Glossary of Indian Food Terms ~ Hindi to English

Also, see the dictionary for English to Hindi food terms.

Indian Food Names A to Z in Hindi to English

According to Wikipedia, there are 122 major languages in India (and over 1500 minor languages!). Hindi is the "official" language, along with English, and it is spoken by roughly 420 million people. So you will find Indian food names in Hindi translated to English in this glossary.

The Indian (Hindi) word for food is khaana or khaanaa. The spelling of Hindi words varies around the country, so I add the various spellings as I find them. This Indian food glossary is updated frequently so bookmark this page and visit often. ~ Alonna

Jump to:

• Indian Food Names A to Z in Hindi to English
• Indian Cooking Terms (also see Dairy)
• ​Chutneys and Pickles
• ​Dairy
• Indian Food Terms & Dishes
• ​Drinks
• Fruit (phal)
• Fruit (dried), Nuts, & Seeds
• ​Meat and Poultry
• ​Oils
• Pulses, Beans, Peas, & Grains
• Seafood (machli - machchhi)
• Spices, Herbs, & Seasonings
• Indian Vegetables in Hindi

Indian Cooking Terms (also see Dairy)

Here is a list of Indian cooking terms that includes cooking pots, utensils, methods, and various cooking styles.

• Balti: Bucket
• Bawarchis: Chef
• Belan: Rolling pin
• Bharta: To mash
• Bharwa: Stuffed
• Bhuna/bhunao: Cooking over high heat with spices and little or no water; caramelizing.
• Bonda/urundai: Ball shape
• Chatpata/chutpata: Piquant; hot and sour
• Chilke: Peel
• Danedar: Coarse or granulated
• Dhungar: To infuse smoke into a dish using charcoal
• Degh/deg/degch/deghchi/degii: Large round, deep pot traditionaly used over a wood fire
• Dum style: Steam
• Godhuma Dosa: A South Indian unfermented wheat dosa
• Gosht: Usually referring to lamb or goat
• Gota moshlar mangsho: Bengali meat curry with whole spices
• Haandi/handi: Earthenware cooking pot
• Haddi: Bone
• Ishtu: Keralan breakfast. A stew made with potatoes, ginger, chili, curry, & coconut
• Kachcha: Raw/uncooked
• Kaddu kas: Grater
• Kadhai/karhai/kadai/karahi: Wok, a bowl-shaped frying pan
• Kala: Black
• Kappi kachal: The cooking of a bit of appam batter to help with fermentation
• Khatta/khatti: Sour
• Kinvit/kinema: Fermented plant-based food
• Kinvan/vikshobh: Fermenting
• Kohzi: Chicken (A Kerala chicken curry: Nadan Kohzi)
• Kosha Mangsho: Bengali meat or chicken curry, slow-cooked and highly spiced
• Kulthi dal: Horse gram. A very nutritious legume eaten for health reasons
• Kurkuri: Crispy
• Laccha: Coiled, as in laccha paratha
• Lagan: Aluminum or copper round pan used to make biryani, etc.
• Makhani: Cooked with butter and cream
• Mahha/maha: Mashed, macerated, or muddled
• Masala dani/masala dabba: Spice box
• Masaledar/masaaledaar: Spicy
• Mathani: A wooden tool to cream (make butter) or mash lentils
• Matka: Earthen pot
• "Maza haath mein hota hai:" "the taste comes from the hand"
• Medhu/vada ulunthu vadai: South Indian snack of lentils, spices, and curry leaves
• Milai/milani: To mix
• Mirchi: Spicy
• Mithai: Sweet
• Moyan: The oil/ghee mixed into flour to make food crisp and flaky
• Murgh: Chicken
• Murukku: South Indian buttery round spiral-shaped fried snack
• Muth: To hand-crush
• Nadan: Cooking pot
• Nalli: Bone marrow used to enrich a stew (as in nalli nihari)
• Nihari: Slow-cooked mutton curry
• Pakka: Ripe or raw
• Pateelaa: A large pot
• Patti: Strip, roll, or sheet
• Pre-soaking: Lentils, grains and other pulses are frequently soaked prior to cooking
• Reshmi: Silky
• Sabji/bhaaji: Any vegetable dish
• Sada: Dish that is plain or white
• Salna: A thin gravy usually made with meat stock
• Shengole: Mildly spiced Maharashtrian dumplings of horse gram flour
• Shil Nora: Traditional grinding stone (similar to a mortar and pestle)
• Tarka/tadka/chaunk/bagar/vagar/vaghar: Frying spices in oil to add flavor to a dish
• Urundai/bonda: Ball shaped
• Varuval: Fried, frying
• Vikshobh/kinvan: To ferment

