11 Popular Curries Of India From Across The Country

India is a country known for flavourful food and delicious dishes of epic proportions. Among all the dishes the diverse country has to offer, curries are probably the most popular. Popular curries in India are not only popular in the country but throughout the world. Owing to its diverse culture,  India is a land where one can enjoy a variety of flavours when it comes to these curries. The one constant is the presence of spices and other aromatics. The rich curries of India are the perfect way to spice up your palette and are an experience worth trying.

Here Is A List Of 11 Popular Curries In India Every Food Enthusiast Must Try

Butter Chicken

Butter Chicken is quite literally the mascot of Indian curries. You’ll find it ubiquitously on the menu at most Indian restaurants, served with fluffy naan bread. Also known as Murg Makhani, this bright orange Punjabi dish can be spicy or mild. The curry was developed in the 1950s by Kundan Lal Jaggi, the founder of the Moti Mahal restaurant in Delhi, India. The curry was made “by chance” by mixing leftover tandoori chicken in a tomato gravy, rich in butter and cream.

Rogan Josh

This Indian classic rogan josh is made with mutton or lamb cooked with yoghurt sauce. Wonderful spices perfume the lamb with rich authentic flavours, aroma, and colour. A delicacy from Kashmir, it has a rich gravy and spicy flavour. Translating to Red Passion, this curry is loaded with bright red and very mild chilli powder spices like cloves, bay leaves, cardamom, and cinnamon add more flavour and texture. This is one of the popular curries in India that will make you drool with spices.

Goan Fish Curry

A little pocket of Indian paradise that’s all about the sun, surf, sand, and excellent seafood is the city of Goa. A staple curry here is the Goan Fish curry an aromatic curry with a blend of spices, garlic, ginger, and onion along with fresh tomato and coconut. Goan Fish Curry has a touch of tang to it which cuts through the richness of the sauce.  Enjoy it at a beach shack on one of the beautiful beaches, and wash it down with a King’s beer. 

Palak Paneer

A vegetarian dish from North India that pairs mild fresh cheese with chopped buttery greens like spinach, mustard leaves, or fenugreek leaves (aka methi) is a popular household favourite. It is one of the most popular dishes among vegetarians and probably the healthiest paneer recipe. Palak paneer is served hot with a side such as roti, naan, paranthas, Makki di roti, or boiled rice. It can also be served with onions on the side for a more traditional approach.

Vindaloo

Vindaloo comes from the Portuguese term “vin d’alho,” or garlic wine. It is s an enthusiastically hot curry made with garlic and red wine or often these days, red wine vinegar.  usually made with pork or beef are evidence that this was a curry developed for, or by, the Portuguese settlers of Goa who arrived in the mid-16th century, bringing to the subcontinent not only wine but also chillies and cashew nuts which had both previously only grown in the New World.

Macher Jhol

Macher Jhol is a traditional Bengali fish curry. It is in the form of a very spicy stew or gravy that is served with rice. Machher jhol is seasoned with turmeric, garlic, onions, grated ginger, and Indian spices. Potatoes are added to the curry as a thickening agent. Tomatoes are also added to impart the dish with a reddish colour which is preferred by the people of Bengal.  

Chicken Chettinad

If you are a lover of spicy food and are feeling a little brave you have to try the chicken Chettinad curry. Originated from the kitchens of the Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu it consists of chicken marinated in yoghurt, turmeric, and a paste of red chillies, kalpasi, coconut, poppy seeds, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, black pepper, groundnuts, onions, garlic, and gingelly oil. It is served hot and garnished with coriander leaves, accompanied by boiled rice or paratha. This is one of the most popular curries in India that you can not miss.

Meen Molee

Meen Molee is perfect for palates that are sensitive to spice. This coconut-based fish curry is the signature dish of central Kerala. The word molee literally means “stew”. Fish Molee is a preparation where fish is stewed in coconut milk and a very low spiced flavour in masala is prepared so that the flavour of the fish dominates the taste of the curry. If you’re visiting Fort Kochi, Meen Molee is a speciality at the famous Fusion Bay restaurant on KB Jacob Road.

Dhansak

This popular curry in India combines Parsi (descendants of Persian natives) and Gujarati cuisine. It traditionally includes mutton or goat along with lentils (or dhal) and is served alongside distinctive caramelized brown rice. The result of slowly cooked lentils, vegetables, and meat is something that is decidedly more stew-like than curry.

Tikka Masala

If there’s one dish that might be considered “universal” to all Indian restaurants, tikka masala is arguably it. The tikka element is the chicken or other meats or even paneer cooked in a tandoor on a skewer, while the masala is the creamy sauce that smothers it.  The spices lend zest to the dish, but not a great deal of burn.

Korma Curries

Korma curries are spiced not for heat, but flavour. Rather than cumin and black pepper, korma goes for flavours such as cardamom and cinnamon. Mixed with butter and cream, and often combined with yoghurt-marinated meats that are slow-cooked, kormas are definitely for those who want zest without the burn.

Psst… Foodies, Are You Drooling Too?

Meals in India are incomplete without curries and the popular curries in India available for a foodie are endless. Every curry has its distinct flavour and will tickle your taste buds. I have listed the ones that simply make my mouth water. Did I manage to list your favourite? Comment below!! 

Also read: 15 Iconic Street Food In India Too Delicious To Miss Out