Ordering Indian Food for Beginners | Asia Highlights
This is the ideal advice on how to order and consume Indian food, whether you are thinking about visiting India or eating Indian food for the first time.
Indian cuisine typically consists of sabzis, which are dry meals, and gravy dishes. These meals are frequently consumed with rice or bread. There are many different kinds of bread available, but naan and parathas are typically the most common.
For information on the fundamentals of Indian cuisine and some suggestions for placing the ideal order, continue reading.
Indian Food Basics
Let’s cover some fundamentals of Indian food before discussing what to eat and how to order it.
First, Indian cuisine is renowned for its complex taste combinations and use of spices. To achieve the ideal balance, most Indian cuisines attempt to incorporate all of the flavors of sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and acidic into one dish.
Despite the fact that Indian cuisine uses a lot of spices, most dishes are not necessarily spicy. On Indian menus, there are many mild meals, while spicy foods are typically labeled.
Indian food is often consumed with rice or bread and is either dry or gravy-based. It is entirely up to you whether you want rice or bread, but generally speaking, bread goes better with dishes that have richer gravies or are drier overall. Rice pairs well with more watery foods like chicken curry or lentil stew, which can also be enjoyed with bread.
Indian breads come in a variety of flavors, including naan, paratha, and chapati. Indians traditionally eat by pulling off a piece of bread and scooping the gravy or other ingredients from the main dishes with their hands.
Although most Indians use their right hand to eat, you are free to use your left hand as much as you need to. It won’t bother anyone, as many Indians also use their left hand.
Great Dishes for Beginners—What Should I Order?
One of the things that makes Indian food so scary is the menu, which is packed with titles that are difficult for non-Hindi speakers to understand. Despite some assistance from the food descriptions, most people struggle to determine exactly what they’re ordering until it shows up.
Here are some delicious Indian food options that are commonly seen in restaurants to aid you with this.
Appetizers
Indian appetizers are delicious delicacies that can enhance your enjoyment of your meal. Samosas, pakoras, and kebabs are some of our favorite appetizers.
Samosas are fried treats that are packed with mashed vegetables and are a favorite among both Indians and Westerners. Several chutneys or dipping sauces, like as mint and tamarind, are typically included with samosas. Samosas frequently have a wonderful, gently spicy filling.
Pakoras, which are just mixed veggies fried in a chickpea flour batter, are another fantastic appetizer. Kebabs are another excellent choice. Numerous kebab varieties, such as chicken, mutton, and vegetarian, are available in India. They are all equally fantastic.
Main Courses
Indian menus typically have a large list of excellent main dishes, making it challenging to decide where to begin. The dishes listed below are excellent for beginners.
The two most well-known Indian dishes are Butter Chicken and Chicken Tikka Masala. These two both use tender chicken pieces that have been marinated in somewhat different tomato and onion sauces.
A tasty and fragrant rice and meat meal, biryani can be served with chicken, mutton, or vegetarian meat with aromatic spices. A creamy dish called “paalak paneer” is made with bits of Indian cottage cheese called “paneer” and a gravy made from spinach.
A few of the foods that Indians adore for their flavor and all-around deliciousness can be tried by more daring diners. Chana masala is a filling chickpea gravy meal, and rogan josh is a fiery and delectable lamb curry.
Visit this page for detailed explanations and photographs of the best Indian meals.
Drinks
In terms of alcoholic beverages, India was greatly influenced by the British. Beer and whiskey are the two most popular alcoholic beverages in India. Royal Stag is the preferred whiskey in India, and most restaurants will have at least a few whiskeys on hand. Whiskey is typically consumed in India with ice or extra water.
Indians also adore beer, with King Fisher being the most well-known regional brand. Most Indian restaurants also serve Budweiser and Heineken.
Lassi or chai are both good options if you prefer a non-alcoholic beverage. Chai is the traditional Indian-style black tea blended with additional spices and milk, and lassi is a cool yogurt-based beverage that feels wonderfully refreshing when paired with Indian cuisine.
What to Order for Kids
It can be challenging to expose kids to new foods, especially ones that are so dissimilar to their own. Yet don’t “Don’t worry; even picky eaters will like the variety of Indian selections.
You can start by getting Chicken Tikka Masala or Butter Chicken with naan if your kids are quite adventurous. These two recipes are suitable for children because they are creamy and not hot.
If your children triumphed “Try a chicken biryani if you don’t like the combo of bread and gravy. Despite having several spices, biryanis are seldom hot. Additionally soft and combined with buttery rice, the meat in biryani.
Try parathas or samosas for finicky eaters. Samosas are fried triangles filled with mashed veggies that have a mild seasoning. These are frequently preferred by young people. You can get stuffed parathas, an easy Indian flatbread. A paratha with potatoes inside is called a “aloo paratha.”
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