​Chutneys and Pickles

• Achar/aachar: Pickle or relish
• Chutney: Flavorful sauce made from vegetables, herbs, spices, and sugar

​Dairy

• Angoori: Small balls of chenna/chhena
• Chenna/chhena: Crumbles of fresh cheese
• Cream (fresh): Amul is an often used brand
• Dahi: Yogurt/curd
• Doodh: Milk
• Ghee: Clarified butter made from cow or buffalo milk
• Ghee, desi: Clarified butter; made from cow's milk
• Khoya/mawa: Dried whole milk/condensed milk
• Makhan/makkhan: Butter
• Malai: Cream/skin that forms on top of boiled milk
• Mattha/chhaach/chach/chaas/chas: Buttermilk
• Mishti Doi: Bengali sweetened, caramelized yogurt
• Naariyal ka doodh: Coconut milk
• Paneer: Fresh cheese pressed into a block
• Rabri: Long-cooked milk until it is condensed
• Unda/baida: Eggs

Indian Food Terms & Dishes

Here is a comprehensive list of dishes in Hindi to English food names. This will help you when you read the menu at your favorite Indian restaurants.

• Achari: Pickle flavor
• Adai: A South Indian flatbread made from rice and lentils, similar to dosas.
• Adrakr murgh: Ginger chicken; North Indian
• Akki: South Indian rice bread
• Alugadde/Aloogadde palya: Potato dish (South Indian)
• Anda: Eggs
• Appam: Thin pancake from rice and lentils
• Avial: South Indian vegetable yogurt curry
• Bakarkhani: North Indian flatbread or cracker
• Balchao: Goan sweet and sour dish; meat or vegetable
• Barfi/burfi: Indian fudge
• Bhang/bhaan: Fresh cannabis leaves used in dishes and drinks
• Bhel puri: Street snack of yogurt, chutney, lentils
• Bharta: Spicy mashed vegetable dish such as baingan bharta ~ TOP 20 Dish!
• Bharwas/Bharwan: Mushrooms filled with various mixtures, an appetizer
• Bheja: Brains fry
• Bhelpuri: Indian street food made from puffed rice, onions, chutney
• Bhoger: A food offering
• Bhuja moshla: Bengali roasted and ground spice blend
• Bhuna/kosha: slow-cooked meat gravy over low flame for a rich, dark-brown gravy
• Beej: Seeds
• Biryani/biryiyani/biriaini: Layered rice and meat or vegetables ~ TOP 20 Dish!
• Bondas/vadas: Round, crispy, deep-fried snack made of lentils and vegetables, served with chutney
• Boti kabab/kebab: Marinated cubes of meat cooked in a tandoor
• Bhaja masala: A Bengali multi-purpose spice mixed used on vegetables and pulses
• Chaat/chatpata: Sweet and sour snack made from fruit, vegetables, crisp lentil crackers ~ TOP 20 Dish!
• Chapati/roti/phulka: Unleavened flatbread made with whole wheat flour
• Cheela/chilla/chila: A healthy flatbread made from chickpea flour/besan/Bengal gram, or moong dal
• Curry: Dish of meat or vegetables cooked in a sauce flavored with an infinite combination of spices. It is ALSO a mix of dry spices, which varies from region to region. The word curry comes from the Tamil ‘kari,’ meaning sauce. ~ TOP 20 Dishes: Shrimp Curry, Potato Curry, Chickpea Curry, Fish Curry!
• Dangar: A South Indian crispy fritter made with a rice and lentil batter, with vegetables and spices
• Dal/daal: Soup made from lentils and spices
• Dal chawal: Dal over a bowl of rice
• Degi: A North Indian curry cooked in a degh (see above in Cooking Terms)
• Dhaba: Casual roadside restaurant in Punjab, serving local cuisine.
• Do pyaza: Mild creamy sauce made with meat and a large amount of onions
• Dosa: Thin, crispy pancake often filled with a dry masala
• Dry (shookhi): Dry curry (meat or vegetable dish) that has very little sauce or gravy
• Firni/Phirni: Rice pudding made with coarsely ground rice
• Gatte: Chickpea (besan) flour dumplings
• Ghonto: “Mish-mash,” or a mixture of vegetables. A Bengali vegetable dish.
• Gulab Jamun: Deep-fried sweet similar to doughnuts, served in a sweet syrup
