Indian Food Glossary

Also see http://www.indianfoodsco.com/Classes/Glossary.htm

The naming of Indian foods is not nearly as complex as it looks or sounds! Foods are often named by the cooking process involved in preparing them - Tandoori Chicken is tandoor-roasted. They could also be derived from the place the food originated in (for example Fish Amritsari is from Amritsar in the Punjab), the culture it was adapted from (for example Mughlai Biryani which comes from the famous Mughal culture), the main ingredient in it (for example Chicken Saagwala which is made from fresh greens and chicken) or the texture or dominant flavor of the finished dish (for example Reshmi Kabab with its succulent bits of chicken, Malai Prawns with their creamy gravy or Achaari Murg with its pickle-style flavors).

How spicy should you order your food? Stick to mild foods (and there are plenty of those to be had) if you are just getting started with Indian food. Go hotter as you get more experienced. Even if you do try something hot, you can always tone things down by ordering a milder dish to accompany it. There are also yogurt-based side dishes that can do the same job. As a rule, if you're getting a high-gravy dish, order a drier dish to go with it. The more the gravy, the better the food will taste with rice dishes. Drier dishes go well with Indian breads like Chapati, Paratha and Naan. Also try to vary textures when ordering for a well-rounded culinary experience. A typical Indian meal usually includes rice, a bread, one or more vegetables, Daal (lentils dish) and perhaps a meat dish or two!

Ingredients

Achar: Any kind of pickle. Pickles are a very important accompaniment that are most often made from certain varieties of vegetables and fruits that are finely chopped and marinated in brine or edible oils along with various Indian spices. Most common of the Indian pickles are the Mango Pickle and the lemon pickle, but every region of india and every home, boasts of their authentic pickles that are made from vegetables like cauliflower, carrot, radish, tomato, onion, pumpkin, palm heart, lotus stem, rose petals, ginger, amla and more. The most common spices that go into the pickles are ingredients like asafoetida, red chili powder, turmeric, fenugreek. Salt is also used a little more than "to taste" to help in the preservation of the pickle.

Aloo: Potato. See Aloo Samosas (potato stuffed pastry) and Aaloo Mutter (Potatoes & Peas)

Amchoor or aamchur or amchur, also referred to as mango powder, is a fruity spice powder made from dried unripe green mangoes and is used as a citrusy seasoning. It is mostly produced in India, and is used to flavor foods and add the nutritional benefits of mangoes when the fresh fruit is out of season.

Anda: Egg. See Anda Curry (Egg Curry)

Atta is a very finely-milled whole-wheat flour unique to India used to make most South Asian flatbreads, such as chapati, roti, naan and puri. Typical American whole-wheat flour is simply too coarse to properly achieve the correct texture. Most atta is milled from the semi-hard wheat varieties, also known as durum wheat and is more precisely called durum atta. Hard wheats have a high content of gluten (a protein composite that gives elasticity), so doughs made out of atta flour are strong and can be rolled out very thin. Indian wheat are mostly Durum wheat, which are high in protein but less in "bread forming gluten" so the bread when baked with this flour does not rise as well and tend to be dense.

Substitute: King Arthur's White Whole-Wheat flour, a very finely milled whole wheat flour.

Boti: Most of the lamb, goat or mutton curries are made with pieces of bone-in shank, and bone-less shank. The boneless pieces of shank are called Boti. Boti is a general term used for whole muscle (not ground) meat from leg or shank area. Chicken Boti is the meat from thighs and drumsticks. Boti does not imply method of cooking. The Boti pieces are normally used to make Balti or Jalfrezi, as well as curries such as Rogan Josh or Korma.

Chapati/Roti: Thin bread cooked on the griddle.

Curd (or Dahi): Yogurt

Dal: Any kind of legume - beans, peas, or lentils.

Dosa: Crispy, crepe-like southern Indian specialty filled with potatoes or vegetables. See Dosa recipe.

Ghee: Clarified butter

Gosht: This word translates to meat and could mean either lamb or beef. Gosht dishes are made in a variety of methods such as Karahi, Bhuna, and Biryani

Jaggery: This type of sugar is considered unrefined and is produced by boiling raw sugar cane or palm juice in iron pans. It is then formed into blocks. It's often sold in these solid cakes, but it should crumble when you squeeze it. In taste jaggery has been compared to brown sugar, and to other forms of raw sugar. Sometimes, inferior versions contain sand particles, which some find particularly distasteful. In appearance, you will almost always find jaggery in large round loaves that can be light to dark brown depending upon the base ingredient. Though considered healthier, it is still sugar, and is high in simple carbohydrates. Substitute: palm sugar or brown sugar

Kebab: In India, kebab may is made of whole muscle meat or minced meat. Normally, the meat is marinated and cooked over charcoal, baked in oven, pan-fried on stove-top, or baked in a Tandoor.

Kulcha: Tender, pita-like bread cooked in the tandoor.

Lassi: A refreshing, creamy yogurt drink that can be sweet or salty. Mango Lassi (mango yogurt drink)

Naan: Flat, oval bread cooked in the tandoor. See Naan recipe

Pakora: Fritter dipped in a spicy chickpea batter; can be made with vegetables, cheese, chicken or seafood.

Paneer: Paneer is an unaged, acid-set, non-melting farmer cheese made by curdling heated milk with lemon juice or other food acid. The process is similar to queso blanco, except that paneer does not have salt added. The texture of paneer is very similar to that of Greek feta cheese or Turkish Beyaz peynir which is also strained and squeezed the same way. Most varieties of paneer are simply pressed into a cube and then sliced or chopped. Firm tofu has a similar texture and consistency so it can be used in place of paneer as a non-dairy substitute. Homemade Paneer

Pappadum: Spicy lentil wafers.

Paratha: Flaky bread fried on the griddle.

Poori: Airy, deep-fried bread.

Pulao: An aromatic rice pilaf.

Raita: A yogurt-based condiment usually containing vegetables

Rasam: A thin, spicy broth.

Sambar: An extremely spicy broth popular in southern India

Samosa: Flaky, pyramid-shaped pastry stuffed with potatoes or ground meat; a traditional Indian snack.

Sev: Sev is an essential savory item along with Sweet chutney and Green chutney, forming an integral part of most Indian street food snacks known as chaat. Sev is prepared with chickpea flour (besan) and rice flour and deep-fried.

Tandoor: A deep, clay oven that has very high temperatures

Teja Patta, Tejpat,or Indian bay leaves: Did you know that if you see bay leaves in the ingredient list of an Indian Recipe, chances are that it is not referring to the leaves of the European Sweet Laurel tree which are commonly known as Bay Leaves? It is referring to a specifically Indian ingredient called Teja Patta, Tejpat,or Indian bay leaves. They are quite different.

Tikkis: The Indian Tikki is a fried patty or croquette similar to the American potato croquette often made with vegetables. They can be eaten as is or topped with chaat ingredients.

Tikki Tikiya: Tikki (not 'Tikka') is a ground or chopped meat, seafood, or vegetables. Spices and binders are added. It is formed into a ball, and pressed to make a patty like a hamburger. Sometimes, it is also called a cutlet. The patty is pan-fried on stove-top.