Indian cuisine consists of a variety of regional and traditional cuisines native to India. Given the diversity in soil, climate, culture, ethnic groups, and occupations, these cuisines vary substantially and use locally available spices, herbs, vegetables, and fruits.
Vada pav, alternatively spelt wada pao, is a vegetarian fast food dish native to the Indian state of Maharashtra. The dish consists of a deep fried potato dumpling placed inside a bread bun (pav) sliced almost in half through the middle. It is generally accompanied with one or more chutneys and a green chili pepper. Although it originated as an affordable street food in Mumbai, it is now served in food stalls and restaurants across India. It is also called Bombay burger in keeping with its origins and its resemblance in physical form to a burger.
Raita is a side dish in Indian cuisine made of dahi together with raw or cooked vegetables, more seldom fruit, or in the case of boondi raita, with fried droplets of batter made from besan.
Garlic chutney, also referred to as lahsun chutney, lahsun ki chutney, lehsun chutney and bellulli chutney, is a chutney, originating from the Indian subcontinent, made from fresh garlic, dry or fresh coconut, groundnuts and green or red chili peppers. Cumin and tamarind are also sometimes used as ingredients. It is prepared in both wet and dried forms. The wet variety is made with fresh grated coconut and is typically served immediately after preparation.
Bhakri is a round flatbread often eaten in the cuisines of the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Karnataka in India. The bhakri prepared using jowar or bajra is coarser than a regular wheat chapati. Bhakri can be either soft or hard in texture, unlike khakhra in respect to hardness.
Rajasthani cuisine is the cuisine of the Rajasthan state in North West India. It was influenced by various factors like the warlike lifestyles of its inhabitants, the availability of ingredients in an arid region and by Hindu temple traditions of sampradayas like Pushtimarg and Ramanandi. Food that could last for several days and could be eaten without heating was preferred. Scarcity of water and fresh green vegetables have all had their effect on the cooking. Signature Rajasthani dishes include Dal Baati Churma, Panchratna Dal, Papad ro Saag, Ker Sangri, Gatte ro Saag. It is also known for its snacks like Bikaneri bhujia, Mirchi bada and Kanda kachauri. Other famous dishes include Dal Baati, malaidar special lassi (lassi) and Lashun ki chutney, Mawa lassi from Jodhpur, Alwar ka mawa, Malpauas from Pushkar and rasgulla from Bikaner, "paniya"and "gheriya" from Mewar. Originating for the Marwar region of the state is the concept Marwari Bhojnalaya, or vegetarian restaurants, today found in many parts of India, which offer vegetarian food of the Marwari people. The history also has its effect on the diet as the Rajputs preferred majorly a non-vegetarian diet while the Brahmin, Jains, and others preferred a vegetarian diet. So, the state has a myriad of both types of delicacies.
Curd rice, also called yogurt rice, is a dish originating from India. The word "curd" in Indian English refers to unsweetened probiotic yogurt. It is most popular in the South Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh; and also in West Indian states of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra.
Malvani cuisine is the standard cuisine of the South Konkan region of the Indian states of Maharashtra and Goa. Although Malvani cuisine is predominantly non-vegetarian, there are many vegetarian dishes. Although it is an independent cuisine, it overlaps Maharashtrian cuisine and Goan cuisine. Malvan is a town in the Sindhudurg district on the west coast of Maharashtra.
Chakli is a savoury snack from India. It is a spiral shaped snack with a spiked surface.
Maharashtrian or Marathicuisine is the cuisine of the Marathi people from the Indian state of Maharashtra. It has distinctive attributes, while sharing much with other Indian cuisines. Traditionally, Maharashtrians have considered their food to be more austere than others.
Indian breads are a wide variety of flatbreads and crêpes which are an integral part of Indian cuisine. Their variation reflects the diversity of Indian culture and food habits.
