Indian cuisine’s delicious taste and fine balance of spices and gravy have made a home in the hearts of food lovers around the world.
India is a culturally rich country; this richness is reflected in their spices, ingredients, the way their food is cooked, and many are native to their states of origin. Indian dishes feature a delicate balance of spices which provide them with a rich taste.
People make changes to the recipe as per their taste and ingredients available in their local region. Indian spices stand out the most. For centuries people have traded with India for their masalas. You might have heard Indian food masala names such as turmeric, mustard seeds, cinnamon, poppy seeds, and king of all spices, Garam Masala.
Every state and part of the country has distinct tastes and signature styles. For instance, North India is famous for its butter chicken, amritsari kulcha, and aloo paranthas, while South Indian food is known for idlis and rasam.
To know more about Indian traditional food names, check out the list below.
Aloo Shimla Mirch (North Indian origin) meaning ‘potato-capsicum’. In its recipe, potatoes are sauteed in mustard seeds with capsicum, onions tomatoes, and ginger garlic paste.
Rasmalai(Indian origin) meaning ‘juice and cream’. It is prepared from milk balls and saffron.
Chaat(North Indian origin) meaning ‘street food’, is a popular street snack. The recipe includes a fried potato patty, topped with yogurt, tamarind, and mint chutney. Many vendors add dry fruits and pomegranate seeds to the chaat.
Dahi Vada(West Indian origin) meaning ‘yogurt-lentil’. In this recipe, soft lentil balls are served with yogurt, raisins, and a variety of chutneys.
Gujia (West Indian origin) meaning ‘sweet deep-fried dumpling’. It is a famous sweet in West India.
Purvis, Meaning: providing food Origin: French and English ~ View Detail
Jowar No Rotlo (Indian origin) meaning ‘sorghum bread’. It is a famous type of Roti.
Khakra (Indian origin) meaning ‘thin wheat snack’.
Ambrosia, Meaning: Immortal Origin: Latin, feminine form of Ambrose ~ View Detail
Paniyaram (South Indian origin) meaning ‘rice flour’, is a kind of steamed dish.
Mach Jhol(East Indian origin) meaning ‘fish’. It is made of potatoes, ginger, garlic, and tomato sauce.
Lassi (Indian origin) meaning ‘butter milk’. It is a popular yogurt drink from North India.
Jalebi(Indian origin) meaning ‘deep-fried pastry’. It is a fried sweet dish that is served with sugar syrup.
Cocoa, Origin: Color and food name
Daal Dhokli (West Indian origin) meaning ‘wheat and lentil curry'.
Daal Makhani(North Indian origin) meaning ‘black lentil’. It is a famous daal and is served with Tandoori roti and naan.
Loskora Laddu (East Indian origin) meaning ‘coconut laddu’, is a dessert.
Rasam(South Indian origin) meaning ‘juice’, is a spicy and sour soup that is served with rice.
Chicken Tikka Masala(North Indian origin) meaning ‘chicken curry’. It is one of the famous Indian Recipes. This recipe’s ingredients include yogurt, spices, and tomato paste.
Dabeli (West Indian origin) meaning ‘pressed’. It is a popular street snack in Gujarat. Boiled potatoes made with special masala are stuffed between dabeli buns.
Amritsari fish (North Indian origin) meaning ‘fish curry’. Fish is deep-fried and then cooked in a curry. You can find easy Amritsari fish recipes online.
Jeera Aloo(Indian origin) meaning ‘cumin-potato’. It is a spicy dish.
Momo(East Indian origin) meaning ‘dumplings’. It is a steamed dish made with rice flour.
Kumol Sawol (East Indian origin) meaning ‘soft rice’. It is made with soft rice cream and Jaggery.
Muri Moya (East Indian origin) meaning ‘puffed rice ball’, is an East Indian snack in Bengal.
Keri No Ras (Indian origin) meaning ‘mango pulp'. It is prepared from raw mango.
Bhatura(North Indian origin) meaning ‘unleavened bread’, is a fried bread that is served with spicy chole and pickle.
Dhokla (West Indian origin) meaning ‘steamed lentil’. It is a steamed leavened spongey Bengal gram dish. It is topped with sugar syrup, mustard seeds, and green chilies tadka.
Aloo Methi (North Indian origin) meaning ‘potato-fenugreek’. It is a dry dish made with potato and fenugreek leaves.
Butter Chicken(North Indian origin) meaning ‘chicken curry’, is the most famous dish in this region. It is also known as Murgh Makhani.
Yakhini(Indian origin) meaning ‘broth’.
Gujjiya(Indian origin) meaning ‘fried sweet’. This sweet is stuffed with coconut and raisins.
Jalfrezi(Indian origin) meaning ‘spicy’. This dish is cooked with ginger and chilis.
Gud Papdi (West Indian origin) meaning ‘jaggery dessert’. It is a crunchy thick piece of jaggery cooked with ghee and peanuts.
