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| Dishes |
| Achar |
Pickle. Indian pickling is done in oil, rather than vinegar. Lots of different vegetables and fruits are pickled, the most widely known being mango pickle and lime pickle. Mixed pickle is usually a combination of cauliflower, raddish and carrot. |
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| Aloo |
Potato. The most common dishes are saag aloo (spinach and potato) and aloo gobi (potato and cauliflower). |
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| Badami Lamb |
Popular lamb dish especially liked at Eid ul Fitr (the end of Ramadan). Badami lamb is made with yogurt and coconut milk as well as chillies and various spices. |
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| Balti |
Balti is the name of the style of cooking, as well as the utensil that is used to cook the food.
The balti originated in Baltistan, which is an area of north-eastern Pakistan.
The balti phenonenom reached the UK in the 1970s when an emigrant from Baltistan arrived in Birmingham and opened up a Balti house. Today there are a large number of balti houses in the Sparkbrook, Balsall Heath, and Moseley areas of South Birmingham and the area is commonly known as the Balti Triangle.
The Balti pan, also known as a karahi, is made out of cast-iron and is like a round-bottomed wok with steep sides and two handles. A karahi can be a small pan that holds a single curry up to a very large commercial pan.
Balti food is freshly cooked in the balti pan and is usually more aromatic than spicy. |
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| Barfi |
Barfi is sweet (candy) confectionary that is made from a base of condensed milk and sugar. There are lots of types of barfi that have different ingredients such as flour, fruit or nuts. Typically, the sugar is dissolved in the milk and then the mixture is boiled when the other ingredients are added. The barfi mixture thickens as it is cooked until it is placed into a shallow dish or tray where the barfi sets. The cold barfi is cut into pieces and then eaten. Barfi is a very popular sweet (candy) that is eaten at special occasions and festivals (such as Diwali and Holi). |
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| Basanthi |
A milk-based dessert containing sugar and nuts. |
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| Basanti |
Another word for Basanthi. |
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| Bhaji |
A type of pakora, which is a deep fried dish, the most common being the onion bhaji. Another meaning is just a curry sauce which gives dishes such as bhindi bhaji (okra in a curry sauce) and brinjal bhaji (aubergine in a curry sauce). |
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| Bhaji, Onion |
A popular type of Pakora that is grated (shredded) onion that is rolled into a ball, covered in batter (often gram flour) and then deep fried. |
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| Bhatura |
Deep-fried puffed-up bread, similar to poori except that the bread is leavened. |
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| Bhel Puri |
Bhel Puri (or Bhelpuri) is the most common street chaat in Mumbai (Bombay). The snack is made from puffed rice, onion, potato, papadi, mango and chutney.
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| Bhindi |
Okra (a vegetable). |
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| Bhindi Bhaji |
Okra in a curry sauce. |
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| Bhuna |
A bhoona dish is dry in that all of the liquid and juices have been reduced from the cooked curry. The word “bhoona” means “to brown” and most bhoona dishes are brown because of the reducing of the liquids tends to make the spices cling to the main ingredient (meat or vegetables).
Typically, a bhoona is cooked in hot oil which releases the essential oils and fragrances from the spices and then the rest of the curry ingredients are added and cooked.
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| Biryani |
A biryani is a spicy Indian dish that has layers of rice and the other main ingredient (either meat or vegetables). The biryani dish arrived in India when the Moghuls invaded the north of India, way back in the 15th century.
