Indian Food Guide: Regions, Dishes and Menu Words

Indian food is a set of regional cuisines that share a spice cabinet and almost nothing else. Knowing which region you are eating in explains most of the menu.

The broad regions

• North: wheat country. Roti, naan, paneer, slow-cooked dals, tandoor meats, dairy-heavy gravies.
• South: rice and fermentation. Dosa, idli, sambar, coconut, tamarind, curry leaf, and far more chilli heat.
• East: mustard oil and freshwater fish in Bengal, subtle sweetness, panch phoron spice mix.
• West: Gujarati vegetarian thalis with a sweet edge, Maharashtrian street food, Goan vinegar-based curries.

How a thali works

A thali is a complete meal on one plate: rice or bread at the centre, small bowls of dal, a vegetable, a curry, yoghurt, pickle and something sweet. Most thali houses refill everything except the dessert, so start smaller than you think.

Menu words worth knowing

• Masala - a spice blend, not a single flavour.
• Tadka - spices bloomed in hot fat and poured over a dish at the end.
• Sabzi - any cooked vegetable dish.
• Thali - set meal. Meals on a south Indian board means the same thing.
• Jain - prepared without onion, garlic or root vegetables.

Ordering as a vegetarian or vegan

Vegetarian food is everywhere and never an afterthought. Vegan is harder because ghee, butter and cream are common; asking for a dish made in oil usually works. A green dot on packaged food means vegetarian, a brown or red dot means non-vegetarian.

Practical rules

Order one dish fewer than feels right, share everything, and eat regionally: fish on the coast, dosa in the south, kebabs in Lucknow and Old Delhi. The best meals in India are rarely the expensive ones.