In the world of Indian restaurants, there are a lot of different types of dishes to try. They can be vegetarian, meaty, and a bit of everything in between. The best ones are often quite simple and straightforward, combining flavors with very little effort.
The food is incredibly diverse, from the butter chicken that can be found at truck stops across the country to dishes made with the same spices that are layered into tikka masala, a dish that has a lot of complexities but is still very simple to make. These are just a few of the most basic Indian dishes that you can try, but there are also more elaborate and exotic options available, too!
Buttery, creamy dal is a popular dish that you can find at many Indian restaurants. It’s a vegetarian staple that you’ll often see on the menu as a “dal makhani,” and it’s basically a lentil stew that has been cooked with butter and cream, with a spicy medley of spices.
Dal makhani isn’t just a vegetarian dish; it’s a popular dish that people from all walks of life enjoy. It’s a dish that is easy to make at home, too, as it doesn’t require any special equipment.
Vegetarians will want to look for dishes that are more complex than a traditional dal makhani, and that’s where you can find a lot of variety at an indian restaurant. You’ll find dishes like aloo gobi, which is an Indian vegetable dish that combines cauliflower and potatoes in a sauce that is often sweeter than the one found at a typical dal makhani.
Another popular vegetarian dish is a dish called rajma. It’s a combination of ground chickpeas, kidney beans, and lentils that are mixed together with some onion, turmeric, and spices. The resulting dish is quite filling, and it’s often served with a side of rice or roti, which are flatbreads that can be eaten hot or cold.
Curry: When we say “curry,” what we mean is a dish that involves some form of gravy, but that’s not always the case in Indian restaurants. There are actually a lot of different types of curries. Some are more like a soup, and others are thicker and more textured.
Rogan Josh: This dish is a favorite of Kashmiri people and is a great example of a curry that fuses Persian cuisine with Indian flavors. It’s made with lamb or mutton, but can be made with beef or goat as well.
Aloo gobi: This is an Indian vegetarian dish that is a popular option in many restaurants. It consists of spiced cauliflower and potatoes. The dish is often eaten as a main course and is very easy to make at home, too.
There are a lot of great Indian restaurants in New York, and the options for eating here vary greatly from upscale to down-home, with some serving up classics and others offering more modern and innovative takes on India’s cuisine. Here are some of our favorites:
GupShup: This Hell’s Kitchen restaurant specializes in northern Indian cooking and is run by a British Indian immigrant named Jaz Rupall. It’s a nice place to go to try a range of Indian dishes and flavors that are influenced by Chinese and other countries.