Indian Cuisine

Indian cuisine is one of the richest and most diverse food cultures on earth, less a single cuisine than a vast tapestry that changes utterly from region to region. The creamy curries, tandoori grills and breads of the north give way to the rice, coconut and fiery dosas of the south, alongside a world of street food, vegetarian thalis, sweets and endless regional specialities, bound by the masterful use of spice.

What you actually see

• The northern classics - the curries, tandoori, biryani and naan.
• The southern specialities - the dosas, idli and coconut curries.
• Street food - the chaat, samosas and snacks of the bazaars.
• The thali and sweets - the platter of many dishes and the Indian sweets.

When to go

Year-round; India is a paradise for vegetarians, and regional specialities reward seeking out, from a Delhi street-food crawl to a South Indian thali served on a banana leaf.

Honest expectations

Regional variety is enormous, so the heavy, creamy 'curry' of foreign Indian restaurants is only a sliver of the real thing. Street food is a highlight but a common cause of stomach trouble, so choose busy, freshly cooked stalls, drink bottled or filtered water, and give your stomach time to adjust. Spice levels can be serious.

Nearby

Every region and city has its own distinct cuisine, from Punjabi to Bengali to South Indian.