Cookbook:Cuisine of India

Cookbook | Ingredients | Cuisines | South Asian cuisines

Indian cuisine is the general term for the wide variety of cooking styles from India. Indian food is almost always prepared with fresh ingredients along with delicate mixtures of many different fresh and dried spices and the exact recipes often vary greatly from one household to the next. To refer to "Indian cuisine" is almost a misnomer since the regional dishes vary tremendously from region-to-region.

Perception and Myths

Curry Phenomenon: In Western countries, such as Great Britain and the United States, the complex formulations of fresh and dried spices are often replaced by simple dry powders such as red chilli powder and curry powder. The word curry comes from the Tamil kari or Marathi kadi (a type of thick sauce).

Hot/Spice Factor: Indian food is usually perceived as 'spicy' or 'hot'. While that is sometimes true, most Indian foods are not necessarily 'spicy' or 'hot'. Chilli peppers are similar to cayenne chilli peppers, commonly referred to as "chilli(es)" in Indian cookbooks and lexicon, and are the common culprit for fiery hot dishes. If you do not prefer the heat, stay away from dishes that contain liberal use of chillies, or tone down the chilli amount to suit your taste. The other ingredient to be careful with is peppercorn, commonly called "pepper" in Indian recipes and cookbooks. Cloves and cinnamon can be used to balance out the heat.

As an aside, no distinction is made between "spicy" and "hot". Many recipes have a lot of spice, but no chillies, and therefore are spicy and not hot!

As in most cuisines, most vegetable and meat dishes are called by thousands of different names, depending on the region, language, ingredients and method of preparation. The recipes listed here are only examples of a few Indian dishes and should not be considered as a general guide to Indian food. Feel free to experiment with them. Substituting spices and altering the suggested procedures is encouraged. Indians regularly engage in such practices and often create unique tastes in their household.

Main Dishes

Aloo gobi
Aloo masala
Potato masala (potato filling for dosa)
Appam (Kerala rice pancake)
Basic Indian Tomato Gravy (curry base)
Southern Style Baingan Bartha (roasted eggplant with curd))
Cholley (chickpeas, also called chana)
Dal Makhani
Dosa (thin and crisp, similar to a crepe)
Kairi /Khichidi (rice seasoned with various lentils)
Rassa Bhaaji (Bittergourd)
Keralan Vegetable Stew
Kharngal (spiced rice and lentil porridge)
Malai Mixed Vegetable
Matar Paneer
Menthi Koora Pappu (lentil stew with Methi leaves)
Pachadi (cucumber dish from Kerala)
Puttu
Rava Dosa (Dosa made from Rava instead of Rice)
Tadka dhal (lentil stew)
Undhiyu (mixture of different vegetables)
Uperu (Kannada lentil-spinach dish and broth)
Guthu-vankai (Telugu Brinjal filled with masala and fried sometimes boiled)

Rice Dishes

Non-Vegetarian Dishes

Badami Murgh
Biryani (rice-based dish)
Bombay duck/Bomry/Bomil Fry (fried fish)
Chicken Curry
Chicken Vindaloo
Chicken Tikka
Chicken Tikka Masala
Murghi korma (Chicken Curry)
Chicken Madras
Chicken Onion Fry
Chicken kebab
Chicken Jalfrezi
Chicken Paprika
Saffron Chicken
Murgh Makhni
Mutton Sukha
Lamb Madras
Prawn Curry
Prawn fry
Crab Masala
Malvani Chicken Curry
Pork Aachi (Kerala style pork with a western touch)
Egg Rice (an accompaniment that can also be eaten by itself)
Shrimp Hooman (An authentic goan saraswat shrimp curry )
Butter Chicken (Chicken Makhni, Chicken cooked with a taste of butter)
Porotta Beef Fry/Beef Curry

Accompaniments

Breads

Aapam
Adhirasam
Baati
Bhatoora (wheat bread)
Chapati or Roti (thin flat bread)
Idli
Idiyappam
Dosa (thin crispy rice pan cake)
Koki (thick chapati can be made with onions and coriander or just plain salt and pepper)
Kulcha (mixed vegetable bread)
Kuzhi Paniyaaram
Mudde (ragi ball)
Naan (flat wheat bread)
Puri or loochi
Shirmal
Uthappam
Wade
Wheat Bread stuffed with Vegetables (Stuffings may be potatoes, cauliflowers, or anything else)