Vada(South Indian origin) meaning ‘savory donut’, is served with chutney.
Dum Aloo (North Indian origin) meaning ‘potato curry’, is prepared by cooking potatoes in a hot onion-tomato sauce and spices.
Pongal (South Indian origin) meaning ‘pulao’, is South Indian rice.
Firni(Indian origin) meaning ‘milk dessert’. It is a rice pudding that is made with saffron and dry fruits.
Chole Bhature (North Indian origin) meaning ‘chickpea and bread’. It is famous hot street food in north India.
Gajar Halwa(West Indian origin) meaning ‘carrot dessert’. This dessert is popular in North India as well.
Gur (Indian origin) meaning ‘jaggery’. It is a sweet and unrefined form of sugarcane.
Aloo Tikki(North Indian origin) meaning ‘potato patties’, is a vegetarian dish and has a filling of vegetables. It is served with mint and tamarind chutney.
Ghari (West Indian origin) meaning ‘dessert’, is a sweet dish popular in Surat.
Khar(East Indian origin) meaning ‘side dish’. It is an Assamese dish.
Daal Baati Churma(West Indian origin) meaning ‘lentil and wheat bread’, is a famous Rajasthani vegetarian dish. Bati is prepared with whole wheat flour.
Handvo(Indian origin) meaning ‘vegetable cake’. It is a steamed snack from West India.
Murgh (Indian origin) meaning ‘chicken’. It is a popular chicken dish.
Doodhpak (West Indian origin) meaning ‘milk dessert’, is prepared with nuts and milk.
Dudhi No Halwo (West Indian origin) meaning ‘bottle gourd dessert’. It is a sweet dessert.
Sakkarai Pongal(South Indian origin) meaning ‘sweet rice’.
Paruppu Sadam (South Indian origin) meaning ‘daal rice’, is an essential dish.
Chicken Tikka (North Indian origin) meaning ‘chicken bits’. Chicken Tikka is marinated chicken, cooked on skewers.
Gatta Curry (West Indian origin) meaning ‘chickpea dough curry’. In this recipe, chickpea dough bits are cooked in yogurt curry.
Peshawari (Indian origin) meaning ‘sweet bread’, is a type of bread that is stuffed with nuts and raisins.
Sambhar(South Indian origin) meaning ‘spicy condiments’, is made with lentils and vegetables.
Aloo Matar (North Indian origin) meaning ‘potato-peas’. It is a curry dish that is served with rice and bread.
Halavasan (Indian origin) meaning ‘dessert’. It is a popular sweet dish in India.
Pachadi (South Indian origin) meaning ‘yogurt chutney’, is a side dish.
Chana Masala(North Indian origin) meaning ‘spicy chickpea’. In its recipe, boiled chana is cooked in ginger-garlic and tomato paste.
Kansar (Indian origin) meaning ‘sweet dish’. Kansar is prepared with whole wheat flour, sugar power, and clarified butter.
Pork Bhartha (East Indian origin) meaning ‘pork’. It is a popular dish from Tripura.
Lucchi(East Indian origin) meaning ‘puffed bread’, is a Bengali bread fried in oil.
Amritsari Kulcha (North Indian origin) meaning ‘leavened bread’, is popular street food in Amritsar.
Naan (Indian origin) meaning ‘bread’. It is stretchy bread that is served with curry and gravy dishes.
Xacuti(Indian origin) meaning ‘meat curry’. It is a famous Goan non-vegetarian dish. It is made with coconut and roasted ground spices.
Malpua (East Indian origin) meaning ‘sweet’, is a milk dessert fried in clarified butter or ghee.
Pani Tenga (East Indian origin) meaning ‘pickle’. It is made from mustard.
Rava Dosa (South Indian origin) meaning ‘crisp crepe’, is a famous south Indian food.
Amarti with Rabdi(North Indian origin) meaning ‘porridge’. It is a popular dessert in North India.
Vindaloo(Indian origin) meaning 'meat in garlic marinade'’. It is a famous meat curry dish.
Chicken Razela(North Indian origin) meaning ‘chicken gravy’. This chicken recipe belongs to the Indian city of Bhopal. The chicken is served with mint gravy.
Gulab Jamun (Indian origin) meaning ‘milk-solid based dessert’. It is a dessert served in sugar syrup.
Bhindi Masala (North Indian origin) meaning ‘spiced okra’. It is a seasonal vegetable and is cooked with onion.
Parotta(South Indian origin) meaning ‘bread’, is made with refined wheat flour and oil.
Karanji (Indian origin) meaning ‘stuffed dessert’. It is a crispy dessert from the state of Maharashtra.
Daal Fry(North Indian origin) meaning ‘fried lentils’. It is a quintessential tadka daal.
Daal Puri (North Indian origin) meaning ‘stuffed daal’. It is a crispy snack stuffed with daal.
Masor Tenga(East Indian origin) meaning ‘fish stew’. It is a popular Assamese fish stew.
