The Vocabulary of Indian Food
Some common words related to food in Hindi (and several of the other North Indian languages) are translated here. A similar table, or a link, for food related words in the South Indian languages would be welcome. Remind me of any word I've forgotten to put down. See also a list at Aston. Thanks to Elise Aymer and Sudha Ahuja for adding to this list.
| A | |
| Aadu | Peach |
| Aam | Mango |
| Aamchur | Dried mango powder |
| Achar | Pickles |
| Adrak | Ginger |
| Ajmud | Celery seed |
| Ajwain | Oregano (also Bishop's weed) |
| Akhrot | Walnuts |
| Aloo | Potato |
| Amla | Indian gooseberry |
| Amrud | Guava |
| Amsool/kokam | Fruit indigenous to the west coast: Garcinia Indica. (news) |
| Ananas | Pineapple |
| Anar | Pomegranate |
| Anardana | Pomegranate seeds |
| Anasphal/Dagad phool | Star anise |
| Anda | Egg |
| Angoor | Grapes |
| Anjeer | Figs |
| Arbi | Colocasia plant, elephant ear |
| Arhar | Pigeon-peas (so arhar dal, same as toor/tuvar dal) |
| Atta | Whole corn flour (see also maida) |
| Attar/ittar/ruh | generic term for essence |
| B | |
| Badam | Almonds |
| Baigan/baingan/brinjal | Aubergine, eggplant |
| Bajra/Bajri | Millet |
| Bandh gobhi | Cabbage (see also Phool gobhi and gobhi) |
| Besan | Chick pea flour |
| Bhajee | Vegetable |
| Bheja | Brain |
| Bhindi | Okra (Lady's fingers) |
| Brinjal/baigan/baingan | Aubergine, Egg Plant |
| C | |
| Chakotra | Grapefruits |
| Chana | Chick peas, gram (see also Kabuli chana) |
| Chana dal | Split chick peas |
| Chatni/chutney | Savoury or sweet sauces used to accompany meals |
| Chawal | Rice (generic) |
| Chickoo/chikoo | Sapodilla |
| Chowli/lobia | Black-eyed beans |
| Chhaas/Chhaach | Buttermilk |
| Chhilka | Rind (generic) |
| Chini/shakkar | Sugar (but kabab chini is different) |
| Chuara | Dates |
| Chulai ka sag | Amaranth (see generic sag) |
| Chutney/chatni | Savoury or sweet sauces used to accompany meals |
| D | |
| Dagad phool/Anasphal | Star anise |
| Dahi | Yoghurt |
| Dal/dhal | Pulses (generic, so moong dal, chana dal etc) |
| Dalia/lapsi | Cracked wheat |
| Dalchini/Darchini | Cinnamon (see also Jungli dalchini) |
| Dhania | Coriander |
| Doodh | Milk |
| E | |
| Elaichi/ilaichi | Cardamom |
| G | |
| Gajar | Carrot |
| Garam Masala | a blend of cumin, pepper, cloves and cardamom |
| Gehun | Wheat (so gehun ka atta) |
| Ghee | Clarified butter (without milk solids) |
| Ghia/lauki | A variety of north Indian gourd |
| Gobhi/gobi | Cabbage or cauliflower (see also Bandh gobhi and Phool gobhi) |
| Gosht | Meat (generic; specific meats are called after the animal) |
| Gulab | Rose |
| Gulab jal | Rose water |
| Gur | Jaggery (raw cane sugar) |
| Gurda | Kidney |
| H | |
| Haldi | Turmeric |
| Halwa | any of several puddingy sweets (gajar halwa, rawa halwa etc) |
| Halyan/shatwar/soot mooli | Asparagus |
| Hara dhania | Coriander leaves (see also dhania) |
| Hara piaz | Spring onion (see also piaz/pyaz) |
| Heeng | Asafoetida |
| I | |
| Ilaichi/elaichi | Cardamom |
| Imli | Tamarind |
| Ittar/attar/ruh | generic term for essence |
| J | |
| Jaee | Oats |
| Jaiphal/zaiphal | Nutmeg |
| Jau | Barley |
| Javitri | Mace |
| Jeera | Cumin (see also siya jeera) |
| Jowar | Barley |
| Jungli dalchini | Cassia (see also Dalchini) |
| K | |
| Kabab | Any of a variety of meatballs made of keema |
| Kabab chini | Allspice (but chini is different) |
| Kabuli chana | White gram (see also chana) |
| Kaddu | Pumpkin (see also lauki, ghia) |
| Kaju | Cashew nuts |
| Kakari | Cucumber |
| Kala namak | rock salt |
| Kaleja | Liver |
| Kali mirch | Pepper |
| Kalonji | Nigella (also called onion seed) |
| Kamrakh | Starfruit, carambola |
| Karhai/Karai | A hemispherical frying pan, used for deep frying |
| Kathal | Jackfruit |
| Katori | small metal bowls |
| Keema/kheema | Minced meat (usually mutton) |
| Kela | Banana |
| Kesar/kesari/zafran | Saffron (stigma of the crocus flower) |
| Keora/kewra | Screwpine |
| Khajur | Dates |
