Indian Regional Cuisine: Discover the Flavors That Define India's States

When you think of Indian regional cuisine, the diverse food traditions across India’s states, shaped by climate, history, and religion. Also known as state-specific Indian food, it’s not just one cuisine—it’s dozens, each with its own rules, ingredients, and soul. What you eat in Kerala has almost nothing in common with what you’d find in Punjab, and that’s the point. This isn’t about generic curry or tandoori chicken. It’s about the fiery chilies of Andhra Pradesh, the coconut-based stews of Tamil Nadu, the mustard oil and fish of Bengal, and the slow-cooked meat dishes of Kashmir. Each bite tells a story of land, season, and tradition.

Take spicy Indian dishes, the intense heat-driven food cultures found in southern and eastern states. Andhra Pradesh doesn’t just use chili—it lives by it. Their gutti vankaya curry, stuffed eggplant in fiery red paste, isn’t for the faint-hearted. Compare that to Bengal, where spice is balanced with sweetness—think mustard-seed-infused fish curries and rosogolla soaked in syrup. Then there’s the north, where dairy and wheat dominate: butter chicken, paneer tikka, and naan aren’t just meals—they’re comfort. Even the way you eat changes: in the south, it’s often rice and curry with your hands; in the north, it’s roti scooping up rich gravies. And yes, South Indian food, the rice-based, tamarind-and-coconut-rich cuisine of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and Andhra, is a world apart from the wheat and dairy-heavy North Indian food, the Mughal-influenced, creamy, bread-centric dishes of Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi. These aren’t just cooking styles—they’re cultural identities.

Food here isn’t random. It’s tied to religion, caste, harvest cycles, and even colonial history. Why do Gujaratis avoid onion and garlic? Why do Tamil Brahmins eat only sattvic meals? Why does a Bengali wedding feature a whole fish, while a Punjabi one serves tandoori chicken? These aren’t quirks—they’re rules passed down for generations. You’ll find all of this reflected in the articles below: from the spiciest state in India to the forbidden foods in Hinduism, from food etiquette to the dish that sells the most worldwide. There’s no single Indian food. There are hundreds. And each one is worth understanding.