Northern India includes the provinces of Punjab and Sindh and the states of Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Gujarat and West-Central Uttar Pradesh.
As you might imagine, with this many states packed into one region, North Indian cooking, recipes, spices and techniques can vary widely.
Here are some of the most popular dishes served in North Indian restaurants and homes. Try wowing your guests with these authentic and traditional recipes.
This dish is among the best-known Indian foods all over the world even though it is relatively new to the cuisine. It was created at the Moti Mahal hotel in Delhi in the 1950s. Its creamy gravy can be made as hot or as mild as you like.
The name of this lamb stew may sound fiery but as the proverb says, its bark is worse than its bite. The red color of rogan josh comes from the Kashmiri dry red chilies used to prepare it. There are many versions of this dish. Here is one you should enjoy.
3. Indian Fish Amritsari Recipe
This fried fish dish is named after the city where it originated. Use firm-fleshed white fish to make this great appetizer or side dish to complement the main course.
4. Indian Layered Bread (Lacha Paratha) Recipe
Crispy and multi-layered, this Indian flatbread is a great accompaniment for any thick-gravied, hearty Indian dish, especially tikka masala or masala gosht, for example.
5. Indian Spinach and Cottage Cheese (Palak Paneer) Recipe
This mildly flavored dish is delicious! If paneer (farmer’s cheese or dry curd cheese) is not on hand or you want a dairy-free option, you also can use tofu or veggies like cauliflower or potato.
6. Indian Peas and Cottage Cheese Curry (Mutter Paneer) Recipe
Delicately flavored paneer (farmer’s cheese or dry curd cheese) is teamed with peas, in a tangy gravy. Mutter paneer is probably the most frequently ordered vegetarian dish in Indian restaurants.
7. Indian Red Kidney Bean Curry (Rajma Dal) Recipe
Serve this red kidney bean curry or rajma dal with plain boiled rice, kachumber salad, and your favorite pickle.
8. Indian Chickpea Curry (Chole) Recipe
Chickpea curry or chole is a crowd-pleaser when served piping hot and accompanied by pooris/bhatooras (fried Indian flatbread).
9. Indian Rice Pudding (Kheer) Recipe
This creamy rice pudding is delicately flavored with cardamom and is full of nuts. It’s a great dessert for any time of the year. In South India, where it is known as payasam, and East India, where it is called payesh, certain versions are made for special festivals.
10. Jalebi Recipe
This crispy, syrupy dessert is well-loved everywhere in India. It can be compared to that perennial favorite fair food served in the States—funnel cakes—except at the end, these fried treats are soaked in a sugary syrup.