A biryani is typically made in an enclosed container so that the rice cooks while absorbing all of the liquid. |
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| Bombay Duck |
This is a fish dish made from the bummalow fish. The fish is washed, boned and dried in the sun. The fish is fried or grilled and served as a crisp and pungent side dish. |
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| Bonda |
South Indian deep-fried snack that is usually savoury but can be sweet. |
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| Brinjal |
Aubergine (eggplant). |
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| Brinjal Bhaji |
Aubergine in a curry sauce. |
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| Burfi |
Another name for Barfi. |
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| Cachoombar |
Another word for Kachumber. |
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| Chaat |
Chaat is a word for a snack. If can be vegetarian, or have meat, and usually contains a wrapping for the food, such as roti, pakora, idli, dosa or a flour-based dough. The combinations of ingredients is huge. The most common type of chaat is street food where all types of delicious snacks are sold. |
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| Cham Cham |
A Bengali sweet (candy) that has a coating of coconut. |
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| Chana |
A dal made from chickpeas. |
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| Chapati |
A flat and circular unleavened bread made from whole wheat flour (called chapatti or atta flour) and water. Chapati bread is typically used for scooping up food and is usually cooked on a dry griddle called a tava. |
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| Chutney |
Chutney is eaten either to spice up a bland dish or just to accompany a spicy dish. Chutney is usually made from fruit or vegetables that are cooked with spices before being bottled for later use. Probably the most famous is mango chutney, which is a sweet chutney, but there are lots of different chutney styles to enjoy. |
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| Curd |
Yoghurt. |
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| Dal |
Dal (also daal and dhal) is spicy soup (or stew) made out of any pulse legume. The most common pulses are mung beans, garden peas, chickpeas and lentils. |
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| Dam Aloo |
See Dum Aloo. |
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| Dhansak |
A dhansak is a curry that is a blend of Persian and Gujarati cuisine that is traditionally a mix of spices, lentils and meat, although vegetables are sometimes substituted for the meat to suit vegetarian palates. More often than not, a dhansak used to contain goat meat but is more likely to have chicken or lamb in it nowadays. The lentils give the curry a rich and nutty flavour. A dhansak combines sweet and sour tastes where sugar or jaggery (gur) gives the sweetness and tamarind gives the sourness. Dhansak is often served with brown rice. |
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| Dopiaza |
A dopiaza is a curry that has a lot of onions. There are more onions in a dopiaza than any other type of curry. The dish often has diced onions cooked in the sauce as well as being garnished with fried onions. The dish is usually made from meat (chicken or lamb) but can be vegetarian. This is a medium hot curry. |
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| Dosa |
Dosa is a popular and nutritious food that is often eaten for breakfast or as a snack in the Indian subcontinent. Dosa is made from a mixture of rice, dal and water that is mixed and allowed to ferment before it is ground into a batter. Other ingredients, such as spices, potatoes, chillies and nuts can be added and the final dosa mixture is fried like a pancake and eaten hot, accompanied by Rasam, Sambar or coconut chutney. |
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| Dosa Masala |
A dosa masala is a dosa with a filling which often contains potatoes as well as spices. Different vegetables can be used instead of potatoes. |
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| Dosai |
Another name for Dosa. |
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| Dum Aloo |
Kashmiri dish of small potatoes that are deep fried and then slowly cooked in spices. |
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| Firni |
A creamy rice pudding (a type of kheer) that is mainly eaten in North India and Pakistan. |
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| Gobi |
Cauliflower – a common dish is aloo gobi. |
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| Gosht |
Curry made from lamb. |
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| Halva |
Another word for Halwa. |
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| Halwa |
Sweet dish usually made from semolina, sugar and other ingredients. |
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| Idli |
Idli is a small, round, savoury cake made from black lentils and rice, usually eaten as breakfast or a snack. |
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| Jalebi |
Popular sweet that is made by making a flour batter into a pretzel-like shape that is deep fried and then covered in a sweet syrup |
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| Jalfrezi |
Jalfrezi is a stir-fry dish that often contains marinated meat or poultry. The meat is fried with green peppers, onions and chillies. |
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| Jalibi |
An alternative word for Jalebi. |
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| Jilawii |
An alternative word for Jalebi. |
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| Kachori |
Kachori is a snack that is a round ball, with an outside made from flour a filling made with dal and spices, that is deep-fried. |
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| Kachumber |
A kachumber is a simple salad made from raw vegetables such as cucumber, tomatoes, onion and chillies. The raw vegetables are sliced and diced and sprinkled with a little salt and lemon juice. |
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| Karahi |
A wok-like pan and also the curries made by using this pan. |
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| Kasundi |
Kasundi is a spicy Indian tomato relish. |
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| Kebab |
Pieces of meat grilled (broiled in the US) on a skewer. |
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| Kedgeree |
Breakfast of warmed up leftovers, usually fish. Kedgeree often contains rice, eggs and curry powder (or spices). |
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| Keema |
Minced lamb. |
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| Kheer |
A sweet dessert made from rice, milk and sugar that often contains cardamom and nuts of some kind. |
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| Kitchari |
Kitchari is a dish made from rice, mung beans (or other legumes) and spices. Kitchari is often referred to as being a soup but sometimes it is much thicker than a soup and more resembles a stew. Kitchari was originally an Ayurvedic dish.
