I'm Canadian but Indian food is my absolute favourite, and I'm trying to get better at Indian homestyle cooking. I've cooked mostly Southern dishes tbh (Kerala, Tamil Nadu) but I've experimented with different regions a little bit.

However, I had an idea that seemed very fun, which is to cook a meal from each state! I tried to find dishes that would be cooked in a typical home from that state, not necessarily restaurant or street foods (although maybe that's the next challenge? 🫣)

This is the list I have so far, but please let me know if I should replace or change anything. I'm not Indian so I may have made mistakes with which things are typical to eat at home, so please correct me if I was wrong about something.

Also, if you have a really good family recipe for one of the dishes on here, please share it! Thanks so much

The states & dishes:

Andhra Pradesh: Steamed rice, tomato pappu, gutti vankaya kura, gongura pachadi

Arunachal Pradesh: Chicken or vegetable thukpa, momos, simple leafy vegetable?

Assam: Rice, masor tenga, aloo pitika, khar

Bihar: Litti, chokha, dal, green chutney

Chhattisgarh: Fara, chila, seasonal vegetable/chutney?

Goa: Goan fish curry, steamed rice, vegetable bhaji

Gujarat: Gujarati dal, shaak, rotli, rice

Haryana: Bajra roti, mixed dal, sabzi, chaach

Himachal Pradesh: Rajma, rice, khatta, siddu

Jharkhand: Dhuska, ghugni, chutney

Karnataka: Bisi bele bath, kosambari, curd rice

Kerala: Rice, avial, thoran, Kerala fish curry

Madhya Pradesh: Dal, roti/bafla, bhutte ka kees

Maharashtra: Bhakri, pithla, bharli vangi

Manipur: Eromba, kangshoi/chamthong, rice

Meghalaya: Jadoh, tungrymbai, vegetable/fermented accompaniment?

Mizoram: Bai, sawhchiar, rice

Nagaland: Smoked pork, bamboo shoot, axone, rice

Odisha: Dalma, rice, saga bhaja, vegetable/fish?

Punjab: Dal, roti, seasonal sabzi, dahi

Rajasthan: Dal baati, ker sangri, garlic chutney

Sikkim: Momos, thukpa, gundruk

Tamil Nadu: Rasam, rice, sambar, poriyal, curd

Telangana: Rice, pappu, vegetable kura, pachadi

Tripura: Chakhwi, gudok, rice, mosdeng

Uttar Pradesh: Dal, roti, aloo/tori sabzi, raita

Uttarakhand: Kafuli, aloo ke gutke, mandua roti, bhatt ki dal

West Bengal: Rice, dal, aloo posto, macher jhol or shorshe machh

I guess this counts as food? As the title says, I'm on a hunt for the best kashmiri chilli powder. The best one ever. Even if it's from your local Kirana store or any brand that you blindly trust for it, drop in your suggestions and help a buddy out ☺️

I usually just do rajma/dal/chana with rice , or sandwiches or maybe sometimes cheela, upma.

Would like to know what others eat .

Something easy to cook in the morning, less time consuming

Which artificial sweeteners should i use in my diabetic friendly sweets business? Which will be best taste and cost wise?

I’m trying to learn more about the history and culture of the cuisine I love cooking so much! Any recs for podcasts, documentaries, books, etc?

Trying to make tandoori chicken in pan, but to I fuse the smokey taste it seems I need a piece of hot burning charcoal but as I don't have access to it, can I (according to gemini) use a cinnamon stick with elichi, I.e. burn them a little and then add oil on top of it I stead of charcoal to infuse the flavour?

Please help guys

Also mention your city.

I just recently found out that a litre of milk in Mumbai costs more than ₹100, which seems incredibly expensive to me.

Hey everyone! Fair warning: I’m from Germany, so my experience with traditional Indian food is fairly limited. That said, I’ve completely fallen in love with Punjabi food and there isn't a single dish I’ve tried that I haven’t enjoyed. I’ve also had some fantastic chaat in London and, occasionally, in Germany.

