- By Bornika Das
- Wed, 23 Apr 2025 06:17 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Indian Curries In Taste Atlas: The global online food ranking platform Taste Atlas has released its roundup of the Top 50 Best Stews in the world. The list contains international dishes, including nine from India. The top five spots in the 50 Best Stews list were given to Kari Ayam from the Philippines, Thai Phanaeng Curry, Dzhash from Armenia, Murgh Makhani from India and Japanese Kare. These dishes are defined as ‘çurries’ as per their respective countries. But what has made the Indians and food lovers proud is the inclusion of nine Indian curries in the list of the top 50 stews in the world.
Although the technical definition of Stew as per the Oxford Dictionary is “a dish of meat and vegetables cooked slowly in liquid in a closed dish or pan,” the meaning can be extended to cover curries as well. While stews are commonly applied to cuisines with a Eurocentric past, curries are from central, eastern and southern Asian cultures.
What Are Curries?
The concept of curry is the anglicised version of the Tamil word ‘Kari.’ The difference between stews and curries lies in the fact that curries are built up on a base of spices, whereas stews are usually slowly cooked with meat and vegetables together in a pot to allow their flavours to combine.
Here’s the list of nine Indian curries that made it to the Top 50 Stews in the world in Taste Atlas.
Indian Curries That Featured On Taste Atlas' 50 Best Stews In The World
Murgh Makhani
This Indian curry dish has secured the fourth spot in the Taste Atlas' 50 best stews list. Originating in the 1950s, this dish hails from Delhi and features tandoori chicken cooked in a rich, buttery and creamy sauce. Reportedly, murgh makhani was created at Moti Mahal restaurant as a way to utilise leftover tandoori chicken by combining it with a delicious, mildly spiced gravy.
Keema
Keema secured the eighth position in the list and it is a popular Mughlai dish throughout the Indian subcontinent. Keema consists of minced meat (typically lamb or goat), which is cooked with onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic and a blend of aromatic spices. The curry is garnished with fresh coriander leaves and is generally served with naan or rice.
Misal
Maharashtra is the home to misal, a spicy sprouted moth bean curry topped with crunchy farsan (fried savoury mixture), onions, tomatoes and coriander. This is a protein-rich street food that is traditionally served with pav (bread rolls). Misal, which has been in the 12th spot on the Top 50 Stew list in Taste Atlas, features a distinctive spicy gravy called 'kat' or 'sample'.
Korma
This is a Mughlai dish where the meat or vegetables are cooked with yoghurt or cream, stock, and aromatic spices. The dish has a mild, nutty flavour that comes from a paste of cashews, almonds or poppy seeds. The name has been derived from the Persian word “braising.”This curry has ranked 24th in the Taste Atlas.
Vindaloo
Vindaloo was originally created by Portuguese colonists who brought the dish named “carne de vinha d'alhos” (meat in wine vinegar and garlic) to Goa. Later, the locals substituted the palm vinegar for wine vinegar and added Kashmiri chillies and spices, creating the hot, tangy curry Vindaloo curry which mainly consists of pork or lamb. It has secured the 27th position in the list of Taste Atlas.
Dal Tadka
This is the staple across North India and is made with yellow lentils (usually toor or moong dal), which are tempered with cumin, garlic, onions and dried red chillies fried in ghee. The word ‘tadka’ in dal tadka refers to this tempering technique where spices are heated in ghee to release their essential oils before being poured over the cooked lentils. Dal tadka is in the 34th position.
Saag Paneer
This curry is popular in Punjab and northern India and combines pureed leafy greens (typically spinach) with cubes of fresh paneer cheese. The green curry is cooked with ginger, garlic, onions and spices and is then finished with cream or ghee for richness. This is a nutritious vegetarian dish that has attained the 39th position in Taste Atlas’ Top 50 Stew list.
Shahi Paneer
As the name suggests, this is a royal dish straight from the kitchens of the Mughals. Shahi Paneer consists of paneer cubes that are cooked in a luxurious gravy of cream, tomatoes and ground cashews or almonds. Flavoured with cardamom, saffron and rose water, this mild curry is widely eaten in North India. Shahi Panner ranks in the 40th position of Taste Atlas.
Xacuti
This Goan curry features roasted coconut and a blend of over a dozen spices, including star anise, black pepper and poppy seeds. Typically made with chicken or lamb, Xacuti shows the Portuguese influence of Goan culture through its intricate layers of flavours. Xacuti has made it to the 50th position in the 50 Best Stew list of Taste Atlas.