| |
A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M|N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|X|Y|Z |
| I |
| Idli |
Rice and lentil flour cake served with light curry sauce. South Indian. |
| Imli |
Tamarind. |
| Isgubul |
Vegetable seed. |
| Top |
| J |
| Jaifal or Taifal |
Nutmeg. |
| Jal frezi |
Sautee or stir fry |
| Jalebi |
An Indian dessert. A flour, milk powder and yoghurt batter pushed through a narrow funnel into deep frying oil to produce golden curly crispy rings. Served cold or hot in syrup. |
| Javatri |
Mace. |
| Jeera or zeera |
Cumin. |
| Jhanna |
Flat slotted spoon. |
| Jinga |
Prawns. |
| Top |
| K |
| Kabli chana |
Chickpeas. |
| Kaddu kas |
Grater. |
| Kadhi |
Yoghurt soup. |
| Kaju |
Cashew nut. |
| Kala |
Black. |
| Kala jeera |
Black cumin seeds. |
| Kala namak |
Black salt. |
| Kaleji |
Liver. |
| Kalongi |
Nigella, similar to wild onion seeds. |
| Karahi |
Karai, korai etc. Cast iron, wok-like, frying pan. |
| Karchhi |
Metal flat spoon used for turning frying ingredients. |
| Karela |
Small, dark green, knobbly vegetable of the gourd family. |
| Kashmir chicken |
Whole chicken stuffed with minced meat. |
| Kashmir curry |
Restaurateurs creation. A sweetish curry often using lychees or similar ingredient. |
| Kathal |
Jack fruit. |
| Katori |
Small serving bowls which go on a thaali (tray). |
| Kebab |
Skewered food cooked over charcoal. A process over 4000 years old which probably originated in the Middle East. It was imported to India by the Moslems centuries ago. |
| Keema |
Minced meat curry. |
| Kewra |
Screwpine water. An extract of the flower of the tropical screwpine tree. It is a fragrant clear liquid used to flavour sweets. It is a cheap substitute for rosewater. |
| Khalla musaria |
Grinding stone or pounder. |
| Khir |
Technique of making a sort of cream. Milk is cooked with cucumber and pureed. |
| Khurzi |
Lamb or chicken, whole with spicy stuffing. |
| Kish mish |
Sultanas. |
| Knead |
To work dough by folding, stretching and pummeling with heel of hand. |
| Kofta |
Minced meat or vegetable balls in batter, deep-fried, and then cooked in curry sauce. |
| Kokum or cocum |
A variety of plum, pitted and dried. Prune-like and very sour. Also known in Malayan as mangosteen. |
| Korma |
To most restaurants this just means a mild curry. Traditionally it is very rich. Meat, chicken or vegetables are cooked in cream, yoghurt and nuts, and are fragrantly spiced with saffron and aromatic spices. |
| Koya |
Reducing milk to a thick sticky solid. Used for sweet making. |
| Kulcha |
Small leavened bread. |
| Kulcha, stuffed |
Stuffed with mildly spiced mashed potato and baked in the tandoor. |
| Kulfi |
Indian ice cream. Traditionally it comes in vanilla, pistachio or mango flavours. |
| Kus kus |
See cuscus. |
| Top |
| L |
| Lasan |
Garlic. |
| Lhassi or lassi |
A refreshing drink made from yoghurt and crushed ice. The savoury version is Lhassi namkeen and the sweet version is Lhassi meethi. |
| Lavang |
Cloves. |
| Lilva |
A small oval-shaped bean which grows in a pod like the European pea. |
| Loochees |
A type of bread made in Bengal using white flour. |
| Lovage |
Ajwain or Ajowain. |
| Top |
| M |
| Macchi or macchli |
Fish. |
| Mace |
Javitri. The outer part of the nutmeg. |
| Madras |
You will not find a traditional recipe for Madras curry. It is another restaurateurs invention. But the people of South India do eat hot curries; some original chef must have christened his hot curry madras and the name stuck. |
| Makhani |
A traditional dish. Tandoori chicken is cooked in a ghee and tomato sauce. |
| Makke |
Cornflour. |
| Malai |
Cream. |
| Malaya |
The curries of Malaya are traditionally cooked with plenty of coconut, chill and ginger. In the Indian restaurant, however, they are usually mild and contain pineapple and other fruit. |
| Mamra |
Puffed basmati rice. |
| Masala |
A mixture of spices which are cooked with a particular dish. |
| Masoor |
Red lentil with green skin. |
| Mathanni |
Wooden whisk. |
| Matka |
Round earthenware pot used to freeze ice cream. It is filled with ice and salt. |
| Mattar |
Green peas. |
| Meethi |
Sweet. |
| Melon seeds |
Chor magaz. |
| Methi |
Fenugreek. |
| Mirch |
Pepper or chilli. |
| Moglai or moghlai |
Cooking in the style of the Moghul emperors whose chefs took Indian cookery to the heights of gourmet cuisine three centuries ago. Few restaurateurs who offer Moglai dishes come anywhere this excellence. True Moglai dishes are expensive and time-consuming to prepare authentically. |
| Mollee |
Fish dishes cooked in coconut and chilli. |
| Mooli |
Large white radish. |
| Moong |
One of the more commonly used lentils. It has a green skin and can be used whole, split or polished to make various dhals. |
| Mulligatawny |
A Tamil sauce which has become well known as a British soup. |
| Munacca |
Raisins. |
| Murgh |
Chicken. |
| Murgh masala |
A speciality dish of whole chicken, marinated in yoghurt and spices for 24 hours then stuffed and roasted. |
| Top |
| N |
| Namak |
Salt. |
| Namkeen |
Salty. |
| Nan or naan |
Leavened bread baked in the tandoor. It is teardrop shaped and about 8-10 inches long. It must be served fresh and hot. |
| Naan, keema |
Naan bread stuffed with a thin layer of minced meat curry then baked in the tandoor. |
| Naan peshwari |
Naan bread stuffed with almonds and or cashew and or raisins and baked in the tandoor. |
| Nargis kebab |
Indian scotch egg spiced minced meat around a hard boiled egg. |
| Naryal |
Coconut. |
| Neem |
Curry leaf. |
| Nigella |
See Kalonji. |
| Nimboo |
Lime. |
| Nutmeg |
Jaifal. |
| Top |
| O |
| Okra |
Bindi. A pulpy vegetable also known as ladies fingers. |
| Top |