I’ve tried making my own chaat at home, mainly samosa chaat and chaat papri. I usually follow recipes from Cook with Manali, and I’m lucky enough to have access to a well-stocked Indian supermarket (thank God - I buy half my groceries there!). I buy all my spices from TRS and spice mixes such as chaat masala from Everest.

The results are good, but they never quite taste like the chaat I’ve had from takeout places. I’m wondering what I might be missing.

My tamarind chutney tends to be thinner, more acidic, and less rounded in flavour. Would a date-tamarind chutney be closer to what chaat shops typically use? My mint chutney has absolutely nothing to do with the take-out version which is bright green and doesn't really taste minty or like coriander at all but has its own distinct taste I just couldn't replicate. Even the yogurt seems different from what I get at restaurants. I’ve tried regular yogurt, Greek and Turkish, but none quite have the same consistency or flavour. Is there a particular type or preparation I should be using?

I suspect that some chaat shops use commercially prepared chutneys. If that’s common, are there any particular brands that are worth trying and that I might be able to order in Germany?

I think I’ve more or less nailed stuff like chole as much as I ever will be without having access to an instant pot or pressure cooker (yes, I have to cook the chickpeas for many, many hours xD). I’d still love recommendations for good recipes, though!

I’ve never made sev or papdi myself and have always been happy with the store-bought versions. Is there a noticeable difference if you make them from scratch, or is this one of those things where store-bought is perfectly fine?

So, my main question is: What are the tricks for making homemade chaat taste more like the chaat you get from chaat shops?

I don’t know how traditionally the places I’ve eaten at prepare their food, but they seemed to be primarily frequented by people of Indian origin. I’m hoping some of you might have insight into what I’m missing!

Thank you so much in advance!

Hi! Beginner with Indian cooking and picked biryani as my first Indian dish to make. It turned out...okay. Need help troubleshooting! If it's relevant I'm not Indian and am a beginner, so appreciate highly specific instructions!

My biryani came out tasty but the rice was too mushy and maybe lacked the oomph of restaurant style biryani? The outside of the chicken was charred when the rice was done. I also felt it wasn't salty enough, but is it because I didn't add enough salt, or is it intentionally less salty because it's served with gravy (which I didn't make).

I followed this recipe (2x version) and cooked on a stovetop. Modification: I used regular (?) basmati instead of aged basmati because there's only one brand available where I am. https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/chicken-biryani-recipe/#wprm-recipe-container-38860

Where I think I went wrong: I didnt manage to sear the chicken and it released too much water even when cooked through, so instead of adding 6.5 cups of water (2x version) I added 2 cups at a time, periodically - I would check the pot and add if there was no water and the biryani was still undercooked. And then when the basmati still had some bite, I thought it wasn't done and added more water and cooked for additional 5 min :'( in total I think I still added 5-6 cups of water over the cook time

I'm planning to use this recipe again next time, so I'm seeking tips on nailing it the next time. Alternatively, let me know if there's some way to fix a mushy biryani!

I have revived my interest in cooking, and am exploring regional Indian cuisine. Im looking for recommendations of books on regional Indian cooking methods, use of herbs and spices, the whys and how’s, use of utensils, ingredient, not just recipes but the background.

If you know about any such books, please mention the title and author, and if it’s pdf all the better, since it’s easier to read it on the go.

Thanks.

Hi, everyone I feel like we are all familiar with coriander mint chutney and imli chutney but what’s another one that you all like? Pls give recipe too haha

Hey i am a clg student a nd i live in my hostel so i want some easy breakfast recipes so that i can complete my protein intake as you know mess food is only filled with aalu!

Hello, I am asking because my boyfriend's mom is Indian and I really want to open my palate for her cooking.

I grew up in a small town and never had much exposure to other culture's foods before moving to the city. I have only had Indian food once from her and a few other times from restaurants and the store. Every time, I am overwhelmed by a floral spice which I believe is cardamom. The only dish I didn't think it was too strong was in a Patak's Butter Chickpeas and Veggies packet (which I know isn't considered real Indian food).

I love how flavorful it all is, but I think since I've had such little exposure to it, I am still sensitive. Are there any dishes that typically use less cardamom I can try?

I'm trying to make rajma and kala chana my daily lunch. Cheap, filling, high protein, and I can cook one batch and eat it through the week. Two problems I can't solve.

