India

Biryani

Spiced rice layered with marinated meat and sealed under dough to steam in its own aroma.

Butter chicken

Tandoori chicken finished in a tomato, butter and cream gravy, mild and glossy.

Masala dosa

Fermented rice crêpe wrapped around spiced potato, served with sambar and coconut chutney.

Rogan josh

Kashmiri lamb curry coloured deep red by dried chillies, not heat alone.

Tandoori chicken

Yoghurt-and-spice marinated chicken seared against the clay walls of a tandoor.

Dal makhani

Black lentils simmered overnight with butter and cream until thick and smoky.

Palak paneer

Fresh cheese cubes in a spinach purée sharpened with ginger, garlic and garam masala.

Chole bhature

Punjabi chickpea curry with a balloon of fried bread big enough to share.

Pav bhaji

Mashed vegetable curry griddled with butter, scooped up with soft buttered rolls.

Vada pav

Mumbai's potato fritter in a bun with dry garlic chutney — the city's commuter lunch.

Samosa

Crisp pastry triangle of spiced potato and peas, fried and eaten scalding.

Idli

Steamed rice-and-lentil cakes, soft and sour, dunked into sambar at breakfast.

Vindaloo

Goan pork in vinegar, garlic and chilli — Portuguese in origin, fierce in execution.

Thali

A steel platter of small bowls: curries, dal, rice, bread and pickle, refilled freely.

Naan

Leavened flatbread slapped onto tandoor walls, blistered and brushed with ghee.

Chaat

Street snacks built on crunch, tamarind, yoghurt and chaat masala, assembled to order.

Gulab jamun

Fried milk-solid dumplings soaked warm in cardamom and rose syrup.

Jalebi

Batter spiralled into hot oil then steeped in syrup, eaten crackling and sticky.

Rasgulla

Bengali cheese balls boiled in light syrup until they float, spongy and barely sweet.

Masala chai

Black tea boiled with milk, ginger and cardamom, poured from height at every station.