• Gulkand: Rose petal jam.
• Halva/halwa: Sweet made from milk, vegetables, and spices
• Hara/hari: Green
• Hara bhara kebab/kabab: A North Indian green vegetable appetizer or snack
• Idli: Steamed rice cakes made from fermented rice and lentil batter
• Jalebi: Orange sweet crisp round swirls, made from wheat flour and deep-fried
• Kachumber: Indian mixed vegetable salad
• Kababs/kebabs: Marinated cubed or ground meat, skewered and grilled ~ TOP 20 Dish!
• Kadhi: Yogurt gravy thickened with besan
• Kalvan: Curry in the Marathi language, spoken in the west Indian state of Maharashtra
• Karanji: Pastries made from whole wheat flour, filled with grated coconut and sugar
• Kati/kathi: Stick or skewer, or rolled snack (kathi roll)
• Kathi roll: A snack of a rolled and filled flatbread
• Khara bath/masala bath: South Indian "spicy pudding" eaten for breakfast
• Khatta/khatti: Sour
• Kheer/payasam: Rice pudding
• Khichadi/khichdi: Mildly spiced rice and lentil dish
• Keema/kheema/Qeema: Ground meat
• Khatkhatem: A Goan mixed vegetable, coconut, and lentil stew
• Khofta/kofta/kola: Ground meat with spices formed into balls or logs, often simmered in a sauce thickened with nuts/poppy seeds.
• Kootu/mulakootal: A South Indian vegetable, lentil, and coconut stew
• Korma: Meat or vegetables in a mild yogurt or cream sauce with spices ~ TOP 20 Dish!
• Kosambari: South Indian salad with coconut, lentil, and a vegetable
• Kosha/Bhuna: slow-cooked meat gravy over low flame for a rich, dark-brown gravy
• Kulambu: South Indian dal with vegetables in masala
• Kulcha: Flatbread often stuffed with onion or potatoes
• Kulfi: Indian frozen dessert
• Kuska biryani: A biryani without meat or vegetables (South Indian)
• Kuzhambu: A South Indian tamarind-based vegetable and coconut curry
• Labra: A Bengali mixed vegetable dish
• Laccha: Coiled, as in laccha paratha
• Lagan dal: Gujarati wedding dal
• Lassi: Sweet or savory yogurt drink flavored with fruit and spices
• Maa ki dal: Dal made with whole black gram/urad dal
• Makhani: Rich, creamy dish with butter or ghee
• Malai tikka or reshmi tikka/kabab: Chicken (murgh) mildly spiced, grilled pieces
• Mangsho: A spicy, hot Bengali mutton curry
• Masala: Blend of spices, dry or in a paste; same as the second definition of a curry described above
• Masaledar/masaaledaar: Spicy
• Meethi/meetha/meethe: Sweet as an adjective or dessert
• Methi curry: A dish with fenugreek, either fresh or dried leaves, seeds
• Mishti doi: Fermented, sweetened yogurt
• Modak: Cone shaped dumplings with sweetened coconut
• Mulakootal/kootu: A South Indian vegetable, lentil, and coconut stew
• Murgh: Chicken
• Murgh Angara: A hot, spicy, smoky chicken curry (Mughlai, North India)
• Murgh makhani: Butter chicken ~ TOP 20 Dishes!
• Murgh masalam: Mughal, North Indian whole chicken stuffed with eggs and cooked with onions and spices
• Muttai kalakki: Tamil Nadu spiced scrambled eggs
• Mutter paneer: Peas and paneer in a sauce
• Mutton: Goat meat; lamb makes a good substitute
• Mysore pak: Fudge made from ghee and besan
• Naan: Leavened flatbread similar to pita.
• Nadan curry: A peppery coconut milk-based chicken or beef curry.
• Nihari: North Indian meat or poultry slow-cooked stew
• Niramish: A vegetarian dish prepared with mixed vegetables.
• Olan: A lightly spiced vegetable dish cooked in coconut milk from Kerala.
• Paan: Betel leaf stuffed with betel nuts, lime, fennel seeds, and other spices. Often eaten after a meal.
• Pachadi: Raita in Tamil
• Pahadi: Northeastern Indian cuisine "of the hills."
