Food news
HeritageThe National Museum of the Philippines Iloilo capped off its 2026 ‘Magbasá Kita: A Reading Program for Young Learners’ with an immersive storytelling session at the museum’s Book Nook on September 23, 2026. The activity introduced the localStreet foodNew Northern Kentucky café brings Thai street food and specialty shoppingHeritage21st Sunchang Jangryu Festival to Welcome the World With K-Food and Cultural ExperiencesHeritage21st Sunchang Jangryu Festival to Welcome the World With K-Food and Cultural ExperiencesStreet foodMan dead, 3 in custody after shooting outside Piada Italian Street Food in Mayfield HeightsStreet foodBrick-and-Mortar Restaurants Need to Stop Blaming Street VendorsStreet food1 dead, 3 detained in Mayfield Heights shootingFarm and marketYour guide to Harvest Fair 2026 at Wisconsin State Fair ParkFarm and marketOct. 3 Harvest of Harmony Parade available to view in livestream broadcast during paradeFarm and marketSouthington Apple Harvest Festival kicks off tonightHeritageThe National Museum of the Philippines Iloilo capped off its 2026 ‘Magbasá Kita: A Reading Program for Young Learners’ with an immersive storytelling session at the museum’s Book Nook on September 23, 2026. The activity introduced the localStreet foodNew Northern Kentucky café brings Thai street food and specialty shoppingHeritage21st Sunchang Jangryu Festival to Welcome the World With K-Food and Cultural ExperiencesHeritage21st Sunchang Jangryu Festival to Welcome the World With K-Food and Cultural ExperiencesStreet foodMan dead, 3 in custody after shooting outside Piada Italian Street Food in Mayfield HeightsStreet foodBrick-and-Mortar Restaurants Need to Stop Blaming Street VendorsStreet food1 dead, 3 detained in Mayfield Heights shootingFarm and marketYour guide to Harvest Fair 2026 at Wisconsin State Fair ParkFarm and marketOct. 3 Harvest of Harmony Parade available to view in livestream broadcast during paradeFarm and marketSouthington Apple Harvest Festival kicks off tonight
Thali

🇮🇳 The food of India

262 dishes from India, best known first, across 60 cities and regions.

Indian cooking brings together a huge range of regional and religious traditions, shaped by centuries of trade, migration, and local crops. Meals center on grains like rice or wheat, paired with lentils, vegetables, and carefully chosen spices. Distinctive techniques and a deep vegetarian tradition set it apart from other world cuisines.

  • Lentils and pulses are used in many forms, including whole, split, or dehusked.
  • Two unique techniques: frying spice pastes and adding fried spices to dishes.
  • Street foods like vada pav, kati rolls, and idli vary by city.
  • Vegetarianism is widespread, especially in Gujarat and among Jains.
  • Festival foods include sweets like kheer, halwa, and puran poli.

The cooking of India

Indian food is shaped by thousands of years of cultural exchange, migration, and religious practice. Its character comes from the interplay of local grains, lentils, and vegetables, with a wide palette of spices such as turmeric, cumin, and cardamom. Cooking methods range from slow stewing to frying spice pastes or adding fried spices to finished dishes. The cuisine is known for its regional variety, from coconut-rich southern stews to wheat-based breads in the north. Vegetarianism is widespread, influenced by Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist beliefs, while Muslim and Christian communities contribute their own dishes. Food is often prepared with simple tools, but the process can be labor-intensive, involving grinding and blending.

Staple foods in India

Core foods are rice, wheat (often as flatbreads), and lentils, with pulses like mung, pigeon pea, and black gram used in many forms. Oils vary by region: coconut in the south, mustard in the east, peanut in the north and west. Spices are essential, with each region using its own blends. Vegetables, pickles, and dairy products like yogurt are common accompaniments.

Snacks and street food in India

Street food is highly regional. In Mumbai, vada pav (a spiced potato fritter in a bun) is popular. Kolkata is known for kati rolls, which wrap spiced fillings in flatbread. Chennai’s streets offer idli (steamed rice cakes) with sambar (a lentil stew). Delhi’s Muslim heritage brings kebabs and other meat snacks.

From region to region in India

Northern India favors wheat breads, lentils, and dishes cooked with the dum pukht technique, where food is sealed and slow-cooked. Kashmir is known for rich meat dishes. Western India features vegetarian stews and sweets, with Goan food blending Indian and Portuguese influences. The east relies on rice, fish, and mustard, while the south uses rice, coconut, and steaming. Each region’s climate and dominant religion shape its food.

Festival and religious food in India

Festivals bring special foods. During Diwali, sweets like kheer (rice pudding) and halwa are made. Holi sees puran poli (sweet stuffed bread) and gujia (sweet dumplings). For religious offerings, food is presented to deities and then shared as prasāda. Fasting days allow only certain foods, such as dairy, fruits, and starchy roots.

