People talk about "Indian food" as if it were one thing. It is really dozens of regional cuisines, each shaped by its climate, history and harvest. Knowing a little about the regions makes a menu far easier to read.
Punjab and the north
The food most people know first comes from the north - Punjabi tandoor cooking, rich gravies, and breads baked in the clay oven. This is the home of butter chicken, tandoori grills and dal makhani: warming, generous, built for cold winters.
The Mughlai courts
From the old imperial kitchens come the slow, fragrant dishes - biryanis, kormas, and braises perfumed with saffron, cardamom and cream. Mughlai cooking is the dressy end of the table, refined and aromatic.
Kashmir
Further north still, Kashmiri cooking leans on yoghurt, dried fruit and its famous red chillies. Rogan josh, a slow-cooked lamb curry, is the dish that travelled furthest from here.
The coast and the south
Head south and the food changes character entirely - lighter, hotter, built around coconut, curry leaves, tamarind and seafood. Rice replaces wheat, and the spicing brightens.
One kitchen, many regions
A good Indian menu draws on all of this. You will find the range across our menu, and more on our approach here.
