Indian Food Origin Stories That Are A Delicious As The Dish

Indian cuisine is well-known for its diversity with different dishes emerging from different regions of the subcontinent. Many of them have some interesting stories that can teach you about the history and legends of the subcontinent. Many of them tell of how necessity leads to invention, while many are just amusing to read. These stories are worth knowing the next time you try some Indian food in New York.

Paneer

India’s favorite cheese cottage has many origin stories with the most famous one related to Mongols. According to this version, some Mongols were out on a long trip riding their horses with some milk stored in leather bags called mushkis. The heat of the desert turned the milk into a cheese cottage, which they tried and found delicious. This later made its way to India through the Mughals who descend from the Mongols.

Butter Chicken

Perhaps the most famous Indian food in New York, it’s a more recent addition to the list when compared to most dishes. The founders of Moti Mahal, Kundan Lal Gujral and Kundan Lal Jaggi, invented it when they found that they didn’t have enough ingredients for a tandoori chicken ordered by a VIP guest late at night. They used the remaining chicken and cooked it in a generous amount of tomato sauce and butter to invent the dish.

Vada Pav

Invented in 1971, this snack is also one of the latest dishes to take the Indian masses by storm. Ashok Vaidya, the inventor, invented it in his food stall at the Dadar station in Bombay after he realized that passengers needed a dish that they could consume on-the-go. He served pav with a red chutney made from coconut, chilies, garlic, tamarind pulp and peanuts.

Samosa

This popular snack found at the best Indian takeout in NYC traces its origins to the Middle Eastern sambusa. The Central Asian spice traders brought the minced-meat filled sambusa with them because it was easy to cook while traveling. Indians replaced the minced meat with vegetables because they were mostly vegetarian. The result is a fried crispy cone snack filled with mashed potatoes and peas.

Dal Bati Churma

Considered a must-try dish if you ever visit the desert state of Rajasthan, Dal Bati Churma was invented out of necessity to survive food shortage during wars. Bati, in particular, is a dough of wheat dipped in ghee that could last for long. It requires very few ingredients and little water, perfect for deserts. Churma and dal were added later making it the delight it is today.

Chicken 65

A must-try for spicy food lovers searching for the best Indian takeout in NYC, this dish is a soldier’s dish. Chef A. M. Buhari invented it in Hotel Buhari, Chennai, to serve Indian soldiers fighting Pakistan in 1965. This non-veg dish could be prepared quickly and was an instant hit. It has spawned many myths like having 65 pieces of chicken, 65 kinds of spices and chilies, requiring a 65-day old chicken or being the 65th item on the menu of an army camp.

Mysore Pak

The signature sweet dish of Mysore was invented by the royal chef Kakasura Maddappa for the King Nalawadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar in the early 20th Century. It was one of the many dishes that the chef would prepare to please the king. The chef named the sweet on the spot when the king asked what it was, with pak meaning a sweet concoction.

Chai

Tea is often associated with Ancient China but the Indian tea called chai has its own legend. According to legend, it was invented more than 5000 years ago when King Harshawardhan of Ahom ordered a drink to remain alert in court. The chai served then is very different from that served at the best Indian restaurant in New York with brewers adding milk to the drink much later.

Biryani

The origins of biryani have been a subject of debate for ages though most scholars agree that it must be derived from the Persian dish called birian. Some scholars believe that it was brought by the Mughals while others believe that it was brought much earlier by Turkic-Persian rulers and/or Arab/Persian traders. Different varieties of biryani have their own stories to tell.

One such story is how Mughal Empress Mumtaz Mahal ordered chefs to prepare a dish for soldiers that would help with the malnutrition but could be finished in one serving. So if you enjoyed a plate of the aromatic rice dish at the best Indian restaurant in New York, then you have her to thank for making it mainstream.