Best Indian Food For Americans | Discover Hervey Bay (2024)

Indian dishes are delectable and flavorful because of the salt and spices used to season them. Due to its cultural heritage, Indian cuisine consists of a variety of dishes made with natural ingredients. Indian food is popular in the United States, and they leave people with a desire for more.

Some of the best Indian food for Americans are Tandoori Chicken, Murgh Makhani (Butter Chicken), Chicken Vindaloo Curry, Instant Pot Butter Chicken (time-saving dish), Rogan Josh (Red Lamb), Malai Kofta, Palak Paneer, Chole (Chickpea Curry), Chicken Makhni, and Chicken Tikka Masala (a famous Indian dish).

Indian dishes are adventurous, and like the Bollywood stereotype attached to them, they are a combination of a variety of dishes. This article will explore the numerous Indian dishes that have won over the hearts of Americans, as well as the Indian restaurants that can be found in the United States.

The Best Indian Foods For Americans

Indian cuisine and restaurants are household names in the United States of America. This is due to India’s cultural influence as well as the versatility of the American palate. The following dishes have established themselves as favorite dishes in the hearts of Americans.

Tandoori Chicken

Tandoori chicken is a popular Indian dish in the United States. Tandoori chicken is grilled chicken that has been rubbed and marinated in spices. The marinade aids in tenderizing, seasoning, and flavoring the chicken, which is subsequently grilled in a tandoor.

Murgh Makhani (Butter Chicken)

This is the ideal food for you if you have a preference for salty dishes. It’s a lovely combination of salt, pepper, and naan. Having this exquisite dish at home is an even more pleasurable experience when accompanied by a glass of wine and a good book.

Ginger, chili pepper, butter, and tomato puree are excellent compliments to this dish. Onions with coriander are also excellent additions.

Chicken Vindaloo Curry

Chicken vindaloo curry is commonly eaten with white rice and bread. This dish is very tasty and contains mouth-watering features that can increase your appetite and leave you longing for much more.

Some of the ingredients used in making this dish include onions, curry paste, coconut milk, vinegar, ginger, jalapeno, chickpeas, chili, masala, salt, pepper, paprika, and turmeric.

Instant Pot Butter Chicken

The Instant Pot Butter Chicken is an alternative to the Vindaloo curry. Adding bread to the dish enhances its flavor and appeal!

To make Instant Pot Butter Chicken, you need chicken, tomato sauce or passata, butter, garlic and ginger, whipping cream, and tomato sauce or passata. It takes only ten minutes to prepare.

If you don’t have the energy to make Vindaloo Curry from scratch, Instant Pot Butter is a better option.

Rogan Josh

This dish originated in Kashmir but was inherited by India, and it is loved and valued by many Indians in the United States of America. This delectable dish will whet your appetite while also tantalizing your taste buds.

Rogan Josh can be made with common ingredients such as yogurt, onions, chili pepper, cumin, ginger, salt, and chili powder.

Malai Kofta

Malai Kofta is a delicious and heavenly meatball made with potatoes, carrots, beans, peas, and sweet corn to enhance its flavor. The beauty of this dish is that it is both natural and enjoyable. It is also beneficial for those contemplating a diet.

Palak Paneer

Palak (spinach) and paneer (butter) are two essential components of this dish. For those with a thing for traditional Indian food, this is a great dish to try.

Palak paneer is made with spinach and spices. It is also creamy and usually made with flavorful curry. This meal makes a great pair with naan, paratha, and jeera juice.

Chole (Chickpea Curry)

This is one of the best traditional Indian dishes. Chickpea curry is creamy, protein-rich, and delicious. The vegetables in this meal serve as a base for the curry and add depth to the dish.

White gram, oil, salt, coconut milk, garam masala, pepper, lime, and cumin are some of the ingredients that can be used to make this dish.

This dish is simple to prepare, and leftovers can be stored and reheated for three to four days. It takes approximately 45 minutes to make.

