What do you usually order at an Indian restaurant?

[2bfree]

I am going this evening and have only eaten Indian out one time before. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[Hawkeye-X]

1. Don't go for curryfest.

Go for the kabobs and curry!

[Beaverhausen]

2. Chicken Tikka Masala

samosas for an appetizer.

Ooh- I'm getting hungry!

[EnfantTerrible]

8. Briani is safe

samosas a must. and if you don't like HOT don't say vindaloo with your curry order.

[gollygee]

3. chicken korma!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

trust me it is phenomenal - and it is very mild - not hot at all. It is a mildly spiced creamy sauce. mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Get some naan (bread) to go with it :)

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

9. I'm with the korma, lamb korma good also, if spicy might put you

off.

Chicken or beef vindaloo if you want some fire.

Vegetable samosa for appetizer for sure (fried dumpling with potato/peas/etc.)

[DS1]

4. I'm boring. Chicken curry - or Chicken Vindaloo

Don't make them cook beef - even if they offer it. Cow = Deity

[fudge stripe cookays]

5. Palak Paneer

& poppadums with green sauce.

Palak paneer is a spinach dish with interesting spices mixed in, with hunks of white cheese in it.

Poppadums are a type of flat bread served with a green sauce that is quite hot but oh so yummy!

[cally]

16. My favorite, also

If I only order one dish, I order Palak Paneer.

[demnan]

6. Choley Chatte

(chick peas in a hot sauce). Goes good with those little deep fried breads (Hindu name escapes me)

Paneer - Spinach with a soft cheese

or anything with chicken.

[stellanoir]

7. palak paneer

[redqueen]

10. Beef vindaloo!

But first, samosas... *droooooooool*

And naan stuffed with cauliflower and peas... YUM!

Oh and those fried cauliflower and mushrooms... mmmmmm

[2bfree]

11. These sound great! Thanks!

I didn't want to look like a total idiot tonight!

[Beaverhausen]

15. Most restaurants will have a description of the dish on the menu

Some offer a big sampler plate so you can try lots of dishes.

Hope you enjoy!

And yes- Naan bread...can't go wrong with that.

[XNASA]

12. Chicken Tikka Masala is a safe bet.

Along with a couple of pieces of Tandoori Chicken.

The pureed eggplant is great. I forget what it's called.

I usually go when I can get the buffet, so I get a little of everything.

[Xipe Totec]

13. Order A Mango Lasse To Drink

But beware, if you are alergic to pistachios (or poision sumac), you are probably alergic to mango as well.

(edited for warning).

[Ruby Romaine]

14. Masala Dosa

If they have South Indian food order the masala dosa.
It's a giant thin crispy pancake 2 feet long filled with curried potatoes.
An Indian blintz.
served with sambar-(soup) and
chutney

[GingerSnaps]

17. I like that thing shaped like a cone

It has potatoes and peas in it :shrug:.

[bbernardini]

18. The hottest chicken curry possible, along with naan and poori.

All hail Starch Boy!

[The empressof all]

19. Indian is my very favorite....

If you like hot and spicy and you eat meat try

Lamb Vindaloo


I absolutely love and always get

Saag or Paneek Paneer

For Chicken

Chicken Tikka Massala which is chicken in a rich mildly spicy tomato based cream sauce

Chicken Biryani is Chicken and Rice- I think it is rather bland so if you don't like spicy this is a good choice.


If you want not spicy and more to the Western Palette try a mixed grill which is just various types of meat cooked in a tandori oven.

For appetizers try Samosas or my favorite Vegetable Pakoras (fried vegetable fritters)


You must get Naan (yummy bread), Raita (yogurt dressing), and Mango Chutney (like a preserve-but tangy) no matter what you order. These are required accompaniments. Raita goes great on rice and is also great for breakfast mixed with rice the next day.

Desserts - Galaub Jamman (little fried donuts soaked in cardamom syrup), rice pudding, or mango ice cream.

If you are going with kids they love Mango Lassi which is a mango/yogurt smoothie

[2bfree]

24. Great descriptions!

thanks! :)

[Parche]

20. restaurant

Is it an Old or a New Deli?

[Magrittes Pipe]

21. Check this thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=1489328#1489946

[tigereye]

28. I had missed that one

thanks

Now I want Indian food. Boo-hoo. Maybe my husb. can be talked into Indian tonight. I want Samosas, and Chicken Tikka and Tandoori. Oh, I am really drooling now.

[tkulesa]

22. If it's a good restaurant

Anything vegetarian. Yum.

[curse10]

23. Bhindi Masala

but that's just me

[LibLabUK]

25. Ask for a phaal..

Hehe..

Dhansaks (Chicken, Lamb or Prawn) are very nice, they're a hot and sour lentil curry.

As someone else said Biriyanis can be nice, they're mild rice dishes.

Rogan Josh (Lamb or Chicken) are good, if you want something a little richer.

Avoid Khormas, unless you like cream.... they're usually sickly sweet and very mild.

If you want heat, go for a Vindaloo, Tindaloo or Phaal.

To accompany the main dish, a Naan, Paratha or some chapatis are always good.

Start it off with some popadums and pickles whilst you wait.

Then a nice starter like samosa, bhaji (onion, cabbage, or some such), or shami kebab.

Then hit the main.

And finish it off with some Gulab Jamun, these things hard to describe but they are awesome.

If they have any Goan fish dishes, then go for one of them.. and I'm not just saying that because I'm Goan :)

[homebrewer]

26. "What do you usually order at an Indian restaurant?"

If you like vegetarian, start out with the vegetable pakora, its chickpea battered fried veggies, usually with tamarind sauce, and this really good green sauce (cant think of that ones name..) if you like meat, try the same pakora made with chicken. for an entree, veggie wise i say go with the vegetable jalfrezi, its dry cooked veggies with really good spices. also for veggie, try a dosai if its offered, its a thin crepe stuffed with potato's and spices, meat wise the tandoori stuff is always good. chicken tikka is really good, also, if chicken keema is on the menu, try it. it is chicken, ginger, peas, tomato's, chili's, and other spices i cant identify. its really good.
good luck!

[LibLabUK]

27. Hmm..

"vegetable pakora, its chickpea battered fried veggies"

Aren't pakoras made with Gram flour?

[short bus president]

29. It doesn't matter

no matter how it's spelled, every dish translates into "fantastic-tasting fire enema."

[LynneSin]

30. Pepto Bismal

and a side of Pepcid Complete please

[LiberalEsto]

31. I stick to the vegetarian entrees...

because they seem easier to digest.

I highly recommend samosas for appetizers -- spiced potatos and peas in fried dough - slightly like an eggroll.

Muttar panir - peas cooked in a tomato sauce with cubes of panir - yogurt cheese - this is my all time favorite.

Saag panir is spinach with panir cubes, my husband's favorite.

We also like puri bread, which is puffed up like a balloon, or alu paratha, which is paratha bread stuffed with spiced peas and potatos.

Check the menu to see if they offer any kind of special platter that includes rice and samples of several different dishes. This will give you a chance to try a lot of different stuff, and even if you don't like one, you might like the others.
Often, these platters include appetizers like samosas, soup, bread and a dessert like rice pudding. Indians make the best rice pudding in the world.

If you want to show off after the meal, when paying the check, look around for the little bowl of fennel seeds and take a pinch of them to chew. Indians say they aid the digestion and they have a pleasant mild licorice flavor.

By the way, the spelling of the food names can vary from place to place.

[Ramsey]

32. Chana masala

Yum.

And that dish with cauliflower and potatoes in a curry sauce.