Beginners Guide to Indian Food: What to Order? (With Pictures)

Beginners Guide to Indian Food: What to Order or Try when at an Indian Restaurant? Well, Indian cuisine is awesome, varied, and yummy! We know it’s hard to gamble when at a restaurant and you need to know exactly what to order as a beginner.  

australian guide to indian food

This is a featured compilation of the best of the best Indian cuisine food and dishes you should definitely try when you are at an Indian Restaurant to Order food. Remember, this is an evolving list we are compiling and improving it each day, stay tuned and keep coming if you enjoy Indian food.

What Dishes to Try or Order at an Indian Restaurant?

India is famous for many things, and the most celebrated things are food, culture, and cuisine. Their dishes are truly spectacular, and their foods give a feeling of elation. Whether you’re a vegetarian or non-vegetarian, the deliciously diverse cuisine of India provides what you need. Some of the best Indian dishes are completely non-veg, while others are vegan. In this compilation, we’re going to discuss in detail both vegan dishes and non-vegan dishes. Here we go:

Before we start off, would like to mention the most popular Indian Cuisine food popular in Western countries. The main reason the below two dishes are most popular is because of the spice tolerance and mildness on the spice scale. Butter Chicken and Chicken Korma are the favorites. They are both creamy curries that have chicken in a velvety, creamy, and yummy sauce made with the perfect mixture of butter, coconut milk, cream, yogurt, and some key Indian herbs and spices.

Beef Rogan Josh

beef rogan josh

In Persian, “Josh” means intensity, and “Rogan” stands for clarified fat or butter. Therefore, Rogan Josh means something cooked in oil at intense levels of heat. This meal is one of the most popular delicacies of Kashmir. It has variations with several types of meat. The most famous variation is made from lamb chunks, cooked with thick reddish gravy out of yogurt, onions, and a lot of spices. Certainly, it’s one of the most royal mutton dishes in India. It will definitely taste sweet in your mouth!

Chicken Tikka Masala ( Dry or with Gravy) 

chicken tikka masala

How can we exclude chicken tikka from this list? These tender and boneless pieces of baked chicken are every non-vegan first love. Chicken tikka is a marinated beauty cooked in a tandoor. It’s generally eaten as a starter. However, it’s accepted any time of the day, with or without an accompaniment! These boneless pieces of baked chicken always taste yummy. If you’ve never eaten chicken tikka, give it a try! The fact is you’ll love it! What are you still waiting for?

Scintillating Fish Fry Masala & Fish Roast

indian fish curry roast

Who doesn’t love fish? It’s very beneficial to the body. India has the longest coastline in the world! What does this mean? Yummy seafood! Fish fry is easy to prepare, and it’s delicious. It beats the heat, cuts through the palette because of its freshness. In addition, it’s highly versatile, and can be prepared with any kind of fish. However, for the best results, use a Pomphret or Basa. Though this dish is available almost everywhere, Goa is the best place to be for the best fish fry dish. They prepare the best quality and flavor.

Veg & Non-Veg Kebabs

kebab

(Tunde Kebabs / Adana Kebabs, Shami Kebab / Seekh Kebab / Hara Bara Masala Kebabs – This is another yummy non-vegan dish you should give a try in your spicy adventure! It’s made out of ginger, yogurt, minced meat, garam masala, and garlic. The traditional Tunde Kebabs are an essential part of the Awadhi cuisine, and they incorporate over 160 spices. The Tunde Kebabs are known to be full of flavor, soft, and juicy. Accompany your Tunde Kebabs with spicy mint chutney always, and you’ll have a real flavor!

Biryani – Chicken & Vegetable Biryani

indian food

Vegetable biryani is absolutely divine, and it’s the Indian version of veggie fried rice. Want to know why this flavorful dish is popular all over India? It’s mixed with spices, such as nutmeg, mint, mace, coriander, pepper, bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, and cardamom.

It’s served in train restaurant cars, but the best bet is to hit the streets for this meal. Flavor and quality vary greatly. However, if you get a good vegetable biryani dish, you’ll definitely crave more!

Dosas – Plain Dosa / Ghee Dosa & Masala Dosa

dosa indian food

This scrumptious dish is completely vegan as long as you confirm it’s not fried with ghee. It’s typically served for breakfast or lunch. Masala Dosa is a crispy, savory, thin pancake made out of fermented rice and lentil, wrapped around a mix of curried potatoes, spices, and onions. The mixture is usually dipped in chutney or a side of curry gravy.

Technically, Masala Dosa is a South Indian dish, and it’s one of the most exported Indian meals. It’s also found in many parts of Nepal and Southeast Asia. If you love veggies, Masala Dosa should be on the list of your favorite veggies! You can accompany it with idli and vada made with fermented milk. Its flavor is tempting even if you’re not hungry!

Pakoras & Vadas 

medu vada and pakora

These are some of the perfect vegan snacks! They are small, bite-sized bits of spiced bread and mixed vegetables, deep-fried and usually served in a folded newspaper. Some pakoras are made with cheese and chicken. Therefore, you’ll have to request vegan-friendly ones only if you’re a vegan lover. You’ll get the best-cooked pakoras in the streets of Chennai and Kolkata, but they are all over the country. Pakoras are excellent for long, hungry journeys.

In summary, make sure you try as many different Indian dishes as you can. Order any meal on the menu and know it will be delicious. Indians take pride in their spices, aromas, and flavors. They have a close connection with their food. India is the best place for food-loving non-vegans and vegans. Therefore, get your taste buds ready for a spicy adventure in one of the most diverse countries in the world!

The BIG FAT INDIAN Food Gallery

Below is our contribution to the Indian food discussion in Australia. A gallery of all our favorite dishes (growing list), from the wonderful Indian cuisine. Stay tuned as this is an evolving list taking you through the awesome journey you may not see elsewhere on the internet! Click to enlarge the image!