Consolidated "Indian Food and Restaurants" thread
 

Hello there:

I'm celebrating christmas this year with my best friend at an Indian restaurant.

She hasn't had authentic Indian food before, so we're going to get garlic naan, curry, onion parotas, tandoori chicken, samosas, mango lassi, kulfi, and other standards.

But what I mean to ask is, has anyone got any warnings/tips or favorite dishes they want to share (nothing too spicy please)?

Thanks in advance! :D

Chicken tikka masala! Yum.

Take a look over on OMNI, too. We were just having a conversation there about good Indian food this week.

Christmas is still some 23 days or so away. Hit the local indian restaurants, and become an expert on it in the time you have between now and then. There is a ton of good indian food, but it's all a bit different, so get out and do some sampling.

I'd suggest starting with the lunch buffets, see if there's anything there you like, then ask the server about it, they will be more then happy to recommend other dishes close to it you will like more and more.

Great idea, thank you. :)

I have a question though - I have always understood kulfi to be pistachio ice cream, but apparently that's not completely true.

Can anyone provide a better explanation? ;)

Kulfi is err Kulfi...handchurned icecream I guess. The simplest form is Malai Kulfi where Malai translates to "cream". Flavours can be various, not just pistachio...yum, yum, I better go and get some. :)

What style?? Indian cuisine is not monolithic with variations between East, North, South and West. Punjabi cuisine in the north are heartier, most often with meat and thicker sauces, while those in the South, for example Kerala, are lighter and more seafood based.

This website can help you: http://www.indiasite.com/cuisine/

Kulfi is very rich "ice cream" indeed. South Asians adore it; another caucasian acquaintance and I find it too rich. Then again, I am quite partial to fresh durian. Indian friends have sneered at mango lassi as a western defilement.

I believe the suggestion as to possible choices was given taking in mind the offerings at most "western" Indian places, not to imply that the standard North Indian choices are the totality of that cuisine: suggestions for good Guju-tarian (a/k/a "veg") outside the NYC area most appreciated! Back on topic, tandoori chicken is the "safest" best for the timid, although I find it awful. "Butter chicken" is the best of the "standard offerings" IMHO. At a Punjabi place, ask if they have "chole batura" - spiced cheakpeas with special bread. For South Asian try "masala dosa"; unless you are a heat-fiend, make sure to specify you want it regular, not spicy.

One piece of advice ... don't order bread along with your Bele Bise Baath at a South Indian place. I thought the staff at a joint in Chennai did not understand me (although the bread was produced) - an Indian acquaintance subsequently clued me in that to order a side of bread with a rice-based dish must have seemed like [starch] overkill to them, kinda like "chip butties" seem to me. ;)

P.S. Am I the only one who dislikes the milk + sugar chai some places automatically offer?

My favorite Indian dish is Navrattan Korma. It is mixed veggies in a cream sauce that is quite flavorful. Get some somosas for an appetizer. YUMMMMMMMMMMMM

Make sure to get raita in case something is too spicy (plus, it tastes good in general).

I second the Chicken Tikka Masala!

Also, if you or your friend would like to try vegetarian entrees, Indian food offers great options. I like the Chana Masala, chick peas in the same sauce as the Chicken Tikka, and Saag Paneer, spinach with cheese cubes.

Cuisines of Gujarat with meat!!!! what are you talking about?

If you want to eat meat, why bother about authentic indian food....Chicken Tikka Masala is NOT an original Indian dish

P.S. Am I the only one who dislikes the milk + sugar chai some places automatically offer?[/QUOTE]


it is like asking am I only one to hate CO2 in coke?

Chai IS made with milk and masala anything else is simple tea powder boiled in water.

I stand corrected -- I misunderstood the information I had received. My mate from Uni is Gujarati and I made the mistook their cuisine as NON-vegetarian when in fact it is largely vegetarian.
http://gujaratonline.com/cuisine/

And thank you for such a helpful post. :rolleyes: Why not make suggestions to the OP at the same time??

Well, there are some who have coke with out the carbon dioxide -- in that case, it is usually inhaled or injected.... :D coca used to be used in wine too....