Snacks

Samosa (fried appetizer similar to dumplings, empanada)
Bengal Potatoes
Pohe (a form of rice flakes, called Avalakki in Kannada)
Onion Bhaji
Namkeens (indian fried crackers)
Mixture (spicy party mix, sometimes called Bombay mix)
Hyderabadi Haleem (Hyderabadi Porridge)
Mirapakaya Bajji (Chilli Snack)
Bonda (Round wheat flour snack)
Gare (Green Gram Snack)
Punugu (Small Version of Bonda)
Dabeli
Pakoda
Khandvi
Mysore bhaji
Muthiya
Murukku

Sweets

Ashoka Halwa (Moong dal sweet)
Barfi (condensed milk sweet)
Boondi Ladoo (Chickpea flour based with sugar and ghee)
Chakarai Pongal (sweetened rice and lentil dish)
Double ka Meetha (Bread Pudding)
Gajar ka Halwa (Carrot Pudding)
Gulab jamun (deep-fried milk based sweet)
Jalebi (syrupy sweets shaped like pretzels)
Kesari (Semolina pudding - South Indian Style)
Kal Kals (fried Christmas sweet)
Kheer (rice pudding)
Modak (fried coconut dumplings)
Mohanthaal (Gram flour sweet)
Mysore Pak (Chickpea flour based with sugar and ghee)
Qubani ka meetha (Apricot Pudding)
Rosogulla (steamed cheese based sweet)
Ras Malai (mild cheese dumplings soaked in sweetened, thickened milk syrup)
Sheer Khurma (sweet Vermicelli Pudding)
Shrikhand (De-watered Yogurt)
Surati Ghari (Almonds and Pistachio dumplings Garnished with Ghee)
Ghever
Kulfi (Indian frozen dessert)
Mishti Doi

Beverages

Masala Chai (hot spiced milk tea, traditionally referred to as just 'chai')
Madras Filter Coffee (sweet milky drip-brewed coffee flavored with chicory)
Lassi (yoghurt-based drinks in either sweet or salted flavors; the most common flavors include mango, rosewater and plain sugar-sweetened lassi)
Jal-jeera (pungent spice and mint flavoured water drink enjoyed in summer)
Lemon Sharbat (lemon juice added to water with salt and sugar )
Cookbook: Jigarthanda Milk (Milk, almond gum, sarsaparilla root syrup, sugar, and ice cream.)

Ingredients and their Cookbook names

**Spices**
Cookbook	Hindi-Urdu	Punjabi	Bhojpuri	Gujarati	Tamil	Malayalam	Telugu	Marathi	Kannada	Odia	Bengali
asafoetida	hing	hing	hing	hing	perungayam	kaayam	Inguva	hinga	Ingu	Hengu	Hing
cardamom	elaichi	elaichi	elaichi	Elchi	elakkai, yelakkai	elakka	Yalakulu	veldoDe	Elakki	Gujurati	elach
chili	mirchi	marchan	marcha	Marchu	milagai	mulaku	mirapakaaya	mirchi	menasu / meNasinakaayi	Lanka	lanka
cinnamon	dalchini	dalchini	darchini	Taj	lavangapattai, patthai	karuvapatta	dalchina chekka	dalchini	dalchini / chakke	dalchini	darchini
clove	lauang	lauang	lauang	Laving	kirambu	gramboo	Lavangam	lavang	lavanga	labanga	labanga
coriander leaf (cilantro)	Kothmir, hara dhaniya	Kothmir, hara dhaniya	hara dhaniya	Dhana	kothamalli ilai	Malli ela	Kothimeera	kothimbir	kottambari soppu	Dhania, dhaniya patra	Dhone, dhone pata
coriander seed	dhaniya	dhaniya	sabut dhaniya	Dhana	dhaniya, kothamalli vithai, varakothamalli	Malli	Dhaniya	dhaNe	kottambari beeja, onagida dhaniya	gota dhaniya	Gota dhone
cumin	jeera	jeera	jeera	Jeeru	jerragham	Jeerakam	jeelakarra	jeera	jeerige	jeera	jeera
curry leaves	kari patta	kari patta	no name (not used)	Limdo	karivepillai	karivepilla	karivepaaku	kadhipatta	karibevina soppu	bhrusunga patra	kari pata
fenugreek seed	methi	methi	methi	Methi	vendhayam	uluva	Menthi	methi	menthye	Methi	Methi
fennel	saunf	saunf	saunf	Varialli	soombu, peerunjeeragam	perumjeerakam	sompu	baDishop	somp	pana mahuri	Mouri
garlic	lahsun	Lasan	lehsun	Lasan	ullipundu, vellai poondu	veluthulli	Velluli	lasuN	beLLuLLi	rasuna	rasun
ginger	adrak	adrak	aadi	Aadu	inji	inji	Allam	ala	hasi shunThi	ada	ada
mint	pudina	pudina	pudina	Fudino	pothina	pudhina ela	Pudina	podhina	Pudina	Podina	pudina pata
nigella	kalonji	kalonji	mangrail	Kalonji	kalonji	Karim Jeerakam	kalonji	kalonji	oum kaaLu/ouma	kala jeera	kalo jeere
mustard seed	sarson	saron	sarson	Rai	kadugu	kadugu	Aavalu	mohari	saasive	gota sorisa	gota sorsa
saffron	Zafran, Kesar	Zafran, Kesar	jaffran/kesar	Kesar	kesar,kunguma poo	kumkuma poovu	Kunkuma puvvu	keshar	Kesari	Kesari	Zafran, Kesar
sesame seeds	til	til	til	Tal	ellu	ellu	Nuvvulu	teeL	eLLu	til	til
tamarind	imli	imli	imli	Amli	puli	puli	Chinthakaya	chincha	huNase huli	tentuli	tentul
turmeric	haldi	haldi	hardi	Haldar	manjal	manjal	Pasupu	haLad	arishiNa	haladi	halud