• Pakoras: Crisp, fried snack; a fritter made from vegetables and chickpea flour ~ TOP 20 Dish!
• Pandi curry: A sweet and sour pork curry (Karnataka)
• Paneer:  Fresh cheese, pressed to remove liquid, cut into cubes and added to sauces or used instead of meat.
• Papadum/papad: Crisp lentil crepe served with a meal with chutneys
• Paratha: Flaky unleavened flatbread made from whole wheat flour
• Pasaanda/pasande: A rich North Indian Moghul dish using prime cuts of meat
• Pathiri (Malayam): Rice flour and coconut flatbread
• Patia: A Parsi seafood or vegetable dish in a thick sweet and sour tomato sauce
• Patta/pata/patte: Leaves
• Pav/pao: Bread
• Pav bhaji: Street food; mashed vegetables with a soft roll
• Paya: Trotters, leg, or hoof
• Payasam/kheer: Indian rice pudding
• Paya curry: Goat leg curry
• Phalahaar: Meal of fruits
• Phool: Flower
• Phulka/chapati/roti: Unleavened flatbread made with whole wheat flour
• Pulao: Mild rice dish cooked with vegetables and spices
• Puri/poori: Deep-fried whole-wheat puffy flatbread
• Puttu: Cylinders of steamed rice and coconut
• Pyaaji: Onion fritters/bhaji/pakora/pakoda
• Raan: Whole leg of lamb or goat
• Raita: Cooling yogurt-based condiment flavored with vegetables, fruit, and herbs
• Rasam: Thin spicy South Indian broth
• Rasgulla: Balls of thickened milk, cooked in a sugar syrup
• Reshmi: Silky
• Restaurant-style vs Home-style cooking: Home-style is often lighter, ingredients and sauces may be fresher, more nuanced, and healthier than dishes cooked in a restaurant, which often serves up richer, thicker gravies
• Rezala: Meat curry with black pepper
• Rogan josh: Rich lamb curry ~ TOP 20 Dish!
• Roti/chapati: Whole-grain, unleavened flatbread
• Saag: Saucy dish of pureed leafy greens
• Saaru: A South Indian masala or soup
• Sabji/sabzi/bhaaji: Any vegetable dish
• Sadhya: Banquet or feast
• Salli: Sticks as in potato sticks
• Salna: A thin gravy usually made with meat stock
• Sambar/sambhar: Spicy South Indian lentil soup; often served with idli/dosa
• Samosa: Fried stuffed pastry eaten as a snack or appetizer ~ TOP 20 Dish!
• Sattvick: Pure vegetarian diet
• Sev: Thin, small pieces of crunchy noodles made from gram/chickpea flour
• Shahi: Royal, for kings
• Sherbet: Cold drink
• Shorba/chorba: Soup, vegetarian or not
• Sbuzi/sabzi: A spiced vegetable dish
• Shaak: A Bengali vegetable dish
• Sukha/sukka/sookhi: Dry curry; little sauce
• Tambuli/thambuli/tambli: Raita eaten in the state of Karnataka
• Tandoori: Any dish made in a traditional tandoor oven ~ TOP 20 Dish!
• Tapelu/Khatri tapelu: A rich slow-cooked lamb or goat stew popular in Gujarat.
• Tehri, tehari or tayari: Rice dish, yellow from Awadhi cuisine
• Tel: Oil
• Thali: Round platter used to serve a meal, but also meaning a meal comprised of many small dishes.
• Thalipeeth: Multi-grain flatbread popular in western India
• Thoran: South Indian stir-fried vegetable dish and coconut dish
• Tikka: Cubes of meat, or a dish of vegetable patties that are fried and served as a snack
• Torkari/tarkari/shaak: Spiced Bengali vegetable curry
• Undhiyu/ubadiyu: Gujarati mixed vegetable dish; often with sweet potatoes
• Upma: Spiced semolina cooked with vegetables, often eaten for breakfast
• Urundai/bonda: A ball
• Vada/vade/wada: A ball made from potatoes and lentils, then battered and fried.
• Varutharacha: South Indian curry with roasted coconut and spices made into a paste.
• Varak: Thin edible silver foil, used to decorate dishes
• Vindaloo: Portuguese meat dish (often pork) made with vinegar, spices, and chilis ~ TOP 20 Dish!
• Yahni/yakhni: A North Indian yogurt-based stew, traditionally made with mutton

