North Indian food preparations are distinguished by the extremely high use of dairy products like milk, paneer, ghee (clarified butter), and yogurt.
North Indian gravies are typically dairy-based. Other common ingredients in the gravy preparation include chilies, saffron, and nuts. The meat-eating habits of North Indians are mainly due to the high level of Mughal influence. Also, a variety of flours are utilized to make different types of preparations like chapatis. rotis, phulkas, puris and naan.
North Indian food cooking consists of using a special utensil known as “tawa” (griddle) for baking flat pieces of bread like roti and parantha, and “tandoor” (a huge cylindrical charcoal-fired oven) for baking pieces of bread such as naan, and kulcha; main courses like tandoori chicken also cook in the tandoor. Other types of bread like puri and bhatura are also quite common. This bread is deep-fried in oil. Lamb meat is a favored ingredient of many northern Indian recipes. Here are some famous dishes that are a part of North Indian food.
Samosa
Samosas are a popular entrée, appetizer, or snack. They are generally either fried or baked with a delicious filling of masala potatoes, onions, peas, or lentils. Indian samosas can be vegetarian or non-vegetarian and are often accompanied by a mint chutney.
Chole Bhature
A famous dish for breakfast, it is a preparation of chickpeas in a spicy gravy with fried bhatura. One of the famous spots in Delhi, India for Chole Bhature is Chacha di Hatti in Kamla Nagar. People gather very early in lines and there are just two tables that are also without chairs, so be prepared to eat standing up (like a local) or pack and take it somewhere else to enjoy.
Rogan Josh
Rogan Josh is a piquant lamb/goat meat dish from the Kashmir region of India. It is a very spicy delicious and hot curry which is usually eaten with naan (a type of Indian bread) or rice.
Dal Makhani
The creamy and buttery Dal makhani is a very liked dish from the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent. The main ingredients that are used in this dish are black lentils, red kidney beans, dollops of butter, and cream.
Tandoori Chicken
A very tasty chicken recipe is prepared by roasting a marinated chicken in a special cylindrical clay oven called Tandoor.
Awadhi Biryani
It doesn’t matter whether or not you fancy rice dishes, the sweet aroma from a full plate of biryani will definitely excite your palate. Long grained fragrant Basmati rice with a beautiful infusion of spices and other condiments slowly cooked with meat or veggies, this Lucknawi dish known as the Awashi Biriyani is a treat all by itself. It is best served hot with raita, another simple Indian recipe made up of curd and fresh vegetables like cucumbers.
Chicken Butter Masala/ Murg Makhani
What’s more enticing than a spicy chicken butter masala to gorge on with naan or roti. The burnt sweet flavor of fenugreek leaves or methi and the beautiful chicken cooked in butter till it is tender is a Holy Grail for any non-vegetarian person. The delicious gravy is a combination of fresh cream and aromatic spices, especially the Kashmiri red chili powder which imparts a teasing red color to the dish. Just one serving of this delectable dish of classic north Indian food is never enough to satisfy the taste buds and definitely leaves you craving for more.
Thali
The North Indian thali is much more than a meal. A selection of various veg or non veg dishes are served on a platter, accompanied by rice & roti. The idea behind a north Indian thali is to offer multiple discrete flavors of bitter, astringent, sweet, sour, salt & spicy on one single plate. Many local spots offer a thali lunch for less than $2/person.
Amritsari Kulcha
This traditional dish is from the Punjab region of India. It is a naan (Indian bread) filled with a delicious stuffing of potato.
Daulat ki Chaat/Malaiyyo
A sweet & light dessert made of just plain milk & a dash of cardamom seasoning.
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