Every Indian kitchen revolves around a set of core staples. Ghee, or clarified butter, is the traditional cooking fat prized for its nutty flavor and high smoke point; it is made by simmering butter until the milk solids brown and separate, then straining them out. In Bengali and parts of northern cooking, mustard oil is also used, valued for its pungency. The trick with mustard oil is to heat it until it just reaches smoking point before adding food, which tames the harshness. Coconut oil is the traditional fat across South India, especially Kerala, where its flavor complements coconut milk-based dishes.
Dal, the Hindi word for both lentils and the dishes made from them, is the daily protein anchor of Indian cooking. Common varieties include toor (split pigeon pea), chana (split chickpea), masoor (red lentil), moong (mung), and urad (black gram). The typical preparation is straightforward: cook the lentils until soft, then finish with a tempering of spices bloomed in ghee or oil poured over the top.
Rice is equally central. Basmati, a long-grain aromatic rice grown in India and Pakistan, is the classic choice for North Indian dishes and is usually soaked for about 30 minutes, rinsed thoroughly, and cooked with a water-to-rice ratio of roughly 1.5 to 1.75 parts water to 1 part rice. South India favors short and medium-grain rices that pair with coconut, tamarind, and lentils.
Breads are the second major starch family. Naan is a leavened flatbread traditionally baked in a tandoor, a cylindrical clay oven that reaches very high temperatures. Roti (or chapati) is an unleavened whole wheat flatbread cooked on a tava. Paratha is a layered or stuffed flatbread, fried on the tava with ghee or oil. Puri is a small, unleavened deep-fried puffy bread, while bhatura is a larger, leavened version often served with chole. The flour of choice for most Indian breads is atta, a finely milled whole wheat flour, distinct from maida, the refined white flour used for naan and pastries. Chapati dough should be soft and slightly sticky and rested for at least 30 minutes to relax the gluten before rolling.
Rice and dal also combine into beloved one-pot dishes. Pulao is rice cooked with spices and vegetables or meat in a single pot, while biryani is a far more elaborate layered dish in which marinated meat and par-cooked rice are sealed together and slow-cooked using the dum method, in which a dough-sealed lid traps steam so the rice absorbs the flavors. Biryani is typically scented with saffron, cardamom, cloves, bay leaf, cinnamon, and mace. Khichdi is a much simpler comfort dish: rice and dal cooked together until soft, often eaten when one is feeling unwell because it is nourishing and easy to digest.