The Picky Eater's Ultimage Guide to Indian Cuisine
SUHEL AHMED • 11 February 2021
Food is a great gateway to understanding other people’s cultures. Being more explorative with your food options can help widen your perspective on things. Indian cuisine can introduce you to spice-rich flavours that are completely different than the usual Sunday dinner meals.
Hey, it’s understandable if you’re not exactly used to or comfortable with trying new things. The best way to start appreciating the wonders of Indian food is to start with the dishes that have a ring of familiarity to flavours you can understand.
This article lists down some of the best gateway Indian food you can get in London. Basically, these dishes and staples may look or taste similar to what most Brits have tried before with a bit of a South Asian flavour.
Sides and Snacks
Naan Bread
Bread is a staple food in most countries, with naan taking that role in Indian cuisine. It is a round, fluffy white pita bread with lighter and softer textures. It may taste bland on its own, but it usually accompanies dips like raita or chutney. You can also dip them in the sauces of curry dishes.
Papadom and Chutney
Papadom is a flatbread similar to naan. The only difference is that papadom is thinner. Think of them as Indian crisps that you can dip in chutney. Many varieties of this dip out there made with fruits and vegetables accompanied by herbs and spices.
Savoury Bites
Punjabi Samosa
Every cuisine has its own version of stuffed pocket turnovers, from calzones to empanadas. Samosas are India’s version of this. Punjabi samosas are fried bread usually stuffed with mashed potatoes, onions, and peas—flavours that just naturally work all wrapped in a triangle form.
Chicken Tikka Masala
It’s hard to find a chicken dish that just doesn’t turn out great. Chicken Tikka Masala is no exception. Like many Indian dishes, this dish goes well with rice to balance out the spices’ strong flavour.
The sauce makes it a very hearty meal. The creamy tomato and butter sauce with chicken spiced and marinated gives this dish a great kick of heat that even spicy food sceptics would enjoy. In fact, this is a very popular Indian dish in Britain!
Sweet Treats
Gulabjamun
Just like a doughnut bite, Gulabjamun is a ball of fried dough glazed in syrup. The glaze, however, has just a bit of rose water that makes quite the difference. They taste amazing with a scoop of ice cream.
Mango Lassi
Mango Lassi is an Indian mango smoothie, but much richer. Besides mango and water, yoghurt and spices are added to give it a nice kick while still keeping it fruity and refreshing.
Conclusion
Indulging in Indian cuisine is one thing you have to try in your lifetime, no matter how picky you can be. Indian food is so diverse and expansive that you could spend an entire lifetime trying different dishes from different regions and still only see the tip of the iceberg. If you are apprehensive about the spices and intense flavours of Indian cuisine, start with these dishes first.
For the authentic food experience, we recommend trying the flavour-filled food of Tower Tandoori, the oldest and best Indian restaurant near London Bridge. With a menu that includes all the food in this article and a whole lot more, you will surely have a great experience here. Book a reservation now!
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