Indian Restaurant Guide: Navigating the Menu with Confidence

Indian cuisine is vibrant and diverse, but without an Indian restaurant guide, navigating the menu can feel daunting. With unfamiliar names and a seemingly endless variety of dishes, it’s understandable that many stick with a safe option like chicken tikka masala and, consequently, miss out on the broader delights on offer. Therefore, this guide aims to demystify the menu, giving diners the confidence to try something new the next time they visit their favourite Indian eatery.

Why Indian Food Is Worth Exploring

To begin with, India’s culinary heritage is a rich tapestry woven with regional influences, spices, and cooking techniques that vary from state to state. While dishes like butter chicken and samosas are crowd-pleasers, however, there’s a whole world beyond these classics waiting to be discovered. Indian cooks often give dishes simple names based on their main ingredients or cooking styles.

With that in mind, let’s dive into what’s typically on offer at an Indian restaurant – from appetisers to desserts and everything in between.

Starters: Small Bites with Big Flavour – Indian Restaurant Guide

Moreover, Indian starters take their cue from street food – bold, satisfying, and made to be shared.

Bhajis

Crispy and comforting, bhajis are made by coating vegetables (like onion, potato, or cauliflower) in spiced gram flour batter and deep frying them. Onion bhajis, the most popular variety in the UK, are akin to onion rings but with a spicy twist.

Samosas

Cooks fill triangular parcels with spiced potato, peas, or minced meat, then deep-fry them until golden and serve them with chutneys. They’re the perfect balance of crunchy and savoury.

Vada Pav

A vegetarian favourite from Mumbai, vada pav features a spicy potato fritter tucked inside a soft white bun, often garnished with chutney and chillies. Think of it as India’s answer to the burger – simple but packed with punch.

Breads: Flatbreads That Steal the Show

In particular, bread plays a central role in Indian meals, often used to scoop up curries or as a base for toppings.

Naan

Chefs bake naan in a tandoor (clay oven), creating soft, pillowy bread with a slightly charred finish. Many Indian restaurants serve garlic naan and stuffed versions like keema naan.

Roti

In contrast, roti is a wholemeal flatbread cooked on a hot griddle and is a daily staple in Indian homes. It’s simple, healthy, and pairs well with most curries.

Paratha

A layered and often stuffed flatbread, paratha can be filled with anything from spicy potato (aloo paratha) to cauliflower (gobi paratha) or mixed vegetables. Typically pan-fried, it’s hearty and indulgent.

Poori

Cooks deep-fry these golden breads until they become airy and lightly crisp. Best enjoyed with a curry like chana masala or potato sabzi, they’re comfort food at its finest.

Main Courses: Curries, Lentils, and Rice Dishes – Indian Restaurant Guide

Whether you’re after something rich and creamy or fiery and bold, Indian mains offer something for every palate.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Arguably Britain’s unofficial national dish, chicken tikka masala features marinated chicken chunks in a creamy, tomato-based sauce. While it’s a fantastic gateway dish, there’s much more to explore beyond it.

Saag Paneer

A vegetarian staple, chefs prepare saag paneer by cooking spinach or other greens with paneer cubes in a lightly spiced sauce. When they use spinach, they call it palak paneer. Cooks refer to it as palak paneer when they use spinach specifically.

Korma

Cooks make korma using almonds or cashews, then finish it with cream or yoghurt for richness. As a result, it’s a favourite for those who prefer milder flavours. It’s delicately spiced and comes in variations such as vegetable korma, chicken korma, or navratan korma (a mix of nine vegetables and nuts).

Chana Masala

Hearty chickpeas simmered with onions, tomatoes, garlic, and garam masala. A North Indian favourite, this dish is typically served with deep-fried breads like bhature.

Rogan Josh

Hailing from Kashmir, this aromatic lamb curry is influenced by Persian cuisine and features slow-cooked meat in a spiced gravy made with garlic, ginger, and yoghurt.

Vindaloo

Indeed, chefs traditionally marinate pork in vinegar and garlic to make vindaloo. Originally made with pork, it’s now commonly found with chicken, lamb, or prawns.

Lentils and Rice: Everyday Essentials

Dal

‘Dal’ refers to both lentils and the dishes made from them. Depending on preparation, it can range from simple and light to rich and creamy. It can range from simple and light to rich and creamy.

• Dal Makhani: A luxurious blend of lentils cooked with butter and cream.
• Tadka Dal: Tempered lentils flavoured with cumin, mustard seeds, and garlic.
• Chana Dal: Split Bengal gram with a bright, citrusy finish.

Biryani

A celebratory rice dish, chefs layer biryani with spiced meat, vegetables, or paneer, then garnish it with caramelised onions and saffron. In particular, varieties include Hyderabadi biryani (spicy), chicken biryani, lamb biryani, and vegetarian options.

Aloo Gobi

For example, aloo gobi is a simple yet satisfying dry curry made from spiced potatoes and cauliflower. A go-to dish in many Indian households.

Sweet Treats: Traditional Indian Desserts

Gulab Jamun

Cooks prepare soft dough balls from milk solids, deep-fry them, and soak them in rose-scented sugar syrup. Rich, sweet, and utterly indulgent.

Halwa

Sweet makers cook semolina, chickpea flour, or carrots in ghee, add sugar, and serve the mixture warm as a rich pudding-like dessert.

Barfi

For instance, sweet makers flavour barfi with cardamom, coconut, or nuts like pistachios and almonds. Variants like kaju barfi (cashew) and besan barfi (chickpea flour) are especially popular.

Drinks: What to Sip with Your Meal

Masala Chai

People make India’s famous spiced tea by boiling black tea with milk, sugar, and spices like cardamom and ginger.

Lassi

Depending on the preparation, lassi is a refreshing yoghurt drink that can be sweet (with mango or rose) or savoury (seasoned with salt, cumin, and herbs). It’s especially good at cooling the palate after spicy dishes.

Chaas

Similar to lassi but thinner and saltier, diners often drink chaas after meals to aid digestion.

Common Indian Food Terms Explained

• Masala: Spice blend.
• Tikka: Marinated chunks of meat or paneer.
• Paneer: Indian cottage cheese.
• Dal: Lentils or lentil soup.
• Aloo: Potatoes.
• Gobi: Cauliflower.
• Chana: Chickpeas.
• Tandoori: Cooked in a tandoor (clay oven).
• Sabzi: Vegetables.
• Thali: A platter with multiple small dishes.
• Chutney: A condiment – spicy, sweet, or tangy.
• Bhuna: Dry-roasted or sautéed.
• Jeera: Cumin.
• Papad: Crisp lentil crackers.
• Keema: Minced meat.

Final Thoughts: Indian Restaurant Guide

Indian cuisine is a journey – one that doesn’t require a passport, but rather an open mind and a hungry stomach. Whether you’re dining in a restaurant or cooking at home, exploring beyond the usual suspects like tikka masala, therefore, can be immensely rewarding. Moreover, from regional delicacies to humble lentils elevated with spice, every dish tells a story.

So, the next time you’re faced with a menu full of unfamiliar names, don’t shy away. Instead, embrace the opportunity to taste something new – after all, your next favourite dish might just be a bhaji or biryani away.