​Drinks

• Chai/chaa: Tea
• Feni/Pheni: Goan liquor
• Lassi: Yogurt-based drink
• Thandai: A cold drink made from dried seeds, cardamon, saffron, almonds, and milk

Fruit (phal)

• Aadu/aadoo/adoo/aaru: Peach
• Aam: Mango
• Aam ka patta: Fresh mango leaf shoots
• Aam papad: Dried mango pulp
• Aaroo: Peach
• Aloo bukhaara: Plum
• Amarphal: Persimmon
• Amla: Indian gooseberry
• Amrood: Guava
• Anaar: Pomegranate
• Ananas: Pineapple
• Anjeer/anjir: Fig
• Angoor: Grapes
• Ber: Plum, Indian/jujube
• Carambola: Starfruit
• Cantaloupe/musk melon:
• Chakotra/shaddock: Pomelo
• Chikoo: Sapota/sapodilla
• Jaitoon/jolphail/zetoon/zaitoon: Olive
• Jungle jalebi/ganga iml: Madras thorn/Manila tamarind
• Jamun: Java plum
• Kaitha bel/kath-be/kabeet: Wood apple
• Kachch kela: Green/raw banana
• Karonda: Conkerberry
• Katahal: Jackfruit
• Kela: Banana
• Khajoor/khajur: Dates
• Kharbooja: Musk melon/cantaloupe
• Krishna phal: Passion fruit
• Khubaanee/khubani/khumani/jardaloo: Apricot
• Lichee: Litchi/lychee
• Nariyal: Coconut and (dried coconut is sookha nariyal)
• Neelbadri: Blueberry
• Nimboo: Lime or lemon
• Santra: Orange
• Papeeta: Papaya
• Nashpati: Pear
• Makhanphal: Avocado/butter fruit
• Mosambi: Sweet lime
• Narangi: Tangerine
• Rasbhari: Cape gooseberry/ground cherry
• Santra/narangi: Orange
• Seb: Apple
• Shahtoot: Mulberry
• Sitaphal/sitafal/seetaphal: Custard apple
• Tamatar: Tomato
• Tarbooj/kalingad: Watermelon

