss

FOOD & DRINK

Would You Consider These The 10 Most Famous Dishes In India?

FOOD & DRINK

Top 10 Street Foods In Mumbai, India

FOOD & DRINK

A Foodie's Guide To Punjabi Cuisine

FOOD & DRINK

12 Mumbai Street Foods You Should Know

FOOD & DRINK

11 Traditional Pakistani Dishes You Need to Try

FOOD & DRINK

13 Places in India That Are Perfect For Food Lovers

FOOD & DRINK

Jilling Terraces, Exploring Kumaoni Cuisine At Its Best

THE COMPANY

 About Us
  The Team

 In The News

 Our App

 Newsletter

 Sitemap

CONTACT US

 Get in Touch

 Advertise

 Careers

 Freelance Jobs

LEGAL

 Privacy Policy

 Terms of Use

 Cookie Policy

FOLLOW US

 Facebook

 Twitter

 Pinterest

 Instagram

 Youtube

© 2019 The Culture Trip Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

We and our partners use cookies to better understand your needs, improve performance and
provide you with personalised content and advertisements. To allow us to provide a better and
more tailored experience please click "OK"

OK