Mastering Important Cooking Techniques

Beginners' Tips For Ordering Indian Takeout

27 August 2019 by Richard Schmidt

If you are new to Indian cuisine, you might be a little intimidated or confused when it comes time to order Indian food takeout. How do you ensure the dishes you order are ones you will like? Will you have enough? Here are some tips to follow to ensure a great experience when ordering Indian takeout.

Plan on sharing.

When you order Indian takeout, it's usually best to plan on sharing. Everyone will want to try a bit of everyone else's dishes. So order at least one dish per person, but then bring out the plates and serve yourselves family-style. You'll expand your palate faster this way than if you were to order individually.

Order the naan.

If the restaurant you're ordering from does not automatically include naan bread with every order, make sure you order some. One piece per person should be sufficient. Naan bread is a flatbread that is similar to pita. Indian dishes are generally saucy, and you will use the naan bread to mop up and enjoy all of that extra sauce. You just rip it with your fingers and dip it in.

Pay attention to the heat level.

A lot of Indian dishes are spicy, but restaurant owners are conscious of the fact that not all Americans love super-spicy cuisine, so most restaurants offer some less-spicy options. You'll have to look at the restaurant's menu to see how spicy dishes are indicated. Some restaurants put a hot pepper symbol next to anything overly hot. Others make all of the dishes medium by default unless specified otherwise. Take the time to look into this so you don't end up with containers of food that is too hot for you.

Know the basic terms.

Browsing the menu and deciding what you want will be a lot easier if you know these basic Indian food terms:

1. Tikka: This word means "chunks." If you order a tikka dish, it will be chunks of meat in a gravy or sauce.
2. Masala: Masala means "spice blend." Different Indian restaurants use different blends.
3. Saag: These dishes generally contain a lot of leafy greens, cooked with various meats or fish.
4. Tandoori: Tandoori items are cooked in a tandoor, which is a deep clay oven.
5. Biryani: Biryani dishes are stews of various types.

With the tips above, you'll be all set to order Indian food for the first time. Expand your palate by ordering a variety of dishes! 

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