Paneer: Fresh, unaged cheese made by curdling hot milk with lemon or vinegar and pressing the curds into a firm block. It does not melt, so it can be grilled (tikka), fried, or simmered in gravies, and it is the standard vegetarian protein on North Indian menus. On this menu as: Chili Paneer · Paneer Tawa Masala · Kadai Paneer.
Garam masala: "Masala" simply means a spice blend, or the sauce built on one. Garam masala ("warm blend") is the finishing mix of cardamom, cinnamon, clove, cumin, black pepper and other whole spices toasted and ground, added at the end of cooking for aroma rather than heat. Every region and household has its own proportions. On this menu as: Chicken Tikka Masala · Lamb Tikka Masala · Paneer Tawa Masala.
Aloo, gobi, bhindi, baingan, matar: The vegetable vocabulary of a North Indian menu: aloo is potato, gobi cauliflower, bhindi okra, baingan eggplant (bharta is roasted and mashed), matar peas, jeera cumin. Malai kofta are dumplings of paneer and potato in a creamy gravy. "Aloo gobi" is potato and cauliflower; "matar paneer" peas and paneer, and so on. The name is the recipe. On this menu as: Gobi Manchurian · Aloo Jeera · Aloo Saag.
Saag & palak: Saag means cooked greens: spinach, mustard, fenugreek or a mix. palak is specifically spinach. Puréed and simmered with ginger, garlic and cream, then paired with paneer, chicken or lamb. Sarson ka saag (mustard greens) with corn flatbread (makki di roti) is the Punjabi winter classic. On this menu as: Chicken Saagwala · Lamb Saagwala · Saag Paneer.
Tikka: Boneless cubes marinated and grilled on skewers in the tandoor. Chicken tikka is the yogurt-and-spice version; malai tikka is marinated in cream and cheese for a mild, silky result; hariyali is a green marinade of mint, cilantro and spinach; paneer tikka is the vegetarian standard, often with peppers and onion on the skewer. On this menu as: Chicken Tikka Masala · Lamb Tikka Masala · Paneer Tikka Masala.
Biryani: Long-grain basmati layered with marinated meat, fried onions, saffron and whole spices and cooked "dum", sealed under a lid so the rice steams in the meat's juices. Hyderabad, Lucknow, Kolkata (with a potato and egg), Malabar and Sindh each have their own. Served with raita and often a thin gravy (salan). Pulao is the simpler, single-pot cousin. On this menu as: Biryani · Chicken Biryani · Vegetable Biryani.

How these dishes compare

Tikkatypically $15 across 366 menus
Biryanitypically $16 across 345 menus
Daltypically $11.99 across 344 menus
Naantypically $3.99 across 337 menus
Samosatypically $6.99 across 337 menus
Butter chicken (murgh makhani)typically $16 across 318 menus
Tandooritypically $11.97 across 316 menus
Roti, chapati & parathatypically $4 across 313 menus

Cumin & Curry on our other sites

menuzrrestaurant menus of every cuisine

Cumin & Curry

Menu

Appetizers

Soups

Sides & Salads

Non-Vegetarian Entrees

Vegetarian Entrees

Seafood Entrees

Tandoori Grill BBQ

Biryani

Fried Rice / Rice

Breads

Desserts

Drinks

How these dishes compare

Cumin & Curry on our other sites

More restaurants nearby