Indian food isn’t necessarily known for its starters, however, once you have tried them we can guarantee that your takeaway orders will always contain a starter. There are quite a few different options to choose from, some of which you have probably tried before and others that you simply have to try. We have put together a complete guide to the best Indian starters available in the majority of local restaurants.
Samosas
We will start with a dish you have probably heard of, or even ordered, before. Even if you don’t usually have starter dishes when you order an Indian takeaway you will probably order some sharing sides like poppadoms, naan bread and samosas.
If you have never had a samosa before then you definitely need to try one. It is essentially a fried pastry with a delicious savoury filling, such as spiced potatoes, onions, peas, meat, or lentils. Try ordering samosas as your starter with some chutney, you can thank us later.
Onion Bhajis
This is another starter/side dish that we are sure you have already heard of. Again, many people add onion bhajis to their Indian takeaway order even if they aren’t as a specific starter. They usually come in a pack of 4 so are perfect for sharing, or for enjoying by yourself.
Similarly to a samosa, onion bhajis paired with some chutney and a bit of onion salad makes the perfect Indian starter.
Paneer and Chicken Pakoras
These two starters are probably less common, yet they are definitely worth trying. Paneer cheese and chicken are two of the most popular types of pakoras. This is another deep-fried starter, these ingredients are dipped in a batter made from gram flour before being fried in a similar way to onion bhajis.
Again, you can have pakoras by themselves but we would recommend that you try them with a dip, chutney or raita. These are the dips you will usually receive with your order when you ask for poppadoms, they work brilliantly with the majority of starters.
King Prawn Puree
Trust us when we say once you have tried this starter you won’t be able to order an Indian takeaway without it. Think of a savoury pancake-style bread with spicy king prawns in a delicious tomato-based curry sauce. King prawn puree is a classic starter and you will find it on almost every Indian restaurants menu.
This starter guarantees a flavour explosion on your palate especially and we would recommend that you have it drizzled with a little bit of mint yoghurt/raita.
Aloo Tikki
This is another incredible starter that you may not have heard of before, think of this as an Indian potato croquette. The dish is made from potatoes, lentils, chilli and a range of other traditional spices.
To experience this starter in the best way it should be eaten warm with a side of saunth, tamarind and coriander-mint sauce.
Seekh Kebab
The last starter we would recommend that you try is a seekh kebab. If you normally order mixed tandoori meat you may have already tried this without realising. This starter is usually two skewers of ground meat mixed with a range of Indian spices. Seekh kebabs are also cooked in a tandoor the same way lots of other Indian meats are.
Your seekh kebab is usually served with an onion salad and again, it tastes great with a range of different traditional dips. You could even try eating the kebab with some naan bread for more of a filling starter.
Ordering your Indian starters
The range of starters that are offered by your local Indian restaurant will be clearly shown on their menu and they often have an explanation of dish also so, you know exactly what you are ordering. If you would like to go ahead and order food now to try some of these starters then we would direct you to the ChefOnline website.
You will be presented with a range of restaurants that all offer local takeaway delivery, you can view their menus, read reviews on their food and decide who you would like to order your takeaway with. The process is always simple when you choose ChefOnline, all you need to do is add the dishes you would like to your basket and proceed to the checkout. Once you have ordered your online takeaway, your food with be with you in no time.
