Southern Asia
Food of India
The 10 most iconic national dishes of India — real photos, key ingredients and tasty facts behind every plate.
Asia
Biryani
A richly spiced layered rice dish made with basmati rice, meat or vegetables, and fragrant aromatics. It is celebrated across India in many regional styles, from Hyderabadi to Lucknowi.
Did you know?
The dish has deep roots in the Indo-Persian culinary world and developed many famous regional Indian variants over centuries.
Masala dosa
A crisp, golden fermented crêpe of rice and lentils wrapped around a warmly spiced potato filling. It is a cornerstone of South Indian tiffin culture and loved for its contrast of crunch, tang and soft filling.
Did you know?
Although dosa is ancient, the potato-filled masala dosa is a later evolution that became especially associated with Karnataka and Udupi restaurants.
Butter chicken
Tender pieces of tandoor-cooked chicken are simmered in a velvety tomato, butter and cream sauce. The flavour is mildly spiced, slightly smoky and famously comforting.
Did you know?
Butter chicken was popularised in Delhi in the mid-20th century as a way to use leftover tandoori chicken in a rich gravy.
Tandoori chicken
Chicken marinated in yogurt and spices is roasted in a blazing clay tandoor until charred at the edges and juicy inside. Its bright colour and smoky aroma make it one of India’s most recognisable dishes.
Did you know?
The modern restaurant style became famous after Partition, when Punjabi cooks brought tandoor traditions to Delhi.
Rogan josh
A deeply aromatic Kashmiri curry of slow-cooked lamb or mutton with a vivid red sauce. It is known for warming spices and a rich, savoury depth rather than overwhelming heat.
Did you know?
Rogan josh entered Kashmir through Persianate culinary influences and later became a signature dish of Kashmiri cuisine.
Chole bhature
A hearty North Indian combination of spicy chickpea curry served with puffed, deep-fried bread. The pairing is bold, tangy and indulgent, especially when topped with pickles and onions.
Did you know?
Though often linked strongly with Delhi and Punjab today, chole bhature is a relatively modern urban favourite rather than an ancient dish.
Samosa
A triangular fried pastry filled most commonly with spiced potatoes and peas, though meat versions also exist. Its flaky shell and savoury filling have made it a beloved tea-time and street snack across India.
Did you know?
The samosa’s ancestors came to South Asia from the Middle East and Central Asia, where earlier versions were often filled with meat.
Palak paneer
Soft cubes of fresh Indian cheese are simmered in a smooth spinach gravy seasoned with garlic and warming spices. It is creamy, earthy and one of the best-known vegetarian curries from North India.
Did you know?
Paneer-based curries became especially prominent in North Indian restaurant cooking, where vegetarian dishes gained iconic status alongside meat dishes.
Gulab jamun
These soft, syrup-soaked milk-solid dumplings are fried until deep golden and perfumed with rosewater or cardamom. They are intensely sweet, tender and a staple at Indian celebrations.
Did you know?
The dessert is related to fried dough sweets influenced by Persian and medieval Islamic culinary traditions that spread across South Asia.
Jadoh
A traditional Khasi rice dish from Meghalaya made with meat and aromatic local seasonings. It is deeply tied to everyday and festive food culture in the hill state.
Did you know?
Jadoh is especially associated with the Khasi people of Meghalaya.