Never eaten Indian food---what do you suggest?
 

We live in a small town, not near any metropolitan area, so have never experienced Indian, Thai, etc. cuisine...but we will be in London in a couple of months and want to try some.<BR><BR>Not looking for resto recomendations, can do a search for those, but really need some help on menu items to try for the totally uninitiated. Can you help? Many thanks!

Hick<BR><BR>Some of my favourites are:<BR><BR>Lamb rogan josh - a savoury lamb dish with a tomato based sauce - it's not chilli hot but is very full of flavour and is not dissimilar to the lamb curry my mum makes (we're Indian).<BR><BR>I also like Keema and Keema Peas - keema is the word for minced meat, usually lamb, cooked in similar spices and sauce to rogan gosh.<BR><BR>Butter chicken is a favourite of many Brits, though it's not particularly authentic in terms of what Indians eat in their homes. I like it anyway - it's pieces of chicken cooked in the tandoor oven and then put into a buttery creamy and very mild sauce.<BR><BR>chicken or lamb dopiaza are basically similar to rogan gosh but with more onion - dopiaza means two/ twice onion.<BR><BR>With these dishes you can try a plain naan (thick soft bread cooked in the tandoor) and some rice. <BR><BR>The national favourite in the UK is Chicken Tikka Masala, I am not a fan of this dish - often too sweet with far too much toxic red food colouring, it's not an authentic Indian dish.<BR><BR>For the hot hot stuff, follow the example of the "lads on lager" and go for Vindaloo or Madras...<BR><BR>Hope this helps....

To this day, I still remember the very first Indian food meal I ever had (courtesy of the Indian roommate I had at the time's father): beef samosas for an appetizer (spiced ground beef in a flaky pastry). chicken korma for a main course (chicken cooked with cream, coconuts and mild spices), nan (flat bread), and kheer (a rice pudding-like dish) for desert. DELICIOUS! And perfect for a first-timer.

I, too, suffer from you small town dilemma! However, having good friends in a major metropolitan area, I manage to visit once every 6 weeks or so for a weekend to expand my culinary horizons. Thai is my favorite cuisine. For a newcomer to Thai restaurants, I would recommend the following:<BR><BR>Basil Rolls - these are egg roll shaped appetizers, but they are not fried like the chinese version. Basil rolls consist of chopped vegetables (cabbage and the like) along with meat (shrimp or pork, usually), and fresh basil leaves wrapped in a rice based wonton-type wrapper. They are served (room temperature) with a delicious, slightly spicy sauce. I could eat about four rolls myself, but limit myself because I'm looking forward to Thai entrees.<BR><BR>Pad Thai - this is a noodle dish, along the lines of a chinese lo mein, but less greasy and fresher and with chopped peanuts sprinkled on top. The base sauce is slightly sweet, and you can usually choose the meat (shrimp, pork, etc.)<BR><BR>Curries - Thai curries are spicy (range from mild to make your hair stand on end hot) sauce based dishes that are served over rice, usually. Green curry is a chicken dish that we enjoy, and it's not really green, more golden, consisting of boneless chicken pieces, onions, celery and other vegetables in a gold spicy gravy. You can usually specify the level of hotness in curries.<BR><BR>Thai soups are also good -- coconut shrimp soup combines those ingredients and is served (at least at the two or three Thai restaurants in Atlanta that I've been to) in a flaming fondue pot type affair - so it makes for a good presentation as well.<BR><BR>I have had Thai in London - they have a significant Thai population, and the Thai food there was superb.<BR><BR>Happy dining!

The easiest way to get acquainted with Indian food is to eat at a buffet where you can see the food before you try it, take a small amount if it looks good, then come back for me if you want to. Buffets are common at Indian restaurants in the U.S., and given the number of Indian restaurants in London I'm sure you can find them there. If you like the buffet spreads, it will give you the incentive to begin ordering other things from the menu.

Indian restaurants are quite used to people who unfamiliar with their cuisine. The menu will usually tell you if a dish is mild or hot.<BR>The waiters will also be happy to help you choose.

first timer... i would strongly suggest pompadoms and samosas to start, chicken tikka as an entree with some puffy bread. the problem i have with indian food is, once you get into it you want it all the time. i think you will love it.

I love Indian food but don't care for curry that much or extremely spicy food. I don't like the tikka stuff at all, myself. <BR><BR>I do agree with the suggestion for chicken korma... not necessarily the chicken part, but any korma dish. Korma is the preparation and it is fairly mild -- as with many Indian dishes, you should be able to order the meat of your choice--pork, lamb, chicken -- korma. This is true of many of the dishes, you can choose the meat/poultry/or often shrimp as the base.<BR><BR>Second, I recommend a biryani (order mild if you want, as that can come in a variety of temps, from mild to hot); again, you choose the meat you want, or shrimp, part. I often order lamb in Indian restaurants because I like it so much, they do it well, and it's not something I ever fix at home. I've never had the shrimp dishes, so am not sure about that in Indian cuisine. I know someone who does like shrimp biryani, though.<BR><BR>Most Indian restaurants will have a slight description below the dish name to give you an idea of the ingredients. If you haven't been to one, you might not have known that, as most restaurants don't do that.<BR><BR>Lots of good bread, of course -- I prefer nan, myself.

As other people have mentioned, many of the dishes served in Indian restaurants aren't authentic, but that doesn't mean they don't taste good. I like chicken tikka. Yes, it's western, but I still like it. Biryani's also good for a first-timer.<BR><BR>Avoid vindaloo unless you like exceptionally hot, takes-your-head-off food. Build your way up to it.<BR>

What you do not want to do is ask your waiter "are the chilles hot" ... which will be taken as a challenge whether the food is spicey. And you'll be given a small plate of these little hotties to try raw. Do not!<BR><BR>Remember, if you do by chance tie into a scorcher, only a hot fluid will take away rhe fire. No amount of great indian beer will make it stop.<BR><BR>A nice accompanyament is riata - yogurts wich can be mixed with a small amoutn of cucumber, so rather benign spices and possibly a touch of lemon or not. It is a refresher to have along with your main course.<BR><BR>Enjoy - you are in for a treat. And BTW, do not frequent Goan places - this typically among is the hotest indian cuisine.<BR><BR>If you are a french fries person, try puri bread - very nifty - a small amount when fried in hot oil, puffs up and is a delicious, if greasy, enjoyment.

Be sure and try several of the breads. They are quite different from breads that we normally get in American cooking.<BR><BR>One of the first things that attracted me to Indian Food, was the vegetable dishes. I didn't eat many vegetables at that time, but the Indian dishes were so good, that I did eat them.<BR><BR> Keith<BR>

Indian food is London is the hottest food I've ever eaten anywhere. Until you have some experience, be sure to order it MILD and not MEDIUM. My husband ordered Medium (show off!) and it was so hot I couldn't eat it, which was very frustrating because it was SOOOO delicious. Enjoy!

try a good biryani or tandori style chicken.lamb or seafood. easy to start with

Hi all this talk of food is making me HUNGRY!<BR><BR>All the suggestions are great.<BR>A couple of vegetarian dishes that are yummy are Palak Paneer which is spinach and indian homemade cheese in a very mild spicy sauce or Alu Mutter which is potato and peas which is very mild also but tasty.<BR><BR>Lots of breads (Naan is perfect) to soak up the sauces as well.<BR><BR>Also anything that is cooked in a tandoori style is fantastic.<BR><BR>Sometimes I find the really hot indian food just kills the taste of all the delicious aromatic herbs and spices.

Anything Korma (lamb chicken, etc) will be good. Also, everyone's favorite is also Saag Paaneer (sp?). It's curried spinich with cheese cubes. Yummy!<BR><BR>Also for Thai, I would second Pad Thai.<BR>

If any of you get a chance to go to North of England, don't pass up the opportunity to eat Indian in Manchester or Bradford. Manchester's Rusholme district is known locally as 'Curry Mile' and has a great concentration of Indian restaurants and cafes, at keen prices, which attract Asians and Europeans alike. And in Bradford you'll experience some of the cheapest and best cooking. Many places serve you curry, with chapati included, for &pound;3-4.

Being Indian, one thing I cannot understand is why most restaurants make Indian food spicy, esp. north Indian. Most north Indian homes do not cook spicy food. Flavourful, yes but not necessarily spicy. Instead, they serve fresh green chillies in the salad (which is eaten along with the main course), for anyone who may wnat to enhance the chilli part. <BR><BR>That apart, some suggestions are - always order yogurt or raita to tone down the spices (I for one cannot eat an Indian meal if there is no yougurt, just out of habit). Try the whole wheat breads like tandoori rotis and lachha paranthas or methi paranthas other than just naans (which is made from white flour). In the kababs, order 'chicken malai kababs' which are low in spices and melt in the mouth. Also, try some 'paneer'(cottage cheese)dishes. Paneer is almost a staple in north Indian food. Other than that, all other suggestions above ar good ones. <BR><BR>For south Indian food, my weakness is Dosas (thin rice crepes, with out without fillings, those without are not spicy at all)with coconut chutney and 'dahi- vada' - dumplings in sweet yougurt and 'idlis' - rice cakes (not spicy). Enjoy! All this talk has gotten me really hungry.

Hi Hick<BR>Deepa's advice is important. Make sure you have some yoghurt or other milk or cream dish available in case you get something that is too hot for you.<BR>

Deepa<BR>Thanks, I can't believe I forgot to mention yoghurt!! I also feel it's an integral part of the meal!<BR>Infact me and my sister used to fight over the lovely thick layer of yoghurt at the top as mum used to make her own.<BR>Raita btw is yoghurt with some cucumber and a few gentle spices added.<BR>I agree that North Indian cuisine is very gently hot, but the flavour comes from all the other spices - cumin, coriander, cloves, peppercorns, fennel, fenugreek, cinammon, cardamom, turmeric, nutmeg - my mouth is watering.<BR>I think there's an element of bravado that the "lager lads" who hit Indian restaurants after a night out tend to display which leads to ordering hotter and hotter curries!<BR>I too prefer curries mild in chilly and strong in other spices and flavours.<BR>I also missed out desserts - I love real Khulfi (kind of like an icecream but subtly different from normal version) and I adore rasmalai - a sweet dessert in a sweet sauce. Mmmm. Many Indians have quite a sweet tooth though desserts aren't eaten every day in the home, of course!<BR>Having set up a website for my mum for her to share her Indian recipes worldwide, I am slowly starting to learn more about creating some of these dishes myself.<BR>If anyone would like to try, please feel welcome to visit www.mamtaskitchen.com - this is NOT an advert - the site has been created only to share recipes, it does not make a profit in any way shape or form.<BR>Anyway, hoping you love everything you try, <BR>Kavey<BR><BR>PS I note you didn't mention Chinese in your original post, I know that's more prevalent in US than Indian - if you want to know favourite dishes to order in a Chinese let us know - I am sure we can give some ideas.<BR>

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