**Grains**
Cookbook	Hindi-Urdu	Punjabi	Bhojpuri	Gujarati	Tamil	Malayalam	Telugu	Marathi	Kannada	Odia	Bengali
barley	Jau	Jau	Jau	jau	barli arisi	barli	jaava	jau	jau		jab
buckwheat	kootu	kootu	not used		kollu	Mudira			Niru Kanigalu
Finger Millet	mundal, makra	ragi	keazhvaragu	ragi	ragi	naachani	naachani, raagulu	naachani	raagi	raagi
maize	makkai, bhutla	makkai	makkai	makai	makka cholam	cholam	mokka jonna	makka	mekke joLa, musukina joLa, mekke tene	makka	Bhutta
millet	bajra	bajra	bajra	bajri	kambu		saddalu	baajri	jola	bajra	bajra
rice	chawal	chaul	chaur	chokha	arisi	ari	biyyam	bhaat	akki	chaula (uncooked rice), bhata (cooked rice)	chal
rice - raw	arwa chawal	Jhona	arwa chaur	chokha, chawal	pachaarisi	pachari	pachi biyyam	tanduL	hasi akki	arua chaula	Atop chal
rice - parboiled	usna chawal		usna chaur	ukra chawal	puzhungal arisi	puzhungalari	dampudu biyyam	shijlela bhaat	kusupalakki	usuna chaula	siddha chal
semolina	sooji	sooji	sooji		rava, rawa	rava	rawa	rawaa	rave	simei	suji
sorghum	juar	juar	juar	juwar, jowar	cholam	zavaar	jonna	jwaree	joLa	jowar	jowar
wheat	gehun	Kanak	gehum	ghau	godumai	gothambu	godhuma	gahu	godhi	gahama	gom
Little Millet					Samai				Saame
Kodo Millet					Varagu				ಹರಕ (harka)
Proso Millet					பனிவரகு				ಬರಗು (baragu)