Chicken Makhni

Chicken Makhi’s ingredients include boneless chicken, black pepper, white cumin, salt, and butter. Chicken Makhni originated from Northern India, it shares a similarity with British Tikka Masala as they are both creamy with tomato sauce.

It is prepared with buttery gravy, with an addition of cream and curry sauce to produce a smooth silky rich texture.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Chicken tikka masala is a globally accepted dish that foodies adore for its taste. It can be served with rice and bread for a unique flavor and great combination. Chicken tikka masala is made with roasted marinated chicken chunks in spiced gravy. It has a creamy orange hue.

Samosa

These tasty triangles are filled with chopped chicken meat crumbs, crunchy vegetables, onions, or peanuts. They are rich in spices and especially loved by Americans.

On the inside, these savory dishes are crunchy, soft, and juicy. They are an absolute stomach filler and are available in two different sizes, big Samosa, and pocket spicy samosas.

This dish can be prepared at home with chicken, onions, peas, nuts, and daal.

Masala Dosa

Masala dosa is a South Indian dish that requires the use of lentil batter, curry leaves, fenugreek, and fermented rice to make. Masala Dosa is aromatic and flavorful. It is usually served with sambhar and coconut chutney.

The taste of masala dosa tastes tangy due to fermentation, and it tends to be savory rather than sweet. It can be consumed with a variety of vegetable curries.

Chicken Biryani

To get the best flavor out of Chicken Biryani, serve it with yogurt. This dish is made with yogurt, chili, mint, and onions, among other things. Just the aroma of chicken biryani stimulates the appetite and the taste buds.

Chicken Biryani is made with traditional spices and tender chicken pieces. The incredible quality of rice has a significant impact on how it tastes.

Naan

Naan is a simple dough with a soft and smooth texture. A little bit crunchy on the outside and soft and airy in the middle, with some charred bubbling on top. They’re usually served with kebabs, dips, and curry.

A typical Naan recipe calls for two main ingredients: yogurt and self-rising flour that has been brushed with garlic butter or coriander.

Chana Masala

Chana Masala is a flavorful chickpea curry that can be served as a main course dish or as a snack starter. This vegan and gluten-free meal is typically served with naan, marinated onions, and a glass of orange or lemon juice.

Best Indian Restaurants In The United States

When people think of an Indian restaurant, they usually picture a place with a white tablecloth and a Bollywood vibe, with heaps of creamy chicken masala and fluffy naan. Well, that’s not always the case.

Adda

Adda, a restaurant led by chef Chintan Pandya, is located in Long Island City in Queens, New York. This restaurant’s menu is meat-heavy and excels with dishes like goat biryani and tender tandoori poussin. Vegetarians, on the other hand, can enjoy dishes like lotus root, kofta, and tomato base.

Chef Chintan Pandya focuses on packing flavor in every single Indian dish. Gingery chicken and fiery goat brains (bheja fry) also make frequent appearances on the menu.

Located at: 31-31 Thomson Ave, Queens, NY 11101

Badmaash

Badmaash perfectly encapsulates “mischievous” in Hindi. The menu here is rebellious and unconventional. It also honors the presence of traditional Indian dishes.

The restaurant is run by the Mahendro brothers, Nakul, Arjun, and their father, Pawan. This trio makes perfectly stuffed and creamy butter chicken samosas.

They also serve tandoori chicken tikka with masala fries and stuff it with beef gravy and cheese curds. This restaurant is known for breaking the rules and preparing unorthodox meals to satisfy the taste buds of Americans craving Indian food. It is located in the California city of Los Angeles.

Located at: 108 W 2nd St #104, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Bombay Chopsticks By India House

This is one of the few restaurants that specializes solely in Indo-Chinese cuisine. In addition to being an Indian restaurant, it also serves Chinese takeout.

Its multicultural identities inspire its mandarin or Chinese dishes, such as a bowl of thick sweet corn and vegetable Manchurian, or a dish of dry-fried vegetable “meatballs” soaked in a pungent sauce of garlic, ginger, soy, and chili.

