These Indian delicacies have the Firangs drooling over
India, a country with such great diversity, culture, rich heritage and several myriad cuisines. With so many cultures, comes different flavors of food, food that is both popular within the country as well as abroad. The taste of India has traveled all across the globe and so have the recipes of these Indian delicacies.
Indian food has now satiated the taste buds of a lot of people around the globe, something that we should definitely be proud of. Some of these dishes are gaining great popularity in countries like UK, USA and also the Middle East. A Survey was conducted by CNN Travel recently, in which India was among the top 50 cuisines in the world.
Chefs around the globe have tried recreating some Indian delicacies, that’s how popular they are. Here is a list of the Indian delicacies that are loved by Firangs across the world.
Indian Kebabs
There is not a single soul out there who doesn’t love Kebab. This delicious mouth-watering dish has everyone asking for more, the love for kebabs has made it all the way to international markets.
A simple search “Indian Kebabs” on Yelp.com for San Francisco, USA throws more than 160 results for restaurants serving Indian Kebabs.
Biryani
Biryani is probably the most popular dish globally. A dish that you will find in almost every wedding ceremony. Biryani has won hearts, and taste buds, across the globe. Also, yes, there is no such thing as veg biryani outside India. It goes without saying that meat biryani has gained popularity in foreign countries.
There are more than 230 restaurants in New York, USA, more than 200 restaurants in Toronto, Canada and more than 250 restaurants in London that serve biryani.
One of the most famous Indian restaurants in London, Dishoom, is known for its yummy and authentic chicken biryani.
Masala Dosa
South Indians dishes are famous all over India, so why wouldn’t they make their way to foreigners. It is so simple and so delicious that even foreigners love it. There are several different types of dosas like Cheese Masala Dosa, Schezwan Masala Dosa, and so on.
There 1000s of South Indian cuisine restaurants in the UK, USA, etc. Just Dubai, UAE has more than 200 restaurants serving delicious dosas. As a matter of fact, some of the 5-star rated Hotels also serve Dosa to their guests as a part of their Indian cuisine menu.
Indian Chaat
No one can forget the photographs of Angus Duncan, the brit who sold Jhalmuri (AKA Bhel) outside Oval stadium during India’s cricket world cup match. This is just one of the proofs of how popular Indian Chaat is amongst the firangs.
It isn’t uncommon to spot a Chaat Wala (Chaat maker) on every block in India but now Indian chaat restaurants are coming up everywhere across the world. You can safely say that Indian street food is oh-so-loved by people in foreign countries as well.
Butter Chicken
Can’t decide what to eat? Butter Chicken is the go-to option for most people. it is definitely one of the top orders at any Indian restaurant in the West.
It is extremely popular because it’s so good that you’d come back for more. This dish is best with naan, a green salad or even plain boiled rice. Another reason our overseas friends like it is because it isn’t as spicy as the other curries.
Restaurants aside, butter chicken has made its way to the kitchen of a lot of overseas households across continents. Don’t believe me? Have a look at people sharing recipes and cooking at home.
Samosa
This tweet from a food truck in Florida, USA says it all about the popularity of Samosa internationally. The mouthwatering Cholesamosa has become one of the favorite snacks/appetizers for many foreigners. We did a quick search on Yelp again and close to 150 restaurants in London seem to deliver samosa chat. Similarly, there are 100s of restaurants serving Samosa in cities like New York, Toronto, Johannesburg, Singapore etc.
Chicken Tikka Masala
Watch any international cooking show, there will be a mention of Chicken Tikka Masala. This is because it is quite popular in every country where you will find Indian diaspora. Especially if you have been to the UK or the USA, you will know that you can find Chicken Tikka Masala in abundance there. Best served with Naan or Rice.
Upma
The simplest of the food to end the list, Upma, a great breakfast option. It is gaining popularity amongst foreigners since it was recognized in Singapore at its World Street Food Congress. For those who want something healthy and delicious at the same time, this is it.
In 2011, Floyd Cardoz created an upma with Sooji (AKA rawa or semulina) and a handful of mushrooms, some coconut milk and chicken stock that won him the famous cookery show The Chef Masters, in New York. What bigger testimony can we ask for the popularity of a dish in a far-off land.
Which of these dishes were you not expecting to be on the list? I don’t know about you, but I’m hungry. If you have Indian cuisine-loving friends overseas then do share this article with them. We’d be glad to have their comments as well.
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