New to Indian food, what's a good starter?

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Posted: 8/30/2004 4:13:40 PM EDT

We have a new Indian restaurant near me, it's been getting pretty good reviews, but I've never eaten Indian food. What are some dishes that would be good to try?

Michael

Posted: 8/30/2004 4:15:08 PM EDT

[#1]

Imodium AD with a Pepto Bismol chaser.

Posted: 8/30/2004 4:23:15 PM EDT

[#2]

Quoted:
We have a new Indian restaurant near me, it's been getting pretty good reviews, but I've never eaten Indian food. What are some dishes that would be good to try?

I've never actually gone to dinner
at an Indian resturant before. I always
hit the buffet at lunch. That way I can try
a variety of things.

BTW, I LOVE Indian food,
but have no idea the names of dishes.

The little veggie ball things are great.
The unleven bread is great.
The chicken in the orange goo is great.
The chicken in the brown goo is great.

Seriously: hit a lunch buffet first.

Posted: 8/30/2004 4:23:16 PM EDT

[#3]

Maize. And heap big fruit in a cornucopia.

Posted: 8/30/2004 4:24:17 PM EDT

[#4]

Wrong Indians Columbus!

Posted: 8/30/2004 4:26:35 PM EDT

[#5]

Tandoori chicken, butter chicken, lamb vindaloo, nan

Posted: 8/30/2004 4:30:15 PM EDT

[#6]

Tandoori Chicken. Done right its amazing. Its India BBQ.

Nan (bread) is delicious.

Ask them for a beginner's chicken or vegitable curry on a rice pilaf.

Just steer away from Madras style unless you already like spicy food.

Posted: 8/30/2004 4:30:58 PM EDT

[#7]

Chicken Tikka Masala or Butter Chicken, Naan, rice, tandoori chicken, chickpeas, lentils, and rice, and those little honey-soaked donut balls.

Posted: 8/30/2004 4:31:25 PM EDT

[#8]

BANGAIN PEKORAS!!!

Posted: 8/30/2004 4:33:19 PM EDT

[#9]

Lamb Korma

Posted: 8/30/2004 4:34:04 PM EDT

[#10]

Ask for the beef.

Posted: 8/30/2004 4:39:03 PM EDT

[#11]

LOVE Indian. Almost as good a s Thai food.

Soup - Muliugatawney Soup (spelling?). This is actually a soup invented for English taste when India was the jewel of the Crown. Sort of a spicy chicken broth soup. Usually not TOO spicy though. Very nice.

Main Courses - Chiicken Makanwalla (sometimes called butter chicken). Basically, you want the one in the creamy tomato like sauce. Also get some Tandoori Chicken (or beef or whatever) for something spicier. Add some pillau (Indian rice) and NAN (the flat bread) and Raita (yogurt like dish perfect IF something is a bit too hot - water doesn't work but raita will put out the fire.) Rogan Josh is also a great lamb dish.

Damn. Now I'm hungry.

Posted: 8/30/2004 4:42:12 PM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:
Imodium AD

And a good roll of Charmin.

Posted: 8/30/2004 4:46:15 PM EDT

[#13]

Eat the napkin...seriously...no no seriously.

MT

believes Indian cooked stuff also known as food to some, is a FAD.

Posted: 8/30/2004 4:54:03 PM EDT

[#14]

Imodium AD with a Pepto Bismol chaser.

LOL

Posted: 8/30/2004 4:54:16 PM EDT

[#15]

I second the idea of trying the lunch buffet first. Other than that, just jump in and try something. Be warned though, if it says "spicy" or "hot", it could mean anything from "not-bland" to "extremely painful to be near, much less eat".

Posted: 8/30/2004 4:54:48 PM EDT

[#16]

Not to be supprised when you shit green....

Posted: 8/30/2004 4:58:36 PM EDT

[#17]

I really like the SAAG, its spinich sauce and meat, but you don't taste the spinach really.

Posted: 8/30/2004 4:59:26 PM EDT

[#18]

Some of the best tasting yet worst looking food in the world!

Don't be afraid to try anything no matter how bad it looks. I've not found ONE SINGLE item at an Indian buffet that wasn't good.

Definately recommend Chicken Tikka Marsala. For dessert I always have to have the Mango custard and best of all the little balls of fried dough in what tastes like perfumed maple syrup! I don't know their rightful name but I always refer to them as the "pancake balls" cause that's what they remind me of.

Posted: 8/30/2004 6:27:37 PM EDT

[#19]

My favorite meal. I would ask for this if I were on death row....