This Chicago restaurant also serves unique dishes such as Chicken Dragon Rolls, which are spring rolls filled with minced chicken or drumstick chicken.

Located at: 721 W Golf Rd, Hoffman Estates, IL 60169

Dimple’s Bombay Talk

The incredible selection of Indian-style sandwiches at Dimple Bombay Talk includes the Bombay vegetable sandwich, which features shredded vegetables, melted cheese, and chutneys on three layers of bread. They also serve Indo-Chinese and Indo-Thai cuisine.

Located at: 1358 Oak Tree Rd, Iselin, NJ 08830

Himalaya

Himalaya offers a diverse menu of Indian and Pakistani specialties, including tender chicken kababs and fragrant biryanis. However, one of the menu’s hidden gems is the hard masala, a dish with a great sauce made with green chilies, cilantro, yogurt, and plenty of garam masala.

Chef Kaiser Lashkari is a master at fusing local and South Asian influences in his cooking, which makes Himalaya a transcontinental restaurant.

Located at: 6652 Southwest Fwy, Houston, TX 77074

Indeblue

The menu at Indeblue is a fun mix of traditional and modern dishes. Some of the restaurant’s most popular dishes include creamy chicken makhana, mounds of fluffy saffron basmati rice, and buttery naan.

Dishes like the BBQ Pork Samosa with tamarind BBQ sauce or the spiced masala fries with cheese curds and marinated shredded lamb are also available.

Brunch menus typically include items such as spicy chicken ‘n waffles and vindaloo egg skillets, which are served with “desi,” or Indian-style home fries.

Located at: 65 Barclay Farms Shopping Center, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034

Junoon

Junoon is a modern Indian fine-dining restaurant in New York, United States. Be sure to try the uttapam, a rice and lentil crepe topped with coconut chutney and caviar, portobello mushrooms over black truffle, and masala potato made with kale and saffron aioli while dining here.

Those who aren’t interested in this can order from the à la carte menu, which features regional dishes from India like ghost chili murgh tikka and smoked pork ribs rubbed in vindaloo spices.

Located at: 19 W 24th St, New York, NY 10010

Vik’s Chaat Corner

Vik’s Corner primarily serves street food. While you can order roti, daal, and south Indian favorites like dosa and uttapam, chaat (lickable dishes) is the best option if you prefer crispy and crunchy flavorful dishes.

Vik’s menu includes everything from aloo Tikki (tiny griddled potato patties topped with chickpeas and chutney) to pani puri, a popular dish that consists of tiny fried puris filled with beans, potatoes, and spicy herbaceous water.

Located at: 2390 Fourth St, Berkeley, CA 94710

Neehee’s

For those who enjoy having a variety of options available to them, Neehee is a fantastic destination. The restaurant is located in Canton, Michigan, and offers Indian Street Food and South Indian Classics at a premium price. It is only a short distance from the Detroit airport.

All the dishes in this restaurant are vegetarian, and the menu includes dishes like Samosa Pav, crispy fried samosa, chutney, and crushed peanuts between two grilled buns for a satisfying carb-bomb.

Located at: 45656 Ford Rd, Canton, MI 48187

The Differences Between Indian And American Dishes

Indian and American cuisines are the best of both worlds. While Indian food is quite traditional, American food is curated for convenience. Here is a table that compares the two meals.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How Healthy Is The Indian Diet?

The Indian diet is healthy because it is natural and traditional. It contains nutritious ingredients that are essential for maintaining a healthy diet.

2. Is Indian Food Suitable For Diabetics?

Some Indian foods, such as Paneer or Indian cottage cheese, are high in protein, low in carbs, and pose no risk to diabetics.

3. What Indian Food Is Low Calorie?

Oats Idli is a low-calorie dish made with oat batter and semolina. This is one of India’s most sought-after breakfast dishes due to its nutritional value.

Final Thoughts

Indian dishes are popular around the world because of their amazing spicy flavor. Indian cuisine is one of the most popular in the USA due to its modern nature and natural composition, which make it quite adaptable to various recipes. Try some Indian food today!

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