What's good Indian food?

Question

My fiance wants to take me to an Indian restaurant but I don't know what to expect. What kinds of food do they have there? What should I try?

Answer 1

If they have a buffet there, then go there first.  That way you can sample a little bit of everything to see what you like and don't like.

Answer 2

chicken tikka masala YUM

Answer 3

Indian food is full of taste- and can satisfy any taste palate.

I think it depends on what kind of food you like.

For meat eaters- most Indian places offer a variety of meat dishes with chicken being most popular. Some Indian places may offer mutton- goat meat.

For vegetarians- There are a lot of choices.

For vegans- Many [north Indian] Indian dishes have milk, cream, yogurt or Indian cheese (ie. paneer) in small quantities, but many do not. Ask the servers there- for instance dishes like Dum Aloo (small potatoes in a brownish gravy) have yogurt or cream.

Yes, Indian food is 'spicy'. Generally what I've found in U.S. is that spicy means hot or chili spice. This is not the true Indian spice flavor found in Indian homecooking. Yes, there are chilies in Indian homecooking-green and red- but spice is more a mix of various spices like ginger, garlic, ajwain, mustard (seed and powder), cumin, cardamom, corriander, mace, amchur, and many others. Things called Garam masala, sambar powder, racam powder, curry powder (which incidently curry powder is not used in India only in western cooking) are spice mixes made of a mix of choice spices from above list and others I am missing.

Besides spices - fresh herbs such as fenugreek leaves, cilantro and curry leaves are often seen in the food. Generally fenugreek and cilantro leaves are eaten and curry leaves are not (people take them out while eating, along with big red or green chilies when they are cut in large pieces).

Some argue Indian eateries could go easier on the oil- such as vegetable oil and other oils used. Though oil preserves the food, people in homes rarely use this much oil.

When eating condiments in Indian restaurants, they are genearlly eaten in small quantites mixed in with other food- such as chutneys (made of cilantro, mint, tamarind, chilies, others) or pickles (lemons, limes, mixed veggies, mangos cut into small pieces and cured in chili powder and other spices). If you try to eat them by the spoonful you will not only miss the experience of eating them but your mouth will be on fire for the rest of your visit! Eat little bits of these condiments along with the main dishes.

Generally a fried 'chip' like item is given with the meal- this is papard. People crumble and eat with their meal though in many restaurants this is given as an appetizer.

If you fear things may be too spicy, order a mango or salt lassi. These drinks are yogurt based and cool the palate when things are spicy. You can also eat on the side with your meal a yogurt based dish called raita- yogurt mixed with tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, etc. With raita, however unlike lassi drinks some places do add chilies especially if it is a South Indian restaurant.

There are also deserts to try- rice pudding called payasam or kheer depending on the restaurant. There is also gulab jaman - small round fry cakes soaked in sugar juice. IT's very good. Usually the restaurants serve them cold, but they taste better warm! Also masala tea or 'madras coffee' is served as desert. Masala tea- depending on the place is tea with milk and sometimes sugar added with spices like cardamom, cinnamon or other spices. Madras Coffee is a coffee made in a 'green' coffee machine (no electricity). Hot water is poured into the top of the filter with special coffee powder and set for few hours for water to seep through and give a rich brew. The coffee usually has chicory in it so it's not as bitter as American coffee. This coffee is mixed with milk and often served in a steel 'tumbler' and a small bowl. People in India cool their coffee by pouring it between them two (cup and small bowl) - this also makes a froth on the top- like a latte. Sugar may not be added ask ahead of time.

Hope this is helpful!!

Jennifer www.alaivani.com