The tandoori and vindaloo at your local Indian restaurant represent only a tiny portion of the country’s rich culinary tradition. From fiery stews to cooling yogurt drinks, we’ve collected 46 of our favorite regional Indian recipes.
As a Hindu-majority country, India has a long history of vegetarian cooking. Rice, lentils, and greens are the staple foods of much of the country. Our lime rice is a refreshing side to pair with any dish. Shredded cabbage can also be paired with lime for a great alternative to coleslaw. Want lentils instead of rice? Look to our creamy dal spiked with sour green mango. Saag paneer, stewed spinach and fresh cheese, can be found on any Indian menu in America. We’ve got that recipe, but if you want to branch out from that traditional Indian recipe, try mixing paneer with peas, tomatoes, and fenugreek greens. Meat does show up in Indian cooking, particular amongst the country’s Muslim population. Butter chicken, another classic of Indian-American menus, is great when loaded with ginger and garam masala. Chettinad pepper chicken might be less familiar to you—it’s a Chennai staple of chicken flavored with fennel seeds, curry leaves, and urad dal, the skinned split black lentils that are a popular ingredient in southern India.
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Below, check the list of our 46 favorite regional Indian recipes.
This recipe comes from Madhur Jaffrey’s A Taste of India, though we’ve tested this recipe in the SAVEUR test kitchen, we present it in its original, unedited form from the book. Get the recipe for Roasted Moong Dal with Spinach »
This potato curry recipe uses yogurt for a sauce, thickened with chickpea flour. Get the recipe for Potatoes and Peas in Yogurt Sauce
This offering made to a Hindu deity is seasoned with jaggery (unrefined palm sugar) and coconut. Get the recipe for Indian Sweet Coconut Porridge (Pongala)
This recipe, from Madhur Jaffrey’s A Taste of India, is part of SAVEUR’s November 2017 cookbook club. Though we’ve tested this recipe in the SAVEUR test kitchen, we present it in its original, unedited form from the book. Get the recipe for Stuffed Okra »
Rice Flour
Unniyappam, fried pastries made as an offering at many South Indian Hindu temples, are made with rice flour bound with bananas and jaggery.
Indian Fried Banana Cakes (Mangalore Buns)
Get the recipe for Roti Laddu »
Get the recipe for Dal Dhokli Roti »
Get the recipe for Steamed Cardamom-Spiced Rice Flour Balls (Mandaputtu) »
Unlike some other staple Indian breads, which are unleavened and crafted from durum wheat flour, or atta, fluffy naan is made with all-purpose flour and yeast. Traditionally, the dough is slapped against the chimney wall of a clay tandoor oven and baked over wood fires, but many home cooks make it on the stovetop.
A signature dish of the South Indian city of Chennai, this spicy chicken recipe is flavored with fennel seeds, curry leaves, and urad dal, the skinned split black lentils that are a popular ingredient in southern India. Get the recipe for Chettinad Pepper Chicken (Koli Milagu Masala) »
For these simple bite-size confections from Bengal, milk is turned into homemade paneer cheese and then combined with sugar and cardamom to yield a dense, fudge-like treat. Get the recipe for Bengali Milk Sweets (Sandesh) »
Fried fish seasoned with turmeric and chile powder is a popular dish on India’s Malabar Coast. While small bullseye fish or sardines are traditionally used, salmon, shrimp, or snapper, as we’ve used here, also work. Get the recipe for Malabar Fish Fry »
Crispy chickpea-battered vegetable fritters are a popular street-food snack throughout India. This recipe calls for potatoes and onion, but cauliflower florets, eggplant slices, or plantains can also be used. Get the recipe for Indian Vegetable Fritters (Pakoras) »
Throughout India, creamy, chilled lassis are the go-to beverage for cooling off during the warmer months. To make them, milk or water-thinned yogurt is blended with ingredients such as strawberries or—as in this recipe—ripe mangoes, resulting in a refreshing drink that’s as thick as a milkshake. Get the recipe for Mango Lassi »
This thirst-quenching north Indian drink is made by boiling unripe mangoes until tender and blending them with sweet jaggery, pungent black salt, asafoetida, and other spices. Get the recipe for Spiced Mango Drink (Aam Panna) »
Sour tamarind is tempered with vibrant cumin and sweet jaggery sugar in this refreshing drink. Get the recipe for Tamarind and Cumin Drink (Imli Ka Pani) »
Orchata (Indian Almond and Rosewater Drink)
Solkadi (Indian Kokum and Coconut Drink)
Panagam (Indian Ginger and Lime Drink)
Enriched with layers of ghee between the dough, this Indian flatbread takes on a layered, flaky texture. Get the recipe for Paratha (Flaky Indian Flatbread)
Get the recipe for Basic Roti »
The addition of chia seeds in this chutney thickens the juices and emulsifies the mixture into a spreadable, smooth sauce that doesn’t separate. If you prefer it milder, remove some of the chile seeds before blending. Use the chutney as a condiment for pakoras, samosas, and tandoori roasted meats. Get the recipe for Spicy Mint, Cilantro, and Chia Seed Chutney »
