Popular Indian Dishes

Achar: Any kind of pickle
Aloo: Potato
Biryani: A fancy rice casserole, often containing meat, poultry, seafood or
vegetables
Chapati/Roti: Thin bread cooked on the griddle. Click here for how to make roti.
Dal: Any kind of legume–beans, peas, or lentils. Click here for how to make daal.
Dosa: Crispy, crepe-like southern Indian specialty filled with potatoes or
vegetables
Ghee: Clarified butter
Gosht: Meat
Korma: Braised meats in a thick, mild creamy sauce
Kulcha: Tender, pita-like bread cooked in the tandoor. Click here for how to make kulcha.
Lassi: A refreshing, creamy yogurt drink that can be sweet or salty. Click here for how to make lassi.
Masala: Spice blend
Naan: Flat, oval bread cooked in the tandoor
Pakora: Fritter dipped in a spicy chickpea batter; can be made with vegetables,
cheese, chicken or seafood. Click here for how to make pakoras.
Paneer: Cheese
Pappadum: Spicy lentil wafers. Click here for how to make papadum.
Paratha: Flaky bread fried on the griddle. Click here for how to make parathas.
Poori: Airy, deep-fried bread. Click here for how to make pooris.
Pulao: An aromatic rice pilaf. Click here for how to make biryani.
Raita: A yogurt-based condiment usually containing vegetables
Rasam: A thin, spicy broth. Click here for how to make rasam.
Saag: Spinach, but can also refer to other greens
Sambar: An extremely spicy broth popular in southern India
Samosa: Flaky, pyramid-shaped pastry stuffed with potatoes or ground meat; a
traditional Indian snack. Click here for how to make samosas.
Tandoor: A deep, clay oven that has very high temperatures
Tandoori: Any dish cooked in a tandoor. Click here for how to make tandoori dishes
Vindaloo: An extremely spicy curry dish that’s a regional specialty of Goa. Click here for how to make Chicken Vindaloo