What Indian Food You Should Try For The First Time

Ordering food from an Indian restaurant can be both exciting and confusing. Exciting because you get to try some exotic dishes from an NYC Indian delivery. Confusing because of the Indian names used on the menu. This guide will help you identify some common Indian items and describe them.

Before starting, keep in mind that most Indian dishes tend to be spicy. Even the mildest dishes use spices for flavor. Also, if you follow dietary restrictions like veganism, then ask the restaurant for alternatives before placing orders.

Starters/Snacks

Samosa

Samosa is one of the most popular Indian snacks. You might come across it on almost every list talking about the topic. It’s similar to the Somali sambusa but is stuffed with mashed potatoes instead of ground meat. Peas may also be added to the stuffing. Most people enjoy samosas as snacks with some tamarind sauce on the side.

Paneer Tikka

If you want something lighter than samosas, then try paneer tikka. This dish consists of cottage cheese cubes marinated in yogurt and tikka spices before being grilled. This gives the soft and chewy dish a mildly smoky but spicy taste. The cubes are usually grilled with peppers.

Entrees

Biryani

Biryani is one of the best rice dishes you can ever have. It’s prepared by layering rice and meat or vegetables in a sealed pot before cooking on low heat. This process ensures that the aromatic spices added to the dish spread throughout. Lamb and chicken are the most common meats used in the dish.

Butter Chicken

Butter chicken is probably the most well-known Indian food in New York because every blog on the subject mentions it. It’s made by simmering pre-grilled chicken in a buttery tomato cream sauce. The sauce adds spiciness to the chicken’s tender juicy flavor. You can enjoy the sauce even after you finish the chicken bits.

Palak Paneer

This dish consists of cottage cheese cubes cooked in a spicy spinach puree. The puree is delicious on its own with the cottage cheese giving you something to chew on. Some restaurants list the dish as saag paneer instead of palak paneer.

Flatbread

Naan

Naan is a leavened flatbread prepared by baking in an oven. The baking process gives the chewy bread a smoky flavor. It may be stuffed with cheese or flavored with garlic. You usually need some with curry or lentil dishes.

Lachha Paratha

Lachha paratha is a leavened flatbread made with whole wheat. It usually has a flaky surface that adds to the dish.

Roti

It’s a thin unleavened flatbread that can be prepared on a pan or in an oven. If you want something lighter than naan or paratha, then roti is a good option.

Sides

Raita

It’s yogurt with chopped onions, cucumbers and/or small dough balls called boondi mixed in.

Achar

It’s a pickled dish made with fruits and vegetables, usually mango and carrot.

Desserts

Gulab Jamun

Gulab jamun is probably the most well-known sweet from the subcontinent. The sweet is made with milk solid balls in a golden sweet syrup until they turn brown from the outside. These sweets are soft and just melt in your mouth with ease. Many people with a sweet tooth might gulp the syrup once they finish the gulab jamun.

Kheer

Kheer is one of the simplest sweets to prepare but no less savory than the others. It’s made by boiling rice in milk and sugar. Condensed milk may be used for thickness. Rice can be replaced with vermicelli. Cardamom and rosewater may also be used to add to the sweet’s flavor.

Beverages

Lassi

Lassi is the go-to summer refreshment for many Indians. The drink is a blend of yogurt, water and other ingredients. Sugar or mango may be added for sweetness and salt for saltiness.

Chai

Chai is the go-to refreshment for just about any time you’re in the mood for caffeinated drinks. It’s made with black tea leaves, milk and sugar. Many add ginger, cloves and other spices to prepare a masala chai.

Summary - Trying Indian food in New York for the first time and unsure about what to order? Read this article to know what to order for starters, snacks, lunch, drinks, etc.