India’s food is not one cuisine but many, shaped by Mughal kitchens, Portuguese traders, Kashmiri valleys and busy city streets. Picking the best dishes of India is a little unfair, but some have earned a place on almost every table, at home and abroad.
We have been cooking many of these dishes for over 20 years at our family-owned Indian restaurant in Amsterdam. In this guide, we share where India’s most famous curries, biryani and street food come from, what makes each one special, and how to taste them.
Famous Indian Curry Dishes
“Curry” is a broad word. As Dictionary.com notes, it comes from the Tamil word kari, meaning sauce. In India, each dish has its own name, method and region. These Indian curry dishes are among the best dishes of India, and the ones we think every food lover should know.
Butter Chicken
Butter chicken is less than a century old, yet it is one of India’s best-known dishes. Its story traces back to Moti Mahal, a restaurant from Peshawar that reopened in Delhi after 1947, according to Chowhound. NPR’s reporting describes it as smoky cooked chicken in a sauce of tomato, cream, butter and spices. Who invented it is still argued over in a Delhi court.
In our kitchen, butter chicken starts in the tandoor and finishes in a creamy sauce with almond slices and Indian spices. If you can’t decide, read our comparison of butter chicken vs chicken tikka masala or our guide on where to find the best butter chicken in Amsterdam.
Rogan Josh
Rogan josh comes from Kashmir and is one of the main dishes of the wazwan, the region’s traditional multi-course feast, according to Wikipedia. It is traditionally made with lamb or goat. Its deep red colour comes from Kashmiri chillies and alkanet, not heavy heat. Our lamb rogan josh is a medium-hot curry with tomato. Explore more in our guide to lamb curry in Amsterdam.
Vindaloo
Vindaloo was born in Goa. Its name comes from the Portuguese dish carne de vinha d’alhos, meat marinated in wine and garlic, says Wikipedia. Goan cooks adapted it with local vinegar and spices. Traditional Goan vindaloo has no potatoes, even though aloo means potato in Hindi. Restaurant versions often add them, as ours does.
Korma, Madras, Bhuna, Dhansak and Saag
The rest of the curry family is just as varied. Korma is mild and creamy. Madras is sharp with lemon. Bhuna is rich with onions, tomatoes, ginger and garlic. Dhansak brings lentils, pineapple and a sweet-sour edge. Saag is cooked with spinach. Dig deeper in our guides to korma, madras and vindaloo and bhuna, dhansak and saag.
Indian Biryani: The Nation’s Favourite
If one dish can claim to be India’s favourite, it is biryani. Swiggy’s How India Swiggy’d 2025 report found biryani was India’s most-ordered dish for the tenth year running, with 93 million orders, as reported by Storyboard18.
Indian biryani is a mixed rice dish of spices, rice (usually basmati) and meat, fish, eggs or vegetables. Its name comes from the Persian word for “fried” or “roasted”, according to Simple English Wikipedia. What sets it apart from pulao is layering: the rice and the spiced meat or vegetables are cooked separately, then layered together.
Biryani’s exact origin is debated. Some food historians link it to Iran, others to the Mughal kitchens of India. Over time, each region built its own style:
| Style | What makes it distinct |
| Hyderabadi | Cooked “in dum”: meat at the bottom of a sealed pot, layered with basmati rice (Wikipedia) |
| Kacchi (raw) | Raw marinated meat layered with part-cooked rice, then slow-cooked together |
| Pakki (cooked) | Meat cooked first, then layered with rice |
We serve chicken tikka, lamb, king prawn and vegetable biryani, each with raita on the side. You can also see how it fits with the rest of a meal in our guide to Punjabi food and its regional roots.
Indian Street Food: Small Plates, Big Flavour
Some of the best dishes of India are sold from carts and stalls, not restaurant kitchens. Indian street food is quick, cheap and packed with spice.
Samosa
Britannica calls the samosa probably the best-known of South Asia’s many snacks, and a popular street food in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. It is traditionally triangular, with a crisp, flaky pastry and fillings that range from spiced potato to lamb mince. Ours are filled with mixed vegetables.
Pakora and Onion Bhaji
Pakoras are South Asian fritters, often made with gram flour, onions and spices, according to Wikipedia. We make chicken and paneer pakoras, plus crisp onion bhajis. Read more in our guide to samosas, pakoras and onion bhajis.
Chaat and Pani Puri
Chaat is an umbrella term for savoury street snacks that began in northern India, says Britannica. Most feature fried dough with spicy, tangy or salty toppings. Popular types include:
- Papri chaat: crisp wafers with chickpeas, potatoes, yogurt and tamarind and coriander chutneys
- Aloo tikki: a golden fried potato patty, often stuffed with peas or dal
- Gol gappa (pani puri): a hollow puffed ball filled with potato, chickpeas, spices and flavoured water, eaten in one bite
Tandoori Classics and Breads: The Best Dishes of India From the Clay Oven
No list of the best dishes of India is complete without the tandoor. Britannica describes tandoori cookery as cooking over a charcoal fire in a cylindrical clay oven, with meats marinated in yogurt and spices and naan pressed against the oven’s inner walls. Its most celebrated dish is tandoori chicken.
From our tandoor come tandoori chicken, chicken and lamb tikka, seekh kebab, tandoori prawns, and vegetarian paneer tikka and soya chaap. See more in our guides to authentic tandoori food in Amsterdam and north Indian food from tandoor to table.
Bread matters just as much. Filled naans are a tradition of their own: Britannica lists keema naan with spiced lamb and sweet Peshawari naan among the classics. We bake both, alongside garlic, cheese and kulcha naan, roti and paratha. Our guide to naan, roti, paratha and kulcha explains the differences.
Taste the Best Dishes of India in Amsterdam
You don’t need a plane ticket to try the best dishes of India. At Shah Jahan, we cook with fresh ingredients, traditional spices and our family recipes. Our menu covers vegetarian, vegan and meat dishes, and most dishes can be made mild or very hot to suit you.
New to Indian food? Our set menus are an easy start, pairing a starter and main dishes with rice, naan and kheer for dessert. Compare options in set menus vs individual dishes. Have an allergy? Read our guide to dairy, gluten and nut allergies first, and always tell your server.
- Address: Eerste Anjeliersdwarsstraat 18, 1015 NR Amsterdam (Jordaan)
- Phone: 020 624 0122
- Email: info@shah-jahan.nl
Call us or get in touch to book a table, or order online for takeaway and delivery.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best dishes of India to try first? Good starting points are butter chicken, a biryani, a samosa and fresh naan. Together they cover a curry, a rice dish, street food and the tandoor.
What is the most popular dish in India? By online orders, biryani. Swiggy’s 2025 report named it India’s most-ordered dish for the tenth year in a row.
Is all Indian food spicy? No. Korma is mild and creamy, while vindaloo is known for heat. At Shah Jahan, most dishes can be adjusted from mild to very hot.
What is the difference between biryani and pulao? In biryani, the rice and the spiced meat or vegetables are cooked separately, then layered together. Pulao is usually a simpler side dish.
What counts as Indian street food? Snacks sold from carts and stalls, such as samosas, pakoras and chaat dishes like pani puri, papri chaat and aloo tikki.