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| Kofta |
Spicy meatballs made from beef or lamb. |
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| Korma |
Korma is a dish made with yoghurt, cream, nuts and spices (as well as marinated meat). The dish is cooked slowly and has a mild heat. |
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| Kuchla |
A pickle-like side dish usually made from a grated fruit (for example, apple or mango) with a few added spices. |
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| Kulfi |
A sweet ice cream with almond, mango or pistachio flavouring. |
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| Laddoo |
Sweets (candies) often made out of a combination of flour, sugar (or jaggery), coconut and ground nuts. The sweets (candies) are typically rolled into balls of about 2.5cm (1 inch) diameter. Laddoo are eaten at celebrations such as weddings and religious festivals. |
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| Laddu |
See Laddoo. |
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| Lassi |
A yogurt-based drink that usually contains fruit that is blended into a smoothie. |
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| Madras |
A madras curry has a hot, spicy sauce which has lots of chilli powder. The sauce is usually red and has a tomato base. The main ingredient is usually chicken. |
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| Masala Dosa |
See Dosa Masala. |
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| Massaman Curry |
A Massaman curry originates from southern Thailand and is Muslim in origin. The curry is traditionally made with beef but can be made with other meats. The curry is made with a Massaman curry paste and the most common ingredients, apart from the meat, are coconut milk, potatoes, peanuts, fish sauce and tamarind sauce. |
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| Moghlai |
A moghlai is usually a mild dish made from chicken cooked with garlic, ginger and other spices in a rich creamy yoghurt sauce. |
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| Murgh |
Chicken. |
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| Naan |
Flat bread, made from wheat and yeast (or baking powder), that is cooked in a tandoor oven. Common naans are garlic, plain and keema (stuffed with minced lamb), and peshwari (stuffed with nuts and raisins). |
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| Nariyal |
A type of coconut chutney. |
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| Navratan Korma |
Navratan means "nine gems" and, in the Korma curry context, refers to the number of vegetables in the curry. |
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| Nawabi |
Nawabi cuisine originated in and around Lucknow. This area was ruled by a Nawab and, in English, the title of Nawab is roughly the same as viceroy. The Nawabs were very wealthy. Nawabi cuisine mainly consists of meat that is marinated in yogurt, or cream, before being cooked in spices. |
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| Pachadi |
Pachadi is a term that is used to describe several dishes in different parts of South India. Whilst all pachadi dishes are accompaniments to main dishes, a pachadi is like a raita in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, like a chutney (or pickple) in Andhra Pradesh and like a vegetable side dish in the rest of South India. |
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| Pakoda |
Another common word for Pakora. |
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| Pakora |
Traditionally, pakora are small pieces of raw vegetables that are coated with spicy gram flour and then deep fried although nowadays small pieces of chicken, meat and fish can also be similarly coated with gram flour and deep fried. The gram flour forms a crisp shell when deep fried and the pakora are either eaten as a snack or a side dish. Bhaji are similar to pakora except that the vegetable ingredient is grated (shredded) rather than cut up into small pieces. |
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| Panipuri |
A street snack that is basically a small, round, fried puri with a filling. |
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| Papad |
Another word for Poppadom. |
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| Parantha |
See Paratha. |
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| Paratha |
A flat bread, similar to chapati, that is often stuffed with vegetables. An alternative spelling is parantha. |
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| Pasanda |
A pasanda is made from thinly sliced lamb that is cooked in a very rich, but lightly spiced, sauce that is made from yoghurt and coconut milk. Ground almonds are often added. A very mild dish. |
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| Patea |
Another common word for Patia. |
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| Pathia |
Another common word for Patia. |
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| Patia |
A sweet and sour dish that is usually made with prawns, chicken or lamb. The sourness comes from vinegar. |
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| Phal |
This is a British dish that is basically a very hot vindaloo. Not for the faint hearted or people with delicate tastebuds. |
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| Phirni |
An alternative word for Firni. |
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| Pilau Rice |
Rice that has been fried brown and then cooked in a spicy broth. |
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| Poha |