Chicken Curry. 3X Indian hot.
Mint Naan. (Naan...not Nan). They sprinkle light mint leaves over the bread after buttering it.
Rice.
Lentils.
Taj Mahal....a great beer.
and for desert Peshawri Naan. Naan with finely chopped nuts, raisins, and desiccated coconut.

mrstang01..please remember that India is a huge country....with great culinary diversity. So the folks opening this place may not cook extremely spicey food. I once had to send back a dish of curry four times...and it still wasn't hot enough.

Posted: 8/30/2004 6:30:24 PM EDT

[#20]

Tandoori chicken and nan.

Posted: 8/30/2004 7:05:28 PM EDT

[#21]

I had a desert at an INdian place, and it had pounded silver foil! It was super, super thin, I thought that was a bit unusual.

My favs tandori chicken and nun. Ahhhh......

Posted: 8/30/2004 7:10:43 PM EDT

[#22]

Quoted:
Tandoori chicken and nan.

Good choices for the beginer. Tandori is just a clay oven, and a select blend of spices. Redish in color, damn tastey. Indian BBQ pretty much.

Nan is a flat, soft bread, sometimes slightly crispy on the edges. Great for soaking up some dishes with sauce. You can get plain nan, garlic nan, mint nan...lots of choices.

I really like Tika Masala. It comes with either lamb or chicken usually, red in color, and you can specify how spicey you want it. Comes with a GREAT sauce, which is where the nan comes in handy. I'd never order an Indian meal w/out nan. Too many kick ass sauces, and you have to have something to soak them up with.

Tika Masala is one of those non-objectionable flavors. Nothing weird, just good. Try it, you'll like it.

Posted: 8/30/2004 7:31:43 PM EDT

[#23]

A garbage can

Posted: 8/30/2004 7:32:32 PM EDT

[#24]

Do Piaza!

Posted: 8/30/2004 7:32:54 PM EDT

[#25]

Quoted:Main Courses - Chiicken Makanwalla (sometimes called butter chicken). Basically, you want the one in the creamy tomato like sauce.

That's what I usually get. Good shit.

Posted: 8/30/2004 8:02:24 PM EDT

[#26]

I hear the monkey brains go fabulously with a nice chianti

Posted: 8/30/2004 8:53:52 PM EDT

[#27]

Indian food comes in the following categories:
- Tandoori. the chicken or lamb is rolled in all kinds of spices and baked in an oven.

- Curry. Curry basically translates as "gravy" or "sauce". Some curry is hot, like vindaloo which is ass-in-the-tub hot as hell. Other curries like pasanda are sweeter and creamier.

- Assorted like the Indian version of fried rice.

My wife and I eat Indian at least once a week. One of my favorites is "Lamb Boti Kabob" which has big chunks of lamb that are rolled in bunch of spices, cooked in an oven, then served on a sizzling iron skillet with a bunch of onions and peppers like a fajita.

Posted: 8/30/2004 8:55:22 PM EDT

[#28]

Quoted:
Tandoori chicken and nan.

Thats what I like

People say Indian food is hot, never has been to me.

Hmm there is a place that has a buffet around here. I should go one day.

Posted: 8/30/2004 8:55:36 PM EDT

[#29]

Quoted:
Maize. And heap big fruit in a cornucopia.

Posted: 8/30/2004 9:03:27 PM EDT

[#30]

Quoted:
People say Indian food is hot, never has been to me.

Tell the cook to make Vindaloo as hot as they'd make it for an Indian.

Posted: 8/30/2004 9:10:59 PM EDT

[#31]

Quoted:
Quoted:
People say Indian food is hot, never has been to me.

Tell the cook to make Vindaloo as hot as they'd make it for an Indian.

I do it all the time. Tastes great but it just as hot on the wau out the next day.

Posted: 8/30/2004 9:12:03 PM EDT

[#32]

The ground accorns were a staple of the indians from this area. Can't say I've ever tried them myself.

Posted: 8/30/2004 9:15:21 PM EDT

[#33]

I haven't had much Indian food, except their breads. I don't know the names but all the Indian breads I have tasted are really good. Enjoy the new restaraunt, and tell us what you had, and how it was.

Posted: 8/30/2004 9:23:10 PM EDT

[#34]

Another vote for Butter Chicken (aka Chicken Tikka Masala). To me, that is the best single dish ever. Followed closely by any kind of Korma or Bombay Vindaloo. And for those that are wondering what the pancake balls are, they're called golab jamin. Great dessert, but a mango lassi is better.

Posted: 8/30/2004 9:33:47 PM EDT

[#35]

This is not much help if you really need specific recommendfations, but perhaps it will encourage you to try a few different things.