Kadhi, or karhi, is a popular dish mainly consumed in South Asia. It consists of a thick gravy or soup based on gram flour, and it may contain vegetable fritters called pakora, which include dahi (yogurt) for a sour taste. It is often eaten with cooked rice or roti. Varieties of kadhi include those from Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Punjab, and Sindh, all of which are located in present-day India and Pakistan.
Thalipeeth is a savoury multi-grain flatbread popular in Western India, particularly Maharashtra. The flour for thalipeeth, called bhajanee, is prepared from roasted grains, legumes and spices. The ingredients include grains such as rice, wheat, bajra, and jowar; legumes such as chana, and urad; and spices, most commonly coriander and cumin seeds. When preparing the dough, other ingredients such as onion, fresh coriander, other vegetables and spices are added. Thalipeeth is usually served with butter, ghee, or yogurt. The dish is popular in Maharashtra and north Karnataka, and it is also made with regional variations in Goa.
Sohan papdi is a popular dessert in the Indian subcontinent. Soan Papdi has no confirmed origin, but it is believed to have originated in the western state Maharashtra, India. According to a culinary anthropologists, the word "soan" has Persian origin and the name comes from the term sohan pashmaki. Others speculation also includes that ranges from Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and West Bengal. It bears some resemblance to the Dragon's beard candy in China, Kkul-tarae in Korea, Persian pashmaki, which gave rise to the Turkish pişmaniye. It is usually cube-shaped or served as flakes, and has a crisp and flaky texture. Traditionally sold loose in rolled paper cones, modern industrial production has led it to being sold in the form of tightly formed cubes.
Baingan bharta or Baigan Chokha is an Indian dish prepared by mincing grilled eggplant (baingan) and mixing it with tomato, onion, herbs and spices. Grilling the eggplant over charcoal or direct fire infuses the dish with a smoky flavour. Mashed eggplant is then mixed with cooked chopped tomato, browned onion, ginger, garlic, cumin, fresh cilantro, chili pepper, and mustard oil or a neutral vegetable oil. Traditionally, the dish is often eaten with flatbread and is also served with rice or raita, a yogurt salad. In Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, it is served hot with litti or baati.
Thecha is a spicy condiment prepared in the state of Maharashtra. It has many variants but the primary ingredients are chili peppers, peanuts and garlic, often tempered in oil and a multitude of spices such as cumin, sesame seeds, coriander seeds, hing, cloves, coriander leaves and grated coconut seasoning. Traditional recipes call for the ingredients to be crushed or pounded in metal or Mortar Pestle, but modern kitchens often rely on grinding in food processors. It is served with dishes like pithla bhakri. or is eaten with bhakri. A regional variation is the varhadi thecha. It has been described by Sanjeev Kapoor as a popular relish. It spoils after 10 to 15 days
Street food, as in other areas of India, are popular in Chennai, despite the common belief in India that street food is unhealthy. The idly sambhar is a popular dish, which is served as breakfast or dinner. Apart from regular South Indian street food, the city's streets are also filled with several North Indian street food outlets, most of them established by North Indian migrants themselves. Gujarati and Burmese are also available. Street food in Chennai is so popular that a game had developed based on the TV show The Amazing Race where contestants have to follow clues to street-food spots in the city.
Vada or Vadai is a category of savoury fried snacks native to India. Vadas can be described variously as fritters, cutlets, or dumplings. Alternative names for this food include vadai, vade, and bada. Vadas are sometimes stuffed with vegetables and traditionally served with chutneys and sambar.
Gram flour or besan is a pulse flour made from chana dal or brown/kaala chana, a chickpea. It is a staple ingredient in the cuisines of the Indian subcontinent, including Indian, Bangladeshi, Burmese, Nepali, Pakistani, Sri Lankan and Caribbean cuisines.
Bakarwadi in Gujarati traditional crispy, deep-fried, disc-shaped, sweet and spicy snack popular in the western state of Maharashtra in India. It was already popular before 1960 when these were not Gujarat nor Maharashtra state; they were both Bombay State and both cultures added their own flavors in each other's recipes.