Where this page comes from

The facts in this overview come from the Wikipedia article "Indian cuisine", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence. Thali rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

Cities and regions of India

Kerala 14Hyderabad 12Maharashtra 12Tamil Nadu 12Kolkata 11Odisha 11Punjab 11West Bengal 11Gujarat 10Karnataka 10Andhra Pradesh 8Bihar 8Delhi 8Lucknow 7Rajasthan 7Uttar Pradesh 7Bengal 6Mumbai 6Goa 5Kashmir 5Assam 4Bhopal 4Madurai 4South India 4Awadh 3Braj 3Chennai 3Jammu 3Jharkhand 3Mathura 3Tripura 3Arunachal Pradesh 2Bardhaman 2Bhuj 2Deccan 2Dharwad 2Haryana 2Himachal Pradesh 2Kochi 2Kodagu 2Kozhikode 2Malabar 2Mysore 2Nabadwip 2New Delhi 2Pune 2Puri 2Sikkim 2Telangana 2Udupi 2Uttarakhand 2Agra 1Ahmedabad 1Ahmednagar 1Almora 1Arambol 1Aurangabad 1Banaras 1Bangalore 1Basirhat 1
MealBreakfastLunchTea timeDinnerSupperSnacks
KindMain dishStreet foodSoupStew or curryRice dishNoodle or pasta dishDumplingBreadGrill or roastSandwich or wrapPie or savoury pastrySalad or sideCheese or dairy foodSausage or cured foodSauce, pickle or fermentSweet or dessertDrink
DietVegetarianVeganFish and seafoodMeat
Flattened riceVegan 🇮🇳 India and 5 moreRice grains flattened into flakes, used in sweet and savoury dishes across Asia Rice dish, Breakfast, Snacks Dahi vadaVegetarian 🇮🇳 India and 2 moreLentil fritters soaked in spiced yogurt and served as a cold snack Street food, Snacks BhajiVegetarian 🇮🇳 India and 4 moreSpiced vegetable fritters from the Indian subcontinent, often sold as street snacks Street food, Snacks Hyderabadi biryani 🇮🇳 IndiaBasmati rice and spiced meat cooked together in the Hyderabad style Main dish, Lunch, Dinner NihariMeat 🇮🇳 India and 2 moreSlow-cooked meat stew from the Indian subcontinent, served hot with bread or rice Stew or curry, Breakfast, Lunch Rooh AfzaVegan 🇮🇳 India and 2 moreA sweet herbal syrup mixed with water or milk, popular in South Asia Drink, Snacks Gajar ka halwaVegetarian 🇮🇳 India and 2 moreGrated carrot cooked with milk, sugar, ghee and khoya, often served at Indian festivals Sweet or dessert MurtabakMeatمُطَبَّق 🇾🇪 Yemen and 5 moreA stuffed, folded pancake or flatbread with savoury or sweet fillings Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Dal makhaniVegetarian 🇮🇳 India and 1 moreCreamy black lentils slow-cooked with butter and spices Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Soan papdiVegetarian 🇮🇳 India and 2 moreCrisp, flaky sweet made from gram flour, sugar, ghee, and cardamom Sweet or dessert, Snacks BebincaVegetarian 🇮🇳 IndiaGoan layer cake made with coconut milk, ghee, egg yolk, flour and sugar Sweet or dessert DhoklaVegetarian 🇮🇳 IndiaSteamed, spongy savoury cake from Gujarat made with fermented lentil and rice batter Main dish, Breakfast, Lunch Dal bhatVegetarian 🇳🇵 Nepal and 2 moreLentil soup served with plain rice, a staple meal across South Asia Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Chole bhatureVegetarian 🇮🇳 IndiaChickpea curry served with deep-fried, puffy bread Main dish, Breakfast, Lunch Thukpaཐུག་པ 🇨🇳 China and 3 moreTibetan noodle soup with many regional versions Soup Saag 🇮🇳 India and 1 moreLeafy greens cooked with spices, eaten with bread or rice across the Indian subcontinent Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Rogan joshMeat 🇮🇳 India and 1 moreKashmiri lamb or goat curry with a deep red sauce Main dish, Lunch, Dinner MalpuaVegetarian 🇮🇳 India and 3 moreSweet deep-fried pancakes from the Indian subcontinent, often dipped in syrup Sweet or dessert, Breakfast, Snacks MandiMeatمندي 🇾🇪 Yemen and 5 moreMeat and spiced rice cooked together in an underground pit Main dish, Lunch, Dinner Hot and sour soup酸辣汤 🇨🇳 China and 5 moreA tangy, spicy soup with flexible ingredients, first made in China Soup