I eat lots of Indian food - particularly at buffets. I've tried a couple of things that weren't my favorite, but never anything that I would call bad. A few items are ok. The vast majority kicks ass imho. Any goat, chicken or lamb should be great. Veggies and desert - go for it. Eat it all!!!!!

Posted: 8/30/2004 10:29:50 PM EDT

[#36]

chicken or goat vindaloo with rice & flat bread = Indian stew with bread

if you like stew you will like the vindaloo, it has a spicey hot curry sauce with potatos, peas, meat etc
I would also recommend a "Mango Lasse" for your beverage, it is a yogurt / mango drink.

Posted: 8/30/2004 10:50:16 PM EDT

[#37]

Not to reflect upon your restaraunt, but I was 'very uncomfortable' for the next day after eating all that fried stuff and curry at our new Indian place.

just my .02

Posted: 8/30/2004 10:51:38 PM EDT

[#38]

Quoted:
Quoted:
People say Indian food is hot, never has been to me.

Tell the cook to make Vindaloo as hot as they'd make it for an Indian.

Then you will have beads of sweat on your forehead within the first two bites and that is just the way I like it.

Posted: 8/30/2004 10:52:20 PM EDT

[#39]

Quoted:
Quoted:
People say Indian food is hot, never has been to me.

Tell the cook to make Vindaloo as hot as they'd make it for an Indian.

Will do.

Posted: 8/30/2004 10:58:31 PM EDT

[#40]

Quoted:
Imodium AD with a Pepto Bismol chaser.

+1. I love Indian, but it kills my digestive system.

I love butter chicken, vegetable chow mein, nan (unlevened bread similar to pita), cabbage curry (really cleans out the colon), sambar (vegetable soup), and some other dishes I can't remember the name of.

Remember the Alamo, and God Bless Texas...

Posted: 8/30/2004 10:59:24 PM EDT

[#41]

Quoted:
Ask for the beef.

Remember the Alamo, and God Bless Texas...

Posted: 8/30/2004 11:35:56 PM EDT

[#42]

My mom knows an Indian neighbor who lives a few a blocks away from her. She often order several dozens of samosas for her party guests and for me to take home and feed the my hubby and daughter. What is "samosa"? It is a flaky, pyramid-shaped pastry stuffed with potatoes or ground meat. It's a traditional Indian snack. Other than that, I like chicken curry with peas and carrots. Most Indian foods contain curry.

Posted: 8/30/2004 11:44:59 PM EDT

[#43]

Quoted:
My mom knows an Indian neighbor who lives a few a blocks away from her. She often order several dozens of samosas for her party guests and for me to take home and feed the my hubby and daughter. What is "samosa"? It is a flaky, pyramid-shaped pastry stuffed with potatoes or ground meat. It's a traditional Indian snack. Other than that, I like chicken curry with peas and carrots. Most Indian foods contain curry.

They put curry in it to napalm your taste buds. That way you dont know what the hell your eating

Posted: 8/30/2004 11:47:31 PM EDT

[#44]

Quoted:
Tandoori Chicken. Done right its amazing. Its India BBQ.

Nan (bread) is delicious.

Ask them for a beginner's chicken or vegitable curry on a rice pilaf.

Just steer away from Madras style unless you already like spicy food.

First time out I would have to agree with Joe. It is a bit of an aquired taste but once you have it, it is really great stuff.

Tj

Posted: 8/31/2004 12:43:32 AM EDT

[#45]

Great suggestions guys, next time I get a chance, I'm going to give it a shot, most everything sounds great. I love spicy foods, so sounds like I should be in good company.

I'll let you know how it turns out!

Michael

Posted: 8/31/2004 2:52:57 AM EDT

[#46]

MMMMMMMMMMM Tandoori chicken or lamb and nan bread. Love Indian. If they have a buffet it is a great way to try the different foods.

Posted: 8/31/2004 6:57:50 AM EDT

[#47]

Y'all are mostly discussing North India food. Try to find a South India restaurant that makes "dhosas". They are a huge fried rice and coconut pancake. If North Indian food is not hot enough for you then South India food certainly will be.

Another item I like is Bengalhi style fish. It tastes both smoky and hot--really good.

GunLvr

Posted: 8/31/2004 7:27:41 AM EDT

[#48]

Quoted:
Y'all are mostly discussing North India food. Try to find a South India restaurant that makes "dhosas". They are a huge fried rice and coconut pancake. If North Indian food is not hot enough for you then South India food certainly will be.

Another item I like is Bengalhi style fish. It tastes both smoky and hot--really good.

GunLvr

They make some bad ass food in Malaysia too.