South Asian Cuisine Guides

Curious about the cuisines of South Asia? Read our guides and essays to deepen your knowledge of South Asian food history, cooking techniques, ingredients, and more.

Explore South Asian Cuisines

All Indian Cuisine
South Asian
Overhead view of Indian pantry items arranged on a fuchsia surface.
How to Stock an Indian Pantry: Spices, Dals, and More Essential Ingredients
20130901lambvindaloo.jpg
Ask a Sommelier: Wine to Pair with a Few Favorite Indian Dishes
Kodampuli, an ingredient used in Kerala-style Indian cooking.
Spice Hunting: Kodampuli
20210201-bharazi-mandari-jillian-atkinson-3
Never Heard of Khoja Ismaili Cuisine? It's Time for a Change
A collage of nine spices commonly used in Indian cooking, including cumin seed, star anise, brown mustard seeds, green cardamom pods, amchoor or mango powder, and whole nutmeg.
Indian Spices 101: The Benefits of Frying Spices
An illustration of Ajji in the kitchen, picking up a platter piled high with food.
Ajji's Cooking: Preserving an Unsung Cuisine
A spoonful of lentil curry with vegetables and garnished herbs being lifted from a bowl
Dal Dhokli (Dal With Spiced Wheat Flour Dumplings)
A plate of savory pancakes served with condiments on a table
Besan Chilla (Savory Indian Chickpea Pancake)
A bowl of raita garnished with herbs next to two bowls of spiced rice and a spoon
Palak Raita
A bowl of spiced okra garnished with cilantro served on a table with side dishes
Okra With Tamarind and Jaggery
A glass of lemonade with ice cubes beside a pitcher containing more lemonade, next to small bowls of cardamom and lemons
Cardamom Lemonade
Mango pickle in a glass jar, and in a ramekin on a plate, on top of a red tablecloth
Quick Indian Mango Pickle
Overhead view of finished Pohe
Pohé (Flattened Rice)
3 bowls of rice and Tomato Coconut soup, dutch oven on the side, and green tabletop.
Tomato-Coconut Soup
Overhead view of Pani Puri
Pani Puri
Garlic Naan on a white plate on a lime green tablecloth
Easy Garlic Naan
Bowl of garnished Savory Tumeric Oats with a hand taking a spoonful of it. Side dishes of yogurt and sliced of lime.
Savory Turmeric Masala Oats
Dal Makhani in a bowl with 2 gold spoons, and 2 bowls of rice. Burnt orange colored surface and blue glass of water.
Dal Makhani (Punjabi Black Gram and Kidney Beans)
20201222-milkcreams-nik-sharma-10
Milk Creams
Bowl of Moong dal in a bowl, with a bowl of white rice next to it. Bowls are on a wooden board on top of green textured surface, and larger bowl of Dal is in the side of the frame.
Moong Dal
Toor dal (spiced split pigeon peas) and rice.
Toor Dal (Indian Pigeon Peas)
A wide, shallow cream-colored ceramic bowl with brown speckles of glaze on it, holding chunky tamarind chutney and a metal spoon. The bowl is placed on a copper tray and in the top left corner of the image is another similar bowl holding a different sauce.
5-Ingredient Sweet and Sour Sauce
Overhead view of Kadhkhadi
Khadkhadi (Coconut-Tamarind Shrimp)
Overhead view of Baighan Chokka being eaten
Baigan Chokha (Charred Eggplant With Garlic and Tomatoes)
Side view of salted mint lassi
15-Minute Salted Mint Lassi
Overhead view of finished dish
Shrimp With Cilantro Sauce
Overhead view of Gajarachi Koshimbir, served in a bowl with flatbreads nearby.
Gajarachi Koshimbir (Carrot Salad with Mustard Seeds and Curry Leaves)
tomato chutney hero
Sweet and Spicy Tomato Chutney
Overhead view of tomato curry recipe
Andhra-Style Tomato Curry
Side view of Bread Pakora
Bread Pakora (Potato Fritter Sandwich)
Side view of vada pav
Vada Pav (Indian Deep-Fried Potato Balls on Rolls)
Overhead view of cauliflower sabzi
Cauliflower Sabzi
Overhead view of chai
How to Make Chai
Cauliflower Pakoras next to a green chutney sauce
Cauliflower Pakoras
A plate of composed papri chaat (a type of Indian street food made of multiple components) highlighting the sev topping.
Sev (Crunchy Fried Chickpea Noodles)
Bright green Palak Paneer in a white bowl one an orange back next to some roti
Palak Paneer
Saag in an earth-toned orange bowl with roti in the background
Sarson Ka Saag (Braised Mustard Greens and Spinach) Recipe
Cropped view of grilled paneer and chickpea salad on a blue plate
Grilled Paneer and Chickpea Salad
Fresh paneer on a brown plate on a blue backdrop
Fresh Paneer
A plated portain of Biryani on a pale purple plate on a bright blue background
Vegetable Biryani
Overhead view of a portion of vegetable qorma served next to white rice on a blue plate, on a textured blue fabric
Vegetable Qorma
Aloo tikki on a plate with a dipper of tamarind chutney alongside
Aloo Tikki
Bowl of semolina halva topped with spiced nuts and dried fruit
Halva With Spice Dried Fruit and Nuts
A sweating glass of cold nimbu soda with large slices of fresh lime
Nimbu Soda (Indian-Style Lime Soda)
20200218-butter-chicken-vicky-wasik-36
Better Pressure Cooker Butter Chicken Recipe
20200408-spiced-okra-sho-spaeth-2
Spiced Okra With Tomatoes Recipe
Channa masala and white rice on a blue plate decorated with white lines. The plate is on a dark blue surface.
Channa Masala Recipe
Tamarind chutney in a bowl with fried samosas.
Sweet Tamarind Chutney Recipe
a bowl of Indian Village Chicken Curry
Gavthi (Indian Village) Chicken Curry
A small bowl filled with a large pile of chaat spice mix
Chaat Masala (Indian Street Snack Spice Blend)
20170921-chaat-vicky-wasik-66.jpg
Papri Chaat (Indian Street Snack With Potato, Chickpeas, and Chutneys)
20121405-Sooji-Upma- Indian-Breakfast.jpg
Sooji Upma (Indian Semolina Breakfast Dish)
The anda bhurji on a white ceramic plate with toasted white bread and a pat of butter on a stone counter
Anda Bhurji (Spicy Indian Scrambled Eggs) Recipe
20200610-SE_CARROT_RAITA_HERO_1-nik-sharma
Carrot Raita Recipe
Overhead view of yogurt- and mint-marinated chicken thighs, served on a white plate with quick-pickled nectarine segments.
Yogurt- and Mint-Marinated Chicken Thighs With Pickled Nectarines Recipe
An overhead close-up of bright orange mulligatawny soup garnished with chile flake, fresh cilantro leaves, and a dab of yogurt.
Mulligatawny Soup
Overhead view of kaju katli, artfully arranged on a black plate.
Kaju Katli
A bowl of cucumber salad tossed in mustard-oil dressing
Mustard Oil-Dressed Cucumber Salad Recipe