**Pulses**
Cookbook	Hindi-Urdu	Punjabii	Bhojpuri	Gujarati	Tamil	Telugu	Marathi	Kannada	Odia	Bengali	Malayalam
split peas / lentils	dal	dal	dal	dal	paruppu	pappu	Daal	thogari beLe	dali	dal	parippu
black-eyed peas	lobia	lobia	lobia	chora	karamani	pesarlu	chavali	alasande kaaLu	kala chana		karamanipparippu
Chickpea - Bengal gram	chana	chana	chana	chana	kondai kadalai	sanagapappu	chaNyachi DaaL	kadle kaaLu, Kabul kaDale kaaLu	chana dali	cholar dal	kadalapparippu
Vigna aconitifolia
mung bean	mung, moong	mung	mung	mug	pachipayar, payatham	pesarapappu	mugachi DaaL	hasiru beLe, hesarubeLe	muga dali	mug dal	cherupayaruparippu
red lentil	masoor	masar	masoori	masur	mysur paruppu	masur	masurichi DaaL	masoori thogari beLe	masura dali	musur dal	masoor
pigeon pea / red gram	arhar, tuvar	arhar, toor	arhar	tuvar	tuvarai, tuavaram	kandipappu	turichi DaaL	kempu togari-beLe	arhar dali	arhar dal	thuvarapparippu
urad bean	urad	urad	urad	alad	uzhundhu	uddipappu	udaDachi DaaL	uddina-beLe	biri dali	biulir dal	uzhunnu

**Vegetables**
Cookbook	Hindi-Urdu	Punjabi	Bhojpuri	Gujarati	Tamil	Malayalam	Telugu	Marathi	Kannada	Odia	Bengali
bell peppers	shimla mirch, badi mirch	shimla mirch	shimla mirch	motamircha	kodaimilagai	Kuda Mulaku	bangalore mirchi	simla mirchi,bhopli mirchi	dappa menasinakayi/doDDa menasinakayi	simla mirichi	capsicum
Brussels sprouts	chote bund gobhi	choti bund gobhi	not used	nhanu kobi	kalakose	Banglore Cabbage
cabbage	bund gobhi	bund gobhi	bund gobhi	kobi	muttaikosu	mottakkuse,cabbage	cabbage	paan kobi	yele kosu / cabbage	bandha kobi	bandha kopi
cauliflower	phool gobhi	phul gobhi	phul gobhi	pangoli, kobi phul	kovippu	cauliflower	gobi puvvu	phul kobi	hoo kosu / cauliflower	phula kobi	phul kopi
cucumber	kakri, khira	khira	kakri, khira	tansal, kakdi	vellari, kirakai	vellarikka	dosakaya,keerakaya	kaakaDi	soutekaayi	kakudi	shosha
drumsticks	sajjan ki phalli	phallian	sahejan	sargvani sing	murangaikai	muringaa kaya	munaga kaaya	shevgyachi sheng	nugge kaayi	sajana chhuin	sojne danta
eggplant	baingan	baingan, bataaun	baingan	ringana, vaingan	kathirikai	vazhuthananga	vankaya	waanga	badanae kaayi	baigana	begun
fava beans	kalisiam-ki-phalli, chastny	kalisiam-di-phallian	not used	fafda papdi	karpu avaraikai			papdichi sheng	chapparadavarekayi
fenugreek leaves	methi	methi	methi	methi	vendhaya kerai	uluva	menthi aaku	methi pala	menthye soppu	methi	methi
green beans	badi baquala, binnis	beans	faras been	fansa	kulaka	beans	Chikkudikaya	shenga	huraLi kaayi	beans	beans
kohlrabi	gath gobhi	gandh gobhi	not used	nolkol	knolkol				navilu kosu	ul kobi	ol kopi, ol
lettuce	kahu, kasmi saag	kasmi saag	not used	salat	aver kerai	lettuce			masura	patra	lettuce
okra	bhendi	bhindi	bhindi	bhinda	vendaikai	vendakka	bendakaaya	bhenDi	bhendekaayi	bhendi	dhenros
onion	piyaz	piyaz	piyaj	dungli, kanda	vengayam	savala	ullipaaya	kaandaa	eeruLLi	piyaja	penyaz
peas	badla, mattar	mattar	mattar-chhemi	vatana	pattani	payar	battaani	"waTaaNe",maTaar	baTaaNi	matar	matar
potato	aloo	aloo	aloo	bateta	urulaikkizhangu	urulakkizhangu	aalu,allugadda, Bangaladumpa	baTaTa	aalugadde	aloo	aloo
pumpkin	kumra, lal kaddu	lal kaddu	kohra	lal phupala	Poosani	mathanga	Gummadi Kaaya	laal bhopLa	kumbalakaayi	kakharu	kumro
spinach	palak	palak	palak	palak bhaji	passale kerai	cheera	paala kura	paalak	paalak soppu	palanga saga	palang sak