| Kharbuja | Melon (see also tarbooz) |
| Khas khas/khus khus | Poppy seeds |
| Khatta | Sour |
| Kheema/keema | Minced meat (usually mutton) |
| Kheer | A milk pudding |
| Kheera | Cucumber |
| Khopra/Nariyal | Coconut |
| Khubani/zardalu | Apricots |
| Khurasani ajvayayn | Henbane (? also called kaarala?) |
| Kismis | Raisins (see also munakka) |
| Kofta | Meatballs or vegetables shaped into a ball before cooking |
| Kokam/amsool | Fruit indigenous to the west coast: Garcinia Indica. (news) |
| Kokum | See kokam above |
| Korma/khorma | technique where meat is cooked in a little water, yoghurt, ghee or oil with garam masala |
| Kulfi | Icecream |
| Kumbhi | Mushroom |
| L | |
| Laddoo | generic dry sweet made into balls |
| Lahsun | Garlic |
| Lal mirch | Red chilis (see also Mirch) |
| Lapsi/dalia | Cracked wheat |
| Lauki/ghia | A variety of north Indian gourd |
| Lavang/laung | Cloves |
| Lobia/chowli | Black-eyed beans |
| M | |
| Machhli/machchhi | Fish (generic) |
| Madhu | Honey |
| Maida | Flour |
| Makai | Corn |
| Malai | Cream |
| Makhan/Makkhan | Butter |
| Masoor (dal) | Red lentils |
| Masala | Spices (generic) |
| Matar | Peas |
| Methi | Fenugreek |
| Mewa | Dried fruits |
| Mirch/Mirchi | Chilis (so lal mirch means red chilis) |
| Mooli | Radish |
| Moong | Mung beans |
| Moongphali | Ground nuts |
| Munakka | Sultanas or large raisins (also bara kismis; see kismis) |
| Murg/murgi | Chicken |
| N | |
| Nagkesar/Nagkeshar | Cobra saffron (CAUTION) |
| Namak/nimak | Salt (see also Kala namak) |
| Nariyal/khopra | Coconut |
| Nimbu | Lemon |
| P | |
| Palak | Spinach (also sag) |
| Paneer | Cottage cheese, fromage blanc |
| Papar | Papadom |
| Papita | Papaya |
| Paratha | Layered fried bread, somtimes stuffed such as aloo paratha |
| Pauwa/poha | Rice flakes |
| Phool Gobhi | Cauliflower (see also Bandh gobhi and gobhi) |
| Puri | Fried bread |
| Piaz/pyaz | Onions |
| Pista | Pistachio |
| Poha/pauwa | Rice flakes |
| Pudina | Mint |
| R | |
| Raai | Mustard seeds (see also sarson) |
| Raan | Leg of mutton |
| Rabri | Sweetened clotted milk |
| Rajma | Red Kidney beans |
| Raita | Yoghurt mixed with salads, nuts or other garnish, used as an accompaniment to meals |
| Ratan jogh | A bark-like condiment used for colouring Kashmiri dishes like Roghan Josh |
| Rawa/sooji | Semolina |
| Roti | Bread (generic) could include phulkas, naan, etc. |
| Ruh/attar/ittar | generic term for essence |
| S | |
| Sabudana | Sago |
| Sabzi/Sabji | Vegetable (generic) |
| Sag | Greens (generic, so sarson ka sag etc) |
| Sanjana/sejan ki phali | Drumsticks |
| Sarson | Mustard (so also sarson ka tel; see also raai) |
| Saunf | Fennel (see also Vilayati saunf) |
| Seekh | Skewer (so seekh kabab) |
| Sejan ki phali/sanjana | Drumsticks |
| Semiya/seviyan | Vermicelli |
| Sev | Apple |
| Shakahari | Vegetarian |
| Shakarkand | Sweet potatoes |
| Shakkar/chini | Sugar |
| Shalgam | Turnip |
| Sharbat | Generic name for drink made with syrups and water |
| Sharifa/sitafal | Custard apple |
| Shatwar/soot mooli/halyan | Asparagus |
| Shorba | Soup, gravy |
| Simla mirch | Capsicum, bell peppers |
| Singhara | Water chestnuts |
| Sirka | Vinegar |
| Sitafal/sharifa | Custard apple |
| Siya jeera | Caraway (see also jeera) |
| Sonth | Dried ginger |
| Sooji/rawa | Semolina |
| Soot mooli/shatwar/halyan | Asparagus |
| Siriphal/Bael | Stone apple |
| Suwa | Dill |
| T | |
| Tamatar | Tomato |
| Tandoor | An oven of baked mud, from north India (so tandoori roti, tandoori murg) |
| Tarbooz | Water melon (see also kharbuja) |
| Tawa | Griddle |
| Tej Patta | Bay leaf |
| Tel | Oil (generic, so sarson ka tel, moongphali ka tel etc.) |
| Til | Sesame |
| Thandai | Cold milk drink |
| Toor/tuvar | Pigeon-peas (so toor dal, same as arhar dal) |
| U | |
| Urad | black gram (so urad dal) |
| V | |
| Vilayati saunf | Aniseed (see also saunf) |
| Z | |
| Zafran/kesar/kesari | Saffron (stigma of the crocus flower) |
| Zaiphal/jaiphal | Nutmeg |
| Zardalu/khubani | Apricots |