Fruit (dried), Nuts, & Seeds

• Akhrot/akroot: Walnuts
• Badam: Almonds
• Beej: Seeds
• Chhuar/Khajoor/khajur, sookhe: Dried Dates
• Chilgoza: Chestnut
• Imli: Tamarind
• Kaddoo ka beej: Pumpkin seeds
• Kaju: Cashews
• Kanthal: Jackfruit
• Kishmish: Raisins/currants
• Khubaanee, dookhee: Apricot, dried
• Moong Fali/moomphali: Peanuts/groundnuts
• Mukhwaas: Flaxseeds
• Nariyal: Coconut
• Neembu/nimbu: Lemon or lime
• Makhana: Lotus seeds/fox nuts
• Pista/green Piste: Pistachio
• Sabja: Chia seeds
• Supari: Areca nuts/betel nuts
• Sūrajamukhī kā bīj/soorajamukhee ke beej: Sunflower seeds
• Til: Sesame seeds

​Meat and Poultry

• Buttak/battak: Duck
• Gosht: Red meat (beef, lamb, or mutton)
• Maans: Meat
• Murgh/murghi: Chicken
• Suar ka: Pork

​Oils

• Ghee: Clarified butter
• Kusan/kusumbo: Safflower oil
• Makhanphal tael: Avocado oil
• Narial ka tael: Coconut oil
• Saron ka tael: Mustard oil
• Tel: Oil

Pulses, Beans, Peas, & Grains

• Arhar dal/toor/tuvar/togre bele: Pigeon peas
• Atta: Whole wheat flour
• Bajra: Pearl millet
• Barri/chena/vair: Proso millet
• Besan: Bengal gram flour/gram flour made from brown chickpeas
• Bhat: Boiled rice
• Chana/Chole: Whole chickpeas/garbanzo beans
• Chana dal/kala chana dal: split, skinless black chickpeas/ Bengal gram/yellow gram
• Chana kala: Bengal gram or black chickpea
• Chawal/chaval: Rice
• Chaval ka atta: Rice flour
• Cholia/Hara (Green) Chana: Chickpeas
• Chana ka atta/Besan: Gram flour
• Dal/Daal/: Split lentils/pulses
• Dalia/samba rava: Cracked wheat
• Gehun: Wheat
• Gobindobhog: South Indian short-grain rice
• Jau: Barley
• Jhangora: Barnyard millet
• Jowar: Sorghum millet
• Kulthi: Horse gram
• Lobia/lobhia/chawli: Black eyed peas/cowpeas
• Jowar/juvar: Sorghum
• Kabuli chana: White gram/chickpeas
• Kala/kali chana/kalaith/kulthi: Horse gram/black chana/chickpeas
• Kakum/kangni: Foxtail millet
• Kodra: Millet, kodo
• Kurmura: Puffed rice
• Kutki: Litte millet
• Kuttu ka atta: Buckwheat
• Maida: All-purpose flour/refined flour/fine wheat flour
• Makai ka atta: Cornmeal/maize flour/cornflour
• Masoor dal: Split red lentils
• Matar dal: Dried peas, split
• Moong dal: Split green gram/small yellow lentils
• Motth: Moth beans
• Poha/chiwda: Beaten/flattened rice
• Quinoa: Quinoa
• Ragi: Finger millet
• Rajma: Red kidney beans
• Saboodana/shudhana/sabudana: Sago, starch from the sago palm
• Sabut moong: Whole moong beans/green moong
• Sooji/suji/rava: Semolina
• Safed/sukhe/sookhe or vatana matar/mutter: Dried green or white peas
• Tuar/Arhar Daal: Peas, pigeon/red gram:
• Urad/urid dal/dhuli: Black gram split and skinless
• Urad/urid dal with chilka: Black gram split with skin
• Urad/urid dal/sabut: Black gram whole
• Vaal dal: Fava/horse/broad beans
• Vatana: Dried white or green peas; see also safed/sukhe/sookhe
• Vilayati jown/jai: Oats

Seafood (machli - machchhi)

