Paneer: Fresh, unaged cheese made by curdling hot milk with lemon juice or another acid and pressing the curds into a firm block. It does not melt, so it can be grilled (tikka), fried, or simmered in gravies, and it is used throughout North Indian cooking. On this menu as: Chili Paneer · Paneer Tawa Masala · Kadai Paneer.
Garam masala: "Masala" simply means a spice blend, or the sauce built on one. Garam masala ("warm blend") is the finishing mix of cardamom, cinnamon, clove, cumin, black pepper and other whole spices toasted and ground, added at the end of cooking for aroma rather than heat. Every region and household has its own proportions. On this menu as: Chicken Tikka Masala · Lamb Tikka Masala · Paneer Tawa Masala.
Aloo, gobi, bhindi, baingan, matar: The vegetable vocabulary of a North Indian menu: aloo is potato, gobi cauliflower, bhindi okra, baingan eggplant (bharta is roasted and mashed), matar peas, jeera cumin. Malai kofta are dumplings of paneer and potato in a creamy gravy. "Aloo gobi" is potato and cauliflower; "matar paneer" peas and paneer, and so on. The name is the recipe. On this menu as: Gobi Manchurian · Aloo Jeera · Aloo Saag.
Saag & palak: A dish of cooked leafy greens such as mustard greens or spinach, with spices and sometimes other ingredients. Sarson ka saag (mustard greens) eaten with makki ki roti, a maize flatbread, is the best-known Punjabi version, and saag gosht pairs the greens with mutton. On this menu as: Chicken Saagwala · Lamb Saagwala · Saag Paneer.
Tikka: Boneless cubes marinated and grilled on skewers in the tandoor. Chicken tikka is the yogurt-and-spice version; malai tikka is marinated in cream and cheese for a mild, silky result; hariyali is a green marinade of mint, cilantro and spinach; paneer tikka is the vegetarian standard, often with peppers and onion on the skewer. On this menu as: Chicken Tikka Masala · Lamb Tikka Masala · Paneer Tikka Masala.
Biryani: A layered rice dish of spiced meat, seafood or vegetables, cooked slowly so the rice takes on the flavors of the meat and its marinade. It likely developed in the Mughal court kitchens from Persian pilau, and is now one of the most popular dishes in South Asia, with regional styles such as Hyderabadi. Pulao is the plainer, unlayered cousin. On this menu as: Biryani · Chicken Biryani · Vegetable Biryani.

How these dishes compare

Fried ricetypically $13.99 across 421 menus
Tikkatypically $15.95 across 417 menus
Biryanitypically $16 across 397 menus
Naantypically $3.99 across 386 menus
Samosatypically $6.99 across 384 menus
Daltypically $11.99 across 372 menus
Butter chicken (murgh makhani)typically $16 across 367 menus
Roti, chapati & parathatypically $4 across 361 menus

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How these dishes compare

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