Indian Culinary Terms

Indian Culinary Terms

1.     Akhani / Yakhini: Soup Or Stock Which Is Made Out Of Mutton.

2.     Aloo: Potatoes

3.     Atta: Wheat Flour

4.     Baffad : It Is A Curry Made With Meat And Radish, Traditional Dish Of Goa.

5.     Boghai: Tempering Done After The Dish Has Been Prepared.

6.     Balushai:  Round Ball Made Of Dough Slightly Flatten At The Centre, Fried And Dipped In Sugar Syrup.

7.     Barfi :  A Fudge Like Sweet.

8.     Basundhi: It Is A Milk Sweet

9.     Bhajjia: Slice Of Vegetables Dipped In Gram Flour Batter And Fried Crisps.

10.       Bhatura: Slightly Leavened Bread Which Is Fried, Generally Served As Chhole.It Is A Dish Made Out Of White Chick Peas.

11.       Bhel Puri: Crisp Fried Thin Round Of Dough, Mixed With Puffed Rice, Fried Lentils, Chopped Onions, Herbs And Chutney.

12.       Bhindi: It Is A Indian Vegetable Slightly, Which Is Slightly Slimmed(Okra)

13.       Bhujjia: North Indian Vegetable Preparation.

14.       Bhurta : Vegetables Roasted In Charcoal, Peeled, Mashed And Sauteed with Chopped Onions, Chillies, Spices And Tomatoes.

15.       Biryani: A Rice Preparation Which Is Very Rich, Parboil Rice Is Placed On Layers With A Rich Meat Or Vegetable Gravy And The Complete Content Is Baked Till Cooked.

16.       Black Pepper: Berries Of Pepper Vine Which Are Dried With The Skin.

17.       Bombay Duck: (Dry Fish) A Small Gelatinized Fish, Which Are Normally Found Mostly At The Surface Of Salt Water Of Bengal/Mumbai. It Is Prepared Fresh /Dry.

18.       Bonda: Mashed Potatoes, Seasoned And Formed Into Dumpling, Dip In Gram Flour Batter And Deep Fry. ( Traditional South Indian Snacks)

19.       Brinjal: Egg Plant / Aubergine / Baingan.

20.       Cardamom: Spice, Fruit Of Cardamom Tree.

21.       Cashewnuts: Nut Of Cashew Fruit Found Outside Of The Fruit Enclosed In A Kidney Shape Of Shell.

22.       Chappatis: (Phulka) White Bread Made Of Unfermented Dough, Round In Shape And Paper Thin.

23.       Charoli : It Is A Indian Nut

24.       Chikkoo: A Brown Indian Fruit Cross Between Fig And Russel Apple ( Sapotta)

25.       Chiwda: Mixture Of Nuts, Fried Pressed Rice, Fried Lentils, Gram Preparation Of Spices.

26.       Cocum: A Sour Fruit Dried And Chiefly Used With Fish, Acid In Taste.

27.       Coriander: It Is A Spice Resembling Smell Peppercorns And Seeds Of  Small Herbs.

28.       Cumin: Jeera, A Spice Resembling.

29.       Dahi: Yoghurt / Curd.

30.       Custard Apples: Resemble A Loop, Artichoke.

31.       Dahi Balla: Ground Lentils Made Into Small Balls  Or Dumpling, Deep Fried And Steep In Seasoned Yoghurt, Served With Pulao Or /As Traditional Snack.

32.       Dal: Lentils

33.       Dhansak: Rice And Vegetables, A Parsi Speciality, Plain Fried Rice Served With A Curry And Contains  A Variety Of Ingredient As Meat, Vegetables, Lentils, Leafy Vegetables And Variety Of Spices.

34.       Doodh Path: Sweet Meat Rice, Milk, Rose Water For Flavouring And Garnish With Rose Petals.

35.       Dopiaza: (2 Types Of Onion) Ground And Fried Onion Are Added To Meat. Do= 2 ,Piaz= Onions.

36.       Dosa: Type Of Savoury Cake Made With Fermented Batter Of Ground Lentils And Rice. Cooked Onion Griddle Accompanied With Sambar Or Mulaga Podi