• Bagda chingri: Tiger prawn
• Bumallo/bombil: Bombay duck (small fish)
• Chingri: Shrimp/prawn
• Golda chingri: Lobster
• Machli ke ande: Fish roe
• Paplet/pabda/pupta machli: Butter fish
• Rawas: Indian salmon (unrelated to Western salmon)
• Rui/rohu machli: green carp
• Samudra-pheni/feni: Squid
• Saranga: Silverfish/pomfret

Spices, Herbs, & Seasonings

• Adrak: Ginger
• Ajinomoto: Monsodium glutamate
• Ajwain: Carom seeds
• Amchoor/amchur: Dried mango powder
• Anardana/anardhana: Pomegranate seeds
• Araroot/paniphal/tikora: Arrowroot
• Asafetida/asafoetida/hing: Dried strong-smelling resinous gum
• Bhustrina: Lemongrass
• Byadgi mirch: (medium to hot)Deep red chili from the state of Karnataka.
• Chakra phool: Star anise
• Cheeni/chini/shakkar/saakar: Sugar
• Chironji/charoli: Almond flavored seeds
• Dalchini: Cinnamon
• Deghi mirch: A mix of capsicum (bell pepper) & paprika (very mild)
• Dhania powder: Coriander powder
• Dhania/dhone patta: Coriander leaves/cilantro, hara (green
• Chhoti ellaichi: Green cardamom
• Gamboge/garcinia xanthochymus: Kokum
• Ganthoda: From the root of a long pepper; natural remedy
• Ganna: Sugar cane
• Garam masala: Spice mix
• Gulab: Rose
• Gulab jal: Rose water
• Gur/gud: Jaggery/jagary is a dark brown palm sugar
• Haldi/huldi: Tumeric
• Hara dhania/dhaniya: Cilantro/coriander leaves
• Hari mirch: Green chili
• Hing/heeng: See Asafoetida
• Imli: Tamarind
• Javitri/javetry/javaitry: Mace
• Jaiphal/jyfal: Nutmeg
• Jeera: Cumin seeds
• Kababchini/kebabcheeni: Piper cubeb/java pepper
• Kala jeera:  Black cumin seeds; see also shahi jeera
• Kala namak/sanchal: Black rock salt
• Kali elaichi/Illaichi/bari/badi: Brown/black cardamom
• Kali mirch: Black pepper
• Kali tulsi: Basil
• Kalonji: Nigella seeds/black onion seed
• Karipatta: Curry leaves
• Kashmiri lal mirch: Red chili (mild)
• Kasoori methi: Dried fenugreek leaves
• Kesar: Saffron
• Khus khus: Poppy seeds
• Lal mirch: Red chili
• Lambee mirch: Long pepper
• Lasan/lassan/lahsun/lahsun: Garlic
• Laung/loang: Cloves
• Masala: A mixture of ground spices
• Methi dana: Fenugreek seeds
• Mirch, kala: Black pepper
• Mirch, lal: Red chili. See Kashmiri lal mirch, deghi mirch, and byadgi mirch
• Mishri: Rock sugar or candy sugar, an unrefined sugar
• Namak: Salt
• Nimboo ka Sat: Citric acid
• Panch phoron/paanch phoron: Bengali spice blend
• Patthar phool: Stone flower
• Pippali/pipli: Long pepper
• Podi: A South Indian ground spice mix
• Posto: Poppyseeds
• Pudina: Mint
• Ratan jot/alkanet: Root used as red food coloring
• Safed mirch/shamarich: White pepper
• Sarson/sarason/raai/raee: Mustard Seeds
• Saunf/saumph/moti/shatphool/dodd jeera: Fennel seeds
• Sendha namak: Rock salt
• Shahi/siya/kala jeera: black cumin (NOT kalonji/nigella OR caraway); see vilayati jeera.
• Shabdkosh: Poppy seeds
• Sirka: Vinegar
• Sowa/savaa/suva: Dill
• Sui ki bhaji: Dill
• Tej patta: Bay leaf
• Tirphal/teppal: Variety of Sichuan/Szechuan pepper
• Tulsi: Holy basil
• Vilayati jeera: Caraway seeds

