Top 10 Foods in India – What to Eat

Indian food is famous for its complex and heavy flavor cuisine with the blend of dozens of spices and seasonings. The majority of Indians are Hindus and Buddhists so you barely find beef and pork in Indian food; the common meat is chicken and mutton. Many Indians are vegetarians so you will find many restaurants only offer vegan diet. Rice is the staple of the southern area, while flatbread is popular in the north. The top 10 Indian foods and snacks are as follows.

1. Thali:

It is a traditional Indian food served on a round plate, including rice, flatbreads, yogurt, curry, vegetables and desserts.

2. Biryani:

It refers to fried rice cooked with several seasonings, especially saffron, and the marinated meat like chicken or mutton.

3. Chapati:

It is unleavened flatbread, a common staple in India, which you can find in any street stall.

4. Naan:

It is a kind of leavened flatbread cooked in the bake oven. It has many flavors like plain, creamy or garlic Naan. It is usually eaten together with curry. This kind of food is popular in South Asia and Central Asia.

5. Paratha:

It is similar to the Naan but the latter tastes softer. It is also a common staple for Indians. Paratha can be stuffed with vegetables like boiled potatoes, leaf vegetables or special cheese.

6. Puri:

It is unleavened deep-fried flatbread, often served for breakfast or as a snack. It can be seen in many festivals or ceremonies.

7. Tandoori Chicken:

“Tandoori” refers to roasted food in India. So Tandoori Chicken is marinated chicken roasted in the oven, with the accompaniments of lassi or some snacks.

8. Tandoori Mutton:

It is similar to Tandoori Chicken, except that the meat is mutton.

9. Gulab Jamun:

It is a type of fried dessert, which is often soaked in the rose-flavored sweet syrup and garnished with some nuts on the top. It might be too sweet for foreigners and is popular among people who have a sweet tooth.

10. Lassi:

It is a type of yogurt-based drink. It can be blended with some spices or fruits.

★ Dining Etiquette in India

1. Indians prefer to eat food with their hands directly. But if you are not used to it, many restaurants nowadays provide spoons and forks. It is very important to use your right hand to touch the food instead of the left hand. Because left hand is considered to be unclean in Indian culture.

2. Tipping in restaurants is universally required and necessary. In some fancy restaurants, the price of food usually covers the tip. There are some waiters staying around the toilets for your service, and you can put the tips in the special box.

3. If you tend to visit the locals and plan to stay for a meal, you should inform them in advance. It is rude to pay a visit without informing the host. You had better finish everything in the plate to show your respect for the host and food.