India’s Garlic Naan, Butter Chicken, Tikka, Masala Chai, Mango Lassi, Lassi, Sweet Lassi, Garam Masala, and Basmati rice, along with Australia’s Macadamia Nuts, are in the top five amongst various food categories in the TasteAtlas 2023-24 Awards.
Butter Garlic Naan is at number 2 in the Breads and number 7 100 Best Dishes in the World categories.
Butter Garlic Naan is a traditional Indian flatbread and one of the most popular versions of naan. It’s made with flour, yeast, salt, sugar, and yogurt. Once the dough has been baked in a hot tandoor oven, the golden naan is taken out and brushed with butter or ghee, then topped with minced garlic.
Butter Chicken and Tikka are at numbers 3 and 4 in the Chicken Dishes category.
Butter Chicken is the best-known of all Indian dishes and is a staple dish at most Indian restaurants. With a combination of roasted meat, plenty of spices, a rich gravy made with cream, tomatoes, and butter, this dish is best accompanied by naan bread and garnished with even more butter, coriander, or green chilis.
Indian tikka is a dish consisting of boneless meat, usually chicken, that is cut into smaller pieces and marinated in yogurt and traditional Indian spices such as turmeric, cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper, chili, garlic, and ginger. The meat is roasted over charcoal in a tandoor, the traditional cylindrical clay oven.
Masala Chai and Mango Lassi are at numbers 2 and 3 in the Non-Alcoholic Beverages category.
Masala Chai is an aromatic beverage that is made with a combination of sweetened black tea and milk that is spiced with a masala mix—which typically includes cardamom, ground ginger, cloves, cinnamon, and black peppercorns. In India, the drink is mainly prepared and sold at challah stalls, but modern interpretations of chai masala are enjoyed around the world.
Mango lassi is one of the most popular lassi varieties, consisting of yogurt (dahi) and fresh mango. It commonly includes cardamom, water, and sometimes sugar. The ingredients are combined until the drink is creamy and frothy. Mango lassi should always be served well-chilled. Among numerous types of lassis, this sweet mango version is the most common variety on the menus of Indian restaurants outside the country.
Garam masala is at number 2 in Herbs and Spices and at number 1 in the Spice Blends and Seasoning categories.
Garam Masala is an intensely aromatic blend of ground spices such as cinnamon, cumin, cardamom, cloves, and peppercorns. The spices used in garam masala vary from region to region, but no combination of spices is believed to be more authentic than another.
Basmati is at number 1 in the Rice category.
Basmati is a long-grain rice variety and is characterized by its flavor and aroma, which is very nutty, floral, and slightly spicy. Once cooked, the grains remain individual and don’t stick to each other, which allows curry and similar stew and sauces to coat every grain. The longer the grain, the better the rice, and the best basmati grains have a slightly golden hue.
Mango Lassi, Lassi, and Sweet Lassi are at numbers 1, 4, and 5 in the Dairy Beverage category.
This traditional Indian yogurt-based drink is made of milk, sugar, and curd that is kept in clay pots. Lassi is often flavored with a variety of fresh herbs, different spices, fruits, and floral essences. It is typically mixed with ice and served as an accompaniment to hot and spicy dishes, as it provides refreshment for the palate and soothes the body, especially on hot summer days. Sweet lassi is called metha lassi and it often contains ginger, mint, rosewater, cardamom, and exotic fruits like mango.
Namkeen lassi is the salty version of lassi, typically flavored with ground black pepper, garlic, and roasted cumin seeds.
Macadamia nuts are at number 4 in the Nuts category.
Macadamia nuts have a high oil content and were originally consumed raw or roasted over hot coals. The Aborigines used stones for cracking the nuts, and some bitter varieties have been ground to a paste to make them edible. The oil from the nuts was also used for body painting and skin rejuvenation. Their taste is reminiscent of hazelnuts, but the texture is smoother and almost buttery. It is recommended to pair the nuts with white chocolate or coconut-based desserts.
These rankings are out of 10,927 cataloged dishes, and 6,119 food products and ingredients, based on 395,205 (271,819 valid) dish ratings, and 115,660 (80,863 valid) food product ratings, these foods have recorded the best average ratings, per category.
Based on these ratings, the top 50 food items for each cuisine were extracted, and the best-rated cuisines in the world were ranked according to the average ratings of the best-rated dishes and food products of each country.
In addition to these rankings, lists of the best food cities, best food regions, dishes, and food products by category, as well as lists of the most legendary restaurants and cookbooks have been published.
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