Indian Vegetables in Hindi

• Ajavaayan: Celery
• Adrak: Ginger
• Aloo/aaloo/alu: Potatoes
• Arbi/cocoyam/colocassia/taaro: Taro root
• Baans ka patta: Bamboo shoots
• Baingan/brinjal: Eggplant/aubergine
• Bathua: White goose foot/lamb’s quarters
• Bhein: Lotus root
• Bhutta sabut: Corn on the cob
• Bhindi: Ladies’ fingers/okra
• Chachinda//chirchinda/chirchir: Snake gourd
• Chawli/chauli bhaji: Amaranth leaves
• Chow chow/cho cho: Chayote
• Chukandar: Beetroot
• Desi makai: White corn
• Dhania patta: Fresh coriander/cilantro
• Dosakaya: Yellow cucumber
• Farash/Parash: String/green/French beans
• Gajar: Carrot
• Gawar phalli: Cluster beans
• Gilka: Silk squash
• Gobi: Cauliflower
• Gucchi: Wild mushrooms
• Haathe chak: Artichoke
• Hara/hari: Green
• Hara/haree matar: Green peas
• Hara/hari pyaz: Spring onions/scallions
• Hari mirch: Green chillies
• Hari phoolgobhi: Broccoli
• Jimikand/zimikand/ratalu: Elephants’ foot yam
• Kaddu: Pumpkin
• Kakadi/kakari/kakdi/kheera: Thin cucumber (Armenian melon)
• Kamal kakadi: Egyptian bean/lotus root
• Kantola/kakoda: Spiny/teasle gourd
• Karela: Bitter gourd
• Kari patta: Curry leaves
• Kathai: Jackfruit
• Kele ka phool: Banana flower
• Kheera: Cucumber (gourd)
• Khumb/kukurmutta: Mushrooms
• Kolrabi: Nol/knol/khol
• Kundri: Ivy gourd
• Laal ainthan: Red amaranth
• Lauki/doodhi: Bottle gourd
• Lahsun/lassan/lasan/lehsun: Garlic
• Lobia: Cowpea (see grains)
• Lunia: Purslane
• Makai/makka/makki: Corn
• Methi ki patte: Fenugreek leaves
• Mirch: Chilli (see hari, shimla mirch)
• Mishrikand: Jicama/yam beans
• Mooli/moolee: Radish
• Mooli ka patta: Radish leaves
• Moomphali: Fresh chickpea
• Mutter/matar (hara/haree matar): Peas
• Nenua: Sponge gourd
• Nol khol: Kolrabi
• Parmal: Pointed gourd
• Patta/patte: Leaves
• Patta gobi/paat gobhi: Cabbage
• Palak/saag: Spinach
• Petha/kaddu: Ash/wax gourd/winter melon
• Phali: Beans
• Pharas: String beans
• Phool/phul Gobi: Cauliflower
• Pitwaa: Sorrel
• Poi saag: Ceylon/Malabar spinach
• Pudina: Mint leaves
• Pyaz/pyaaj/piaaz: Onions or shallots
• Rajgira/ramdana/seel: Amaranth
• Sarson/sarason/sarson ka saag: Mustard greens
• Sem ki phalli/sheem/valor papdi: Broad beans
• Shakarakand: Sweet potato
• Shalgum/shalajam/sakartam: Turnip
• Shalajam/sakartam ka saag: Turnip greens
• Shatwar/halyan/sootmooli: Asparagus
• Shimla mirch: Capsicum/bell peppers
• Singhada: Water chestnut
• Surjan ki phalli: Drumstick
• Suva bhaji: Dill
• Tamatar: Tomatoes
• Tinda: Apple gourd
• Tindora/tendli/tundru: Ivy gourd/scarlet gourd
• Turai/tori: Ridge gourd
• Valor papdi/sheem/Sem ki phalli: Broad beans

Happy Cooking!

~Alonna