Below is a basic description of some of the more popular dishes that you may well see on every Indian restaurant menu although the tastes may vary from restaurant to restaurant as each Chef has his/her own secret formula in creating a superb result, diners usually ask that their meal be cooked in a mild, medium, or hot sauce, but Indian cooking is an art in itself and depends not only on the hotness but in the use of the ingredients applied.

BALTI

Balti describes the cooking pot, the deliciously spiced food cooked in it, and a place of distant origin [Baltisan North Pakistan]. It's evolution began thousands of years ago with Nomadic tribes people in the cold Himalayan regions, they needed to keep culinary equipment to a minimum and therefore chose a versatile wok-like pan which could be used for braising, boiling, and frying, Balti dishes are cooked in a special Balti sauce and may be quite dry and rich tasting unlike other curries, a very unique method is used in the preparation of Balti dishes, measurements are very precise with the resulting dish having a complex flavour and aroma, it's shorter cooking time means the flavours of individual ingredients remain distinct.

MADRAS

Madras a Southern Indian dish originating from the town of Madras is characterized by it's use of an abundance of spices, Garlic, Exotic ground spices and a touch of lemon juice combine to form a dish of medium consistency.

VINDALOO

Is much the same as Madras but involving a greater use of spices, Garlic, Ginger, Black pepper and tomato puree to produce a fiery hot taste and recommended only to the serious connoisseur.

JALFREZI

Jalfrezi is a combination of fresh herbs cooked with Green Chillies, Onions, Tomatoes, Capsicums, and coriander which makes this dish a little hotter than Madras but slightly milder than a Vindaloo.

TANDOORI

Tandoori dishes are marinated in yoghurt lightly spiced then Barbequed in a charcoal clay oven called a Tandoor. Many Tandoors are fired by gas while the more traditional ones are fired by charcoal which gives more depth to the taste.

TIKKA

Tikka is marinated in much the same way as Tandoori but a different selection of herbs and spices are added to the marinade before being put on a skewer and barbequed in a charcoal clay oven.

TIKKA-MASSALA

Tikka-Massala means blend of spice's, Tikka is marinated Chicken or Lamb added to fresh cream, tomato puree and mild spices creating a tasty aromatic massala sauce.

ROGAN JOSH

Rogan Josh an authentic Indian dish and slightly milder than a Madras is prepared with slices of tomato, onion, pimento, capsicums and a wide variety of fresh herbs and spices to give a rich spicy flavour.

DUPIAZA

Dupiaza cooked in an over abundance of freshly fried spiced onions, tomatoes and green peppers make this a rather pungent dish with a dry consistency and medium strength.

DANSAK

Dansak has an unusual sweet and sour taste combing lentils and pineapple with garlic, ginger, and medium spices to make a deliciously mild sauce.

SAMBER

Samber is an old favourite from Southern India, also cooked with lentils this dish uses an arrangement of spices that are blended together with lemon which gives this dish a sharp and distinctive flavour of Madras strength.

KORMA

Korma is a term used for 'braised meat ' of Mogul origin Korma is cooked with a mix of fresh cream, coconut, sugar and light spices to form a mild, sweet and creamy flavored dish.

BIRYANI

Biryani is a traditional dish from the times of the Moghul emperors, and is cooked with the meat or vegetables of your choice, what makes these dishes unique is that they are prepared with fragrant basmati rice lightly spiced, garnished with an omelette and served with a mild vegetable curry sauce.

RICE

In the central states of the Indian subcontinent there are as many varieties of rice as there are potatoes, the poorer Indian learned to cook numerous variations creating tasty filling meals with the addition of just a hand full of spices, Basmati bought from almost any supermarket is among some of the best rice you can buy it has travelled from the foothills of the Himalayas and is watered by the snowfed rivers of the Himalayan mountains producing an exquisite delicate flavour.

Basmati is used for a wide variety of dishes Pilau or boiled being the most common, you can add almost anything to rice creating several tasty side dishes or even main meals such as the Biryani mentioned above.

BREAD

In the early years wheat and barley was the main staple diet as rice was not discovered until much later. Nan-bread the more familiar form of bread eaten with curry takes a little longer to prepare using flour, yogurt, milk, sugar, yeast and ghee or butter then cooked in the traditional way by placing it inside a charcoal clay oven [Tandoor]. Nan is the Middle Eastern term for 'Bread' so in reality when you order 'nan bread' you are in fact asking for 'bread bread'.

Rotis [Chapatti as we know them] are the easiest form of Indian bread with just two ingredients flour and oil is a type of unleavened bread rolled flat like a pancake and best eaten soon after cooking.