India is known for its diversity that varies with every region, state, community, culture and even religion, food in India is a vibrant assortment of uncountable dishes. It is distinctly characterised by the subtle and sophisticated use of spices, grains, fruits and vegetables that are all grown in the country. Home to people of many religions who come from a plethora of cultural backgrounds, the food culture of the country has been influenced by all of them, including foreigners.
Shahi paneer or Paneer Rajwadi or Chhena Rajwadi or Raajsi Chhena is a preparation of chhena or paneer, native to the Indian subcontinent, consisting of a thick gravy of cream, tomatoes and Indian spices.
Pav bhaji, Paw bhaji or Pao bhaji is a main course staple food of Mumbai, India consisting of a thick spicy vegetable curry served with a soft buttered bread roll. It originated in the city of Mumbai, Maharashtra.
Idli or idly is a type of savoury rice cake, originating from South India, popular as a breakfast food in Southern India and in Sri Lanka. The cakes are made by steaming a batter consisting of fermented black lentils (de-husked) and rice.
Chole bhature is a food dish popular in the northern areas of the Indian subcontinent. It is a combination of chana masala and bhatura/puri, a deep-fried bread made from maida. Chole bhature is often eaten as a breakfast dish, sometimes accompanied with lassi.
Dosa is a thin, savoury crepe in South Indian cuisine made from a fermented batter of ground black gram and rice. Dosas are served hot, often with chutney and sambar. Dosas are popular in South Asia as well as around the world.
Butter chicken, traditionally known as murgh makhani, is an Indian dish originating in Delhi. It is a type of curry made from chicken with a spiced tomato and butter sauce. Its sauce is known for its rich texture. It is similar to chicken tikka masala, which uses a tomato paste.
Malai Kofta is a very popular Indian vegetarian dish where balls (kofta) made of potato and paneer are deep fried and served with a creamy and spiced tomato based curry.The literal translation of this dish is malai=creamy/buttery and kofta=spiced balls (in this case made of potatoes and paneer).
Biryani is a mixed rice dish, mainly popular in South Asia. It is made with rice, some type of meat and spices. To cater to vegetarians, in some cases, it is prepared by substituting vegetables or paneer for the meat. Sometimes eggs and/or potatoes are also added.
Palak paneer or palak chhena is an Indian dish consisting of chhena or paneer in a thick paste made from puréed spinach, called palak in Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, and other Indian languages. The terms palak chhena and saag chhena are sometimes used interchangeably in restaurants in the Anglosphere.