Probably the most consumed and exported Indian dish internationally, tandoori chicken, and more broadly tandoori, are Indian culinary specialties widely consumed by Indians themselves. Basically, it is a method of cooking in the tandoor, an earthen oven. Subsequently, chicken tandooris appeared, borrowing this method of cooking, macerated in spicy yoghurt and spiced before cooking. Now, the term "tandoori" applies to all foods cooked in this way. Tandoori chicken is inherited from many, many recipes, but the yogurt-related spice blend almost always contains curry, ginger, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Once the chicken is well marinated (1 hour minimum), it takes on its typical orange-red color and its distinctive tandoori flavor.
In India, the breads are of a great variety but also of a very great complexity. Among them, we find uttapam (a kind of pizza dough), dozai, or dosa (thin pancake made from lentil flour), roti and chapati (wholemeal flour pancake), and naan. Also spelled nân, it is a round, flat and puffy bread eaten in several regions of Central Asia and South Asia. In India, plain naan accompanies many dishes, but you can also find it flavored like cheese naan, filled with cheese, or butter naan covered with butter. From the basic recipe (flour, salt, yeast, lukewarm milk, plain yoghurt, egg, melted butter and peanut oil), it's up to you to prepare naans at home flavored with coriander, cardamom or other spices.
Biryani and pulao are typical Indian dishes eaten throughout the country. These are specialties based on pilaf rice (usually basmati rice) flavored with saffron, with or without meat. Biryani is prepared with chicken (usually), spices, eggs and vegetables. Pulao, on the other hand, is considered more of a convivial party dish because of its very nutritious side. The meat pulao contains, in addition to rice, potatoes, peas, green beans, carrots, lamb, beef and chicken.