Ginger teaVegan 🇮🇩 Indonesia and 5 moreA hot drink made by steeping ginger root, often with tea, sweetener or milk Drink, Breakfast, Snacks Parotta 🇮🇳 India and 5 moreLayered flatbread from South India, soft and flakey, made with refined flour Bread, Breakfast, Lunch KedgereeFish or seafood 🇮🇳 India and 1 moreRice and smoked fish with eggs, herbs and mild spices Main dish, Breakfast, Lunch Khoreshخورش 🇮🇷 Iran and 4 moreSlow-cooked Persian stew, served hot with rice Stew or curry, Lunch, Dinner Batata vadaVegetarianबटाटा वडा 🇮🇳 IndiaDeep-fried potato patties from Maharashtra, coated in chickpea flour batter Street food, Snacks Tandoor breadVegan 🇮🇶 Iraq and 5 moreFlatbread baked on the walls of a clay tandoor oven Bread, Breakfast, Lunch Paneer tikkaVegetarian 🇮🇳 IndiaGrilled spiced paneer cubes served hot, often with vegetables and chutney Main dish, Snacks, Dinner Puran PoliVegetarian 🇮🇳 IndiaSweet stuffed flatbread enjoyed at festivals and special occasions in India Bread, Lunch, Dinner PedaVegetarian 🇮🇳 IndiaThick, sweet milk fudge balls flavoured with cardamom Sweet or dessert, Snacks Pongal 🇮🇳 India and 1 moreRice cooked in milk, central to the Tamil harvest festival Main dish, Breakfast, Lunch Yakhni 🇮🇷 Iran and 5 moreA family of meat and vegetable stews from Iran, the Middle East and the Balkans Stew or curry, Lunch, Dinner KhajaVegetarian𑂎𑂔𑂳𑂩𑂲 🇮🇳 IndiaCrisp, layered pastry deep-fried and soaked in sugar syrup Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Tea time Shami kebabMeatشامی کباب 🇮🇳 India and 2 moreMinced meat and chickpea patties, shallow-fried and spiced Main dish, Snacks, Lunch Curd riceVegetarian 🇮🇳 IndiaSteamed rice mixed with yogurt and seasoned with spices Main dish, Lunch, Dinner SheermalVegetarianشیرمال‎ 🇮🇷 Iran and 2 moreA sweet, saffron-scented flatbread made with milk and cardamom Bread, Breakfast, Lunch Sarson ka saagVegetarian 🇮🇳 India and 1 moreMustard greens cooked with spices, a winter dish from Punjab Main dish, Lunch, Dinner UttapamVegetarian 🇮🇳 IndiaA thick South Indian pancake topped with vegetables Main dish, Breakfast AvialVegetarianഅവിയൽ 🇮🇳 IndiaA thick vegetable stew with coconut and curry leaves from Kerala Main dish, Lunch, Dinner KadhiVegetarian 🇮🇳 India and 2 moreYogurt and gram flour soup, often with fritters, from Rajasthan Soup, Lunch, Dinner Mysore pakVegetarianಮೈಸೂರು ಪಾಕ್ 🇮🇳 India and 2 moreA dense, golden sweet made from gram flour, sugar, and ghee Sweet or dessert, Snacks Shahi paneerVegetarian 🇮🇳 IndiaPaneer cubes in a rich, creamy tomato and spice sauce Main dish, Lunch, Dinner GujhiaVegetarian 🇮🇳 IndiaSweet deep-fried dumpling filled with milk solids, coconut and nuts Sweet or dessert, Snacks Chapli kebabMeatچَپلِي کَبَاب 🇵🇰 Pakistan and 2 moreFlattened spiced meat patties fried and served hot, from Peshawar Main dish, Lunch, Dinner ChomchomVegetarianচমচম 🇧🇩 Bangladesh and 1 moreBengali sweet made from chhena, often coated with coconut or mawa flakes Sweet or dessert KozhukattaVegetarianകൊഴുക്കട്ട (Malayalam), கொழுகட்டை (Tamil) 🇮🇳 India and 1 moreSteamed rice flour dumplings filled with sweet coconut and jaggery Sweet or dessert, Breakfast, Snacks ImartiVegetarian 🇮🇳 India and 1 moreDeep-fried black gram batter shaped into spirals and soaked in scented sugar syrup Sweet or dessert, Snacks Pitha 🇧🇩 Bangladesh and 1 moreRice or wheat cakes, sweet or savoury, steamed, fried or griddled in eastern South Asia Sweet or dessert, Breakfast, Snacks Makki ki rotiVeganمکی دی روٹی 🇮🇳 India and 2 moreCornmeal flatbread cooked on a griddle, common in northern and western India Bread, Lunch, Dinner
PreviousMore dishes

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

The weekly plate

Every Monday: seven dishes you may not know, what the world is cooking this week, and one way of eating.