Spicy snack that is often eaten for breakfast. Especially popular in Mumbai (Bombay), poha is made from flattened rice, potato, onion, chillies and spices. |
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| Pongal |
South Indian name for Kitchari. |
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| Poppadom |
A crispy cracker usually made with lentil flour. Poppadoms are often deep fried in restaurants but can also be grilled (broiled) or microwaved. They are eaten as appetisers, with or without achar (pickle). |
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| Puri |
A deep fried flat bread bread made from atta flour. |
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| Raan |
Raan is leg of lamb that is marinated in spicy yogurt before being cooked. |
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| Rasam |
Rasam is a soup from south India that contains tamarind juice, tomato, chillies, lentils and spices. |
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| Rava Dosa |
A type of dosa made with semolina and flour. |
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| Rezala |
A spicy Bengali dish that usually contains meat (chicken or mutton) as well as lots of dairy ingredients such as yogurt, cream and milk. |
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| Rice |
Rice is an integral part of a curry meal. There are lots of different varieties of rice including short-grain, long-grain and basmati. Rice can be served plain or with added flavouring (such as in pilau rice). And rice can even be served with mixed up spicy vegetables, as in a biryani. |
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| Rogan Josh |
A heavily spiced dish traditionally made from lamb and red in colour. Medium hot. |
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| Rongi |
Curry made from black eyed kidney beans. |
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| Roti |
The word roti is a general word that is used to describe all unleavened breads, as well as being a bread type itself. Leavened breads, such as naan bread, rise because of the yeast or baking powder (or baking soda) that is mixed into the ingredients whereas unleavened breads do not rise. The unleavened breads that are in the general roti category include chapati, paratha and puri as well as roti itself. Roti is a thin, flat and round unleavened bread, about 15cm (6 inches) across and is often used to scoop up curries right from the plate. |
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| Saag |
Saag usually refers to spinach but it actually means any kind of green leaf. |
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| Saag Gosht |
A curry made from lamb and spinach with a rich sauce. Medium hot. |
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| Sagwala |
Medium hot curry made from meat (usually lamb) and chopped spinach. |
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| Sambar |
Sambar is a south Indian dish that is basically a vegetable stew that contains tamarind. |
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| Samosa |
A triangular (or pyramid shaped) savoury snack made with pastry that is stuffed and deep fried. The stuffing is usually a mixture of potato, onion and peas but can be minced meat. |
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| Shami Kebab |
Small patty of spiced minced (marinated) meat (usually lamb) that is spiced and cooked in the tandoor. The fast cooking means that the outside is chargrilled but the inside is nice and moist. |
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| Tandoor |
A tandoor is a clay oven that is traditionally heated with charcoal. The thick clay walls and the high heat from the charcoal mean that the oven temperatures can get close to 500ºC. |
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| Tandoori Chicken |
A chicken dish made from chicken that has been marinated in a mixture of yoghurt, garam masala and other spices. It is usually cooked on skewers in a tandoor. |
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| Tarka Dhal |
A dhal made from lentils cooked with tomatoes and spices. |
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| Tikka |
Small pieces of meat, usually chicken or lamb, that have been marinated in a mixture of yoghurt, garam masala and other spices and cooked on skewers in a tandoor. |
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| Tikka Masala |
Tikka served in a masala sauce. |
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| Tindaloo |
A very hot curry that is even hotter than a vindaloo. The extra heat is the result of using more chillies or chilli powder. |
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| Upma |
Dish made from semolina usually eaten as breakfast or a snack. |
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| Vada |
Another word for Vadai. |
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| Vadai |
A popular deep-fried street food from south India that is made from pulses, flour and potato. |
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| Vade |
Another word for Vadai. |
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| Vindaloo |
A very hot dish that was traditionally made from pork but more commonly is made from chicked or lamb. It is a highly spiced dish with garlic and vinegar and often contains potato. |
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| Xacutti |
A very hot dish (like the vindaloo) where chillies, coconut and spices are dry roasted and then made into a paste that is then used for cooking the meat (which can be chicken or lamb). The dish can also be vegetarian. |
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