What To Order At Indian Restaurant Menu?
The blends of spices, flavors, and aromas within just one Indian dish are enough to have you craving more! Now imagine different spices, tastes, and aromas in each different Indian dish.
How would you possibly be able to choose what to try first and what to save for next time?
Here is a perfect guide on what to order at an Indian restaurant, beginner style: First on the list would be Biryani.
A dish consisting of flavorful meat and colorful rice, perfect for someone trying Indian for the first time.
Second on the list is Butter chicken. A classic in the Indian menu made up of creamy, buttery chicken pieces cooked into a gravy with the most perfect mixture of spices.
We can guarantee you won’t be able to get enough of it! The richness and diversity of Indian cuisine cannot be beat and MUST be explored!
What is The Tastiest Indian Curry?
To choose just one Indian-originated curry out of them all might be a tough decision, but for someone who has tried and enjoyed them all, an easy answer is Goan Curry.
Goa itself is a popular region of India and is from where Goan Curry originated.
It consists of a perfect blend of flavors and spices giving a sweet yet sour ting to your tastebuds.
This curry is cooked with either chicken or shrimp and has a hint of peanuts for perfection.
What To Order at Indian Restaurant?
Popular Indian appetizers with flavors and ingredients. Firstly, one must start with an appetizer to help get your palate ready for the main meal.
Most popular appetizers of Indian cuisine have to begin with Samosas! A fried, crispy triangular pastry, filled with spiced potatoes and vegetables such as peas, served with a delicious mint sauce.
Bhaji or Pakora is another kind of famous appetizer, consisting of a spicy blended chickpea batter, deep-fried in small dollops to golden-brown perfection.
There are many different types of Pakoras such as cauliflower pakora, onion pakora, etc.
Lastly, another very famous appetizer found in India is Vada Pav, which loosely translates to fritter burger.
It is a deep-fried fritter made of potatoes, sandwiched between burger bun type bread. Almost all appetizers are served with a side of chutney like mint chutney or mango chutney.
Different Types of Indian Rice Dishes
After you have had your appetizer, you’d start looking into the main dishes. To start, rice dishes are always a good choice, especially if you are looking for something with a mild spice level.
The most simple and common one is Basmati rice, which is plain boiled white rice with a little kick of flavor.
Nothing too crazy but can be perfectly paired with Curry. Second on the list has to be Biryani Rice, which can be made with or without chicken and is perfect for those who cannot tolerate high spice levels.
The aroma of this dish itself is enough to get your mouth watering as it consists of the perfect blend of spices and herbs, made to perfection.
Vegetable rice, Keema rice, Mushroom rice, Jeera rice, and many more varieties of rice can be found all over India.
Each holds a different taste than the other, made with a different mixture of spices than the other.
01. Variety of Vegetarian Main Courses
Indian meals are known to be on the healthier side and almost every dish has an alternative to meat, making it suitable for vegetarians also.
One such dish is Malai Kofta, which is a fried potato ball that has vegetables, cheese, and specific spices mixed in it.
These flavorful, irresistible koftas are then cooked in a creamy malai sauce with blended nuts, tomatoes, and a combination of the perfect spices.
Chickpea curry is another famous Indian vegetarian dish that is made up of cooked chickpeas in tomato and onion gravy, with just the right spices to elevate the flavor.
Other options are vegetable Korma, Saag Paneer, and Daal. Each is entirely different from one another but delicious.
02. Non-Vegetarian Main Courses
As for non-vegetarians, the options are endless. Chicken Korma, Spicy Chettinad Chicken, Lamb Chops, etc.
Chicken Korma is a chicken meal cooked in yogurt, chicken broth, and a blend of spices.
Known as one of the most popular cuisines in all of India, Spicy Chettinad is a simple chicken dish made with various local spices, giving the food an eccentric yet irresistible taste.
03. Diverse Range of Indian Bread
Multiple types of Indian bread are preferred with curries and dishes that do not have rice.
Some famous Indian breads are Naan, Roti, and various types of Paratha like keema paratha, veggie paratha, and poori.
Naan, being the most famous, is an Indian flatbread made of wheat flour dough and cooked in a traditional oven called a tandoor.
04. Tandoori Specialties
Another type of dish India is very famous for is their Tandoori dishes. The taste these dishes bring when cooked in the traditional tandoori method is unlike any other in the world.
Some examples are Prawn tandoori, Lamb chops Kandahari, Chicken Tikka, and Kabab-e-Dilruba.
The smokiness and flavor will want you longing to savor every bite, longing for more!
05. Popular Indian Desserts
Lastly, after every meal, there must be a dessert. Why not try Indian dessert delicacies?
An example at the top of the list is Gulab Jamun, the king of Indian dessert, soaked in a sugary syrup, these kneaded dough balls made of wheat flour and milk powder are a must-try when given the opportunity.
Next on the list are Halwa, Doodh Peta, and Barfi. Each is different than the other, each spectacular in its way and taste.
What To Order at An Indian Restaurant First Time?
Indian foods are known to always be spicy when in reality, that is not the case.
You can order dishes according to your preferences such as vegetarian or non-vegetarian, mild spicy or high spice level, etc.
It is always easier to ask your waiter to recommend a dish according to the spice level you wish.
Always order raita with your dishes as it is a yogurt-based mint condiment, this helps make the food less spicy.
Some foods perfect for those who do not like spicy dishes are, Briyani, Makhni Handi, and Pulao. All are still very tasty!
What is The Tastiest Food in India?
It is nearly impossible to choose just one, so in different categories like rice and curries, here are a few of India’s tastiest foods.
First off is the famous Masala Dosa which is in the dry category. Second is Briyani in the rice category and lastly is Malabar Fish Curry in the curry or gravy category.
What Pairs With Samosas?
Mint Chutney or sauce, Tamarind chutney, and mango chutney are perfect sauces that pair extraordinarily with samosas, the best appetizer out there.
These sauces enhance the overall taste of samosas to such an extent you won’t want to eat a samosa without it! It is an experience you do not want to miss out on!
Frequently Asked Questions
What Should a Beginner Order at An Indian Restaurant?
Briyani is a great option to order at an Indian Restaurant as a beginner. Do not forget to ask for condiments like Mint Chutney!
What is Good To Order From Indian?
Samosa as an appetizer, Butter Chicken as the main dish, and Gulab Jamun for dessert.
What Are The Top 10 Indian Dishes?
The top 10 Indian dishes are Biryani, Butter Chicken, Tandoori Chicken, Korma, Samosas, Masala Dosa, Rogan Josh, Paneer Tikka, Gulab Jamun, and Fish Curry.
What is The #1 Indian Dish?
According to your recommendation, Tandoori Chicken is the number 1 Indian dish.
Which Indian Food is Healthiest?
In Chicken, it would be Tandoori Chicken because of its low-calorie count but in veggie dishes, it is Aloo Gobi or vegetable biryani, both scrumptious.
What is India’s National Dish?
Khichdi has been voted as India’s National dish.
