The same ingredient carries a different name in every kitchen it is cooked in. Here is what the Hindi, Urdu and regional names on a recipe mean in English, and what else each one is called.
Dals, beans and legumes · Grains, flours and rice · Vegetables and greens · Spices and seasonings · Dairy, fats and sweeteners · Cooking terms and equipment
| Name | In English | Also called |
|---|---|---|
| Urad dal | Black gram, split | maash ki dal, mash dal, mashkalai dal, kalai dal, black lentil |
| Chana dal | Split brown chickpea, Bengal gram | cholar dal, chholar dal |
| Toor dal | Pigeon pea, split | arhar dal, tuvar dal, tur dal |
| Moong dal | Mung bean, split | green gram, mung dal |
| Masoor dal | Red lentil | sabut masoor is the whole brown lentil |
| Rajma | Kidney beans | — |
| Kabuli chana | White chickpeas, garbanzo beans | safed chana |
| Kala chana | Brown chickpeas | desi chana, bengal gram, whole |
| Lobia | Black-eyed peas, cowpea | chawli, chowli, barbati |
| Kulith | Horse gram | gahat, gahad, kulthi, hurali, muthira |
| Matki | Moth bean | math, matki usal is the sprouted dish |
| Val | Hyacinth bean, field bean | sem, avarekai, vaal |
| Safed matar | Dried white peas | ragda is the cooked mash of them |
| Gawar | Cluster beans | guar, gavar |
| Soyabean nuggets | Textured soy chunks | nutrela, soya badi |
| Name | In English