37.       Dhaniwal Korma: Cubes Of Mutton Cooked, Yellow Yoghurt Based Gravy, Garnished With Coriander Seeds.

38.       Dum: Process Of Cooking With Heat.

39.       Dumpukht: Dry Rich Meat Dish Prepared By Cooking In Dough Sealed Containers.

40.       Drumstick: Long Type Of Bean With Hard Fibres Covering, Used As Vegetable In Most Of The Indian Preparation

41.       Garam Masala: A Mixture Of Clove, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Pepper And Cumin

42.       Gaujas : A Fancy Sweet Meal  Made Of Dough, Which Are Deep Fried And Dipped In Sugar Syrup.

43.       Ghee: Clarified Butter

44.       Ground Nut: Peanut / Monkey Nut

45.       Gouba: A Popular Fruit Used To Make Jelly, Jam, And Confectionery Item.

46.       Gulab Jamun: Refined Flour And Khoya Kneaded And Flavoured Into Cardamom And Made Into Dumplings Deep Fried Till Golden Brown And Dipped In Sugar Syrup.

47.       Gustaba: Large Meat Balls / Kofta In A Gravy Of Curd And Mixed With Poppy Seeds, Nuts And Onions Are Lightly Sliced ( Yakhini Gravy )

48.       Hing:  Asafoetida  Used As Tempering For Dishes.

49.       Hoppers: Made From Fermented Rice Flour And Steamed Eaten With Stew.

50.       Halwa: Sweet Dish Made Of Veg, Wheat, Semolina And Lentils( Moong And Channa)

51.       Idly: Fermented Batter Of Ground Lentil And Rice, Steamed In A Mould  (Speciality Dish Of South India).

52.       Jaggery: Refined And Solidified Molasses.

53.       Jalebi: Golden Colour Crisp Sweet  Filled With Sugar Syrup Formed In Rings.

54.       Kabab: Savoury Done In Iron Rods ( Barbeque)

55.       Kalia: Bengali Veg / Fish Dish With Spices And Yoghurt.

56.       Kesari: South Indian Dish Made With Semolina.

57.       Kheema: Minced Meat

58.       Kheer: Pudding Like Preparation Made With Milk And Rice Ingredients Like Carrot Is Added.

59.       Khoya: Dried Evaporated Milk Solids. The Milk Is Slowly Simmered In A Large Iron Kadai, Till All Its Moisture Evaporates And It Reduces To Solids. In Indian Cooking, Especially In Northern Parts Of India, Khoya Forms A Base Of Almost All Sweets.

60.       Khorma: Thick Rich, Brown Gravy Of Chicken / Mutton / Veg, Poppy Seeds And Desiccated Coconut Are Added Along With Few Condiments For Thickening. The Meat Is Marinated With Yoghurt Before Cooking.

61.       Khichdi:  It Is A Rice And Lentil Preparation.

62.       Khofta : Minced Balls

63.       Ladoo:  Sweet Balls Made Of Gram, Lentil, Flour, Rice Or Semolina

64.       Lassi : Beverage Made With Beaten Yoghurt With Water, Served Sweet / Savoury.

65.       Litchi : Indian Fruit, Bigger Version Of Strawberries Grown In Bengal, Dehradun And Delhi.

66.       Lime: Smaller Version Of Lemon Much Sharpen.

67.       Muchero Jhal: Bengali Fish Curry, Fish Is Fried And Added To The Curry, Cooking Media Mustard Oil.

68.       Macchi: Fish

69.       Maida: Refined Flour

70.       Sandesh: Sweetened Milk  Condensed To Solid By Slow  Cooking And Flavoured.

71.       Sheek  Kabab:  Minced Meat And Spices Grounded Together Bounded With Egg And Fixed To  A Squeal And Grilled.

72.       Sev: Fried Savoury Resembling Vermicelli, It Is Made Of  Gram Flour, Dough And Passed Through A Mould Deep-Fried Till Crisp.

73.       Shami Kebab: Cutlets Made With Minced Chicken And Lentils.

74.       Shari Khand: It Is Sweet Yoghurt Based Dish With Liquid Removed By Straining And Flavoured With Saffron And Nuts.

75.       Maize: Indian Corn

76.       Mango: Indian Fruit Which Has Several Varieties Alphonsa, Kesari, Banganapalli, Dasheri.

77.       Tabak Maaz: Shallow Fried Mutton Ribs.

78.       Marinate: To Steep In A Mixture Of Yoghurt/Vinegar To Soften.

79.       Masala: Indian Condiments And Spices.

80.       Moilee: Fish/Prawn Cooked On Plenty Of Coconut Milk Lightly Spiced.

81.       Murgh: Chicken

82.       Murgh Musallam: Spicy Chicken Preparation.

83.       Mattar: Green Peas

84.       Mutam Jam: Spiced Rice With Mutton Sweetened With Sugar. Speciality Of Kashmir.

85.       Naan: Indian Bread Made Of Slightly Leavened Dough  Baked On The Wall Of Mud Oven / Tandoor.

86.       Nangisi Kofta Curry: Minced Meat Mixed With  Spices And Egg, Boiled Egg Is Deep Fried And Dropped In The Curry.

87.       Neera : Non Fermented Drink Which Is Bought From  Coconut/Palm.

88.       Pachadi: Yoghurt Seasoned With Vegetables In South India ( Raita)

89.       Palak Mutton/Chicken:  Cooked With Spinach Lightly Spiced And Thick Without Much Gravy.

90.       Pani Poori: Puff Of Dough Fried  Eaten With Tamrine Water And Sprouts.

91.       Paneer: Indian Cottage Cheese Made By Curdling  With Lemon Juice, Curd.

92.       Papaya: Indian Fruit, Other Name  Pawpaw Papa.

93.       Paratha: Indian Bread Made With Unleavened Wheat Flour.

94.       Payasam: South Indian Milk Sweet Made With  Cereals, Pulses And Sugar.

95.       Phirni: Creamy Milk Pudding Made Of Rice Flour.

96.       Pomfret: Type Of White Fish Popular In Mumbai.

97.       Prawn Malai Curry: Prawns Cooked In Rich Cream With Coconut And  Served With Sliced Coconut Which Are Deep Fried.

98.       Pulao: Rice Preparation Where Rice Is Fried Separately And Added To Stock And Water.

99.       Pulao Rice: Special Rice  Used In Pulao Long And Thin Which Is Not Starchy Like Ordinary Rice

100.  Pumpkin: A Big Ground Vegetable Of Squash Variety.

101.  Poori: Deep-Fried Round Breads 5cm Diameter And Puffed.

102.  Rabdi: It Is A Sweet Thickened Milk, Adds Saffron And Nuts.

103.  Raita: Vegetables Mixed And Seasoned With Yoghurt.

104.  Rasam: Spicy Soup Made Of Lentils And Tomatoes, It Is Served As Appetizers, Speciality Of South India.

105.  Rasgullas: Milk Is Curdled By The Addition Of Curd And Lemon, Milk Solids Are Separated And Made Into Balls And Simmered In Sugar Syrup.

106.  Reshmi Chapattis:  Unleavened Bread As Thin As Silk About 8 To 10 Inches, Baked In Oven And Upturn Dump Like Round Vessels

107.  Rista: Minced Meat Ball Curry, Speciality Of Kashmir.

108.  Rogan Josh:  Red Curry Made With A Thin Gravy Made From Leg Of Mutton With Bones. The Distinctive Flavour Is Nutmeg And Saffron

109.  Samosa: A Thin Pastry Cone Filled With  Boiled Vegs, Spices, Minced Meat And Deep Fried.

110.  Snake Gourd: Vegetable Like Snake With Long Shape.

111.  Tamrine: A Sour Fruit Used For Curries, Chutney, Etc Some Time Its Is Used As Indian Thickening Agent.

112.  Tandoori Chicken / Murgh /Fish: Spiced Meat  Barbequed In A Specially Designed  Clay Pot ( Tandoor ).

113.  Toddy: alcoholic drink derived from a variety of palm.

114.  Turmeric: yellow spice used for flavouring and colouring. The root of the plant belongs to the ginger family.

115.  Upma: a savoury south Indian dish made with semolina and lentils.

116.  Vindaloo: sharp and hot curry made with pork/prawn/chicken/mutton with potatoes originated in goa.

117.  Vada/Pakora: rissole of lentils or vegetables  which are served as snacks.

118.  Vark: a thin a foil of gold/silver which is edible.

119.  Yellow Rice: rice flavoured and coloured with saffron.

120.  Zarda: sweet pulao served at the end of the meal, speciality of Kashmir.

121.  Offals: variety meats.

122.  Dhokla: batter made from channa dal, curd, fermented then steamed, tempered and served accompanied with spicy green chutney.

123. Khandri: small rolled crepes made with the cooked batter of besan, curd, ginger, and green chilli served and tempered with chutney.

124. Dhondiya : delicious blend of stuffed veg cooked in oil potatoes, sweet potatoes, yam, brinjal ,  stuffed with a mixture of coconut, green chilli, lime, sugar, salt and garlic.