India is famous for many reasons, from most diversified country to the largest democracy India’s got it all. Make a guess about one other thing India is popularly known for? No, it is not Shahrukh khan, it is the Indian food that attracts tourists from all across the world to come to India and taste its delicacies. India has innumerable cuisine varieties, these cuisine options change from state to state and from city to city. The thing that makes Indian cuisine so remarkable is its spices. India is famous for its spices from early 1800s when India was under British rule, and British liked the variety of spices so much that they started to export spices all over the world.
Be it non-vegetarian or vegetarian, Indian food dominates every category of food type. For people that consider vegetarian over non-vegetarian, Indian cuisine offers various tasty food options. Veggies are consumed on a large scale in India. Well, over 40% of the population is vegetarian. After consulting many food experts and top chefs, we listed out some of the most famous, must-try traditional vegetarian Indian foods which cannot be resisted by anyone.
1. MALAI KOFTA
First, on the list of traditional vegetarian foods, we have got the famous Malai Kofta. Kofta traditionally refers to a meatball, so you might be wondering how this got on the vegetarian list. Let me explain, in Malai Kofta the meat is replaced by potatoes. Mashed potatoes mixed with spices are shaped like a meatball, are deep-fried, and served with a thick paste curry made up of lentils, mixed vegetables, and heavy cream.
2. DAL RICE
Next on the list, we have got Dal Rice also known as lentil curry. Based on different regions, the cooking process of Dal is different, but the basic ingredient remains the same, that is lentils. Dal has many names like Dal Makhani, Dal Fry, Mithi Dal, and many more. In some places, Dal is cooked more frequently, like 4 times in a week, and in some places, Dal is cooked weekly once. It is commonly served with Rice and Ghee (clarified butter).
3. MATTAR PANEER
Mattar Paneer is a dish famous in the northern region of India. It is made by cooking Paneer (Cottage cheese) and Mattar (Peas) in tomato sauce gravy. This dish is paired with Rice, Naan, or Roti depending on the region you’re in.
4. CHOLE
Chole is a chickpea curry made by cooking chickpeas in a homemade gravy for 10 minutes with spices. Some chickpeas are smashed to give the gravy a thick consistency. It is served with puri (fried Indian Bread).
5. ALOO GOBI
This vegetarian dish contains Aloo(potatoes), Gobi(cauliflower), Ginger, Garlic, and Tomatoes. All ingredients are fried in a pan with oil and onion, and garnished with curry leaves and coriander. This is eaten with Chapati, also known as Roti.
6. PALAK PANEER
Palak paneer is a traditional Indian dish that is served at weddings and restaurants. It is made by using Palak(spinach) paneer(cottage cheese) and cream. If you are a vegan and cannot eat paneer you can swap it with tofu.
7. RAJMA
It is a vegan dish prepared by cooking red kidney beans in thick spicy gravy. Usually served with rice or chapati.
8. SAMOSA
Samosas are the most famous Indian snack. These are fried pastry filled with a mixture of mashed potatoes, peas, and finely chopped carrot. These are served with a sweet red sauce.
9. MASALA DOSA
It is a traditional South Indian dish made up of grinded paste of fermented rice and lentil. Dosa batter is laid flat on a stone to be cooked. Served with chutney made up of dry coconut and pulses.
10. BAIGAN BHARTA
Made of smoked eggplant, it is a mixture of smoked eggplant spices and herbs. Eggplant is roasted on flame for a certain amount of time and then cooked with spices. Commonly served with Chapati and rice.
These were some famous mouthwatering Indian traditional vegetarian foods. These dishes are widespread and can be found at your local Indian restaurant. Make sure you try all dishes, and you can also make many of these dishes on your own. The recipes for these dishes are super simple and can be cooked by easily.