ExploFood · Asia
What to eat in India
Five dishes to try in India, the most typical first. Three are vegetarian.
Five dishes to try in India
Biryani बिरयानी
Layered rice and spiced meat cooked together with saffron, fried onion and herbs.
How to have it: Hyderabad, Lucknow and Kolkata each have their own style; eaten with raita and salan.
Butter chicken मुर्ग़ मक्खनी
Tandoori chicken in a mild, creamy tomato and butter sauce.
How to have it: A Delhi Punjabi classic; order it with naan or rice at dhabas and North Indian restaurants.
Masala dosa மசாலா தோசை
Crisp fermented rice and lentil crêpe filled with spiced potato.
How to have it: A South Indian breakfast served with coconut chutney and sambar; best at busy udupi cafés.
Pani puri पानी पूरी
Hollow fried shells filled with potato, chickpeas and tangy spiced water.
How to have it: Eaten one by one straight from the vendor's hand; choose busy stalls that use filtered water.
Masala chai मसाला चाय
Black tea boiled with milk, sugar, ginger and cardamom.
How to have it: Sold in small cups by chaiwallas at stations and street corners throughout the day.
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Questions
What food is India famous for?
Biryani (layered rice and spiced meat cooked together with saffron, fried onion and herbs) comes first on our list, followed by Butter chicken, Masala dosa, Pani puri and Masala chai.
What is the national dish of India?
Ask ten people and you get several answers. The dish we put first for India is Biryani: layered rice and spiced meat cooked together with saffron, fried onion and herbs. Hyderabad, Lucknow and Kolkata each have their own style; eaten with raita and salan.
Which dishes in India are vegetarian?
Three of the five on this page are vegetarian as usually made: Masala dosa, Pani puri and Masala chai. Recipes vary, so ask about stock, lard or fish sauce.
What street food should I try in India?
Pani puri (hollow fried shells filled with potato, chickpeas and tangy spiced water).
What do people drink in India?
Masala chai: black tea boiled with milk, sugar, ginger and cardamom.
How reliable is this list?
The dishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, where you can also tick off the ones you have tried. Recipes vary by region and by family, so take it as a starting point.
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Get ExploDishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, with links to Wikipedia. Recipes and names vary by region.