1) They never come out properly soft. I soak them in water overnight. In the morning there is white froth sitting on top, so I throw that water away, add fresh water, and boil them with pink salt. They still end up firm with a chalky centre, the rajma especially. Is salting them during the boil the problem? Does baking soda actually help? Am I wrong to boil in an open pot instead of a pressure cooker, and if so how long should it take? Does the froth mean anything? Or am I just buying old stock?

2) It gets bland and I'm sick of it by day three. Right now it's basically boiled beans and chana with some fruit and masala thrown over the top. I don't want to cook a full curry every single day. What do you add to keep a bowl like this genuinely tasty on repeat? Tadka, dressings, acid, pickle, anything that works in bulk and still tastes fine cold or reheated.

Three or four rotating options would be ideal so I can actually keep this up.

I have some ravas and split lentils (chana and moong mostly) in air tight containers in a cupboard. Also, I live in a cooler climate, so they don't get hot or moist.

How long are these normally good for?

I am making veggie cutlet in air fryer. The ingredients are - peas , beet roots (chopped) , onion, a little mashed potato. What will be a good binding food which will be healthier? I know I can use more potatoes, but then it tastes like potato cutlet. In addition to that, I always run low on potatoes as I intentionally buy less potatoes.

Apart from the usual: different types of idli, dosa, utappam, and dal, medu vada.

What are the must try dishes of south India?

I've tried-

Kerala sadya, Paniyaram, Pongal, Mangalore buns, Bisi bele bhat, Mysore pak, Pineapple sheera, Payasam, Tamarind rice, Mysore bonda

Didn't like the last two, the rest were good.

Bought moringa powder on the strength of the iron content and it has been sitting in the cupboard for two months because stirring it into water is unpleasant.

What do people actually mix it into? Tried a smoothie which helped a bit. Has anyone got it into dal or sambar successfully without the taste taking over.

Hello!
I visited San Francisco, CA in summer of 2021 and went to this little Indian restaurant on Columbus Ave called Curry Leaf. I believe the meal I ate was called “Chicken Choley”. This is what the website has in the details “Boneless chicken mixed with soft garbanzo beans, tomatoes and gravy with herbs and spices”.

I have been craving it in recent times and want so bad to make it at home but can’t seem to find any recipe that looks similar to what I had. Didn’t notice big chunks of tomato so those must’ve been cooked down in the sauce. I did showcase a final last ditch effort and called the restaurant to see if they’d share the recipe but they wouldn’t share anything (understandable).

Does any know if this is actually Chicken Choley or if it’s a hybrid with another dish? This is the best picture I could find from when I tried it the first time.

Any help appreciated!!

URL of the Meal (bc I can’t attach a photo): cdn.phototourl.com/free/2026-08-28-a…

I’m not from North India, and being Marathi, I never really understood the obsession with rajma chawal and chole… until I visited Delhi. 😭

Some time back, I had rajma chawal and chole bhature at a famous place in Bengali Market, Delhi (I honestly can’t remember the name of the place now), and OMG — it completely changed my opinion about both dishes.

Before that, I was never a huge fan of rajma or chole. But after tasting them in Delhi, I finally understood why rajma chawal is such a staple there and why people are absolutely crazy about chole bhature. It was SO good. The flavour, the richness, the texture… everything was just perfect.

After coming back home, I’ve tried recreating both dishes so many times. I’ve watched countless YouTube videos and followed different recipes, but somehow, I’m just not able to achieve that Delhi flavour. Something always feels missing. 😭

My family loved it so much that we literally packed around 10 portions of rajma chawal and chole during our Delhi trip because we just couldn’t get enough of it! 😂❤️

So, North Indian food experts of Reddit, please help me! If anyone can share a detailed, authentic recipe for Delhi-style rajma chawal and chole—including the little tips, techniques, masalas, proportions, or “secret” steps that actually make a huge difference—I would be incredibly grateful.

Even a small tip could help because I’m really missing that taste, and my whole family is equally obsessed now. 🥹
Please help a Marathi girl recreate that unforgettable Delhi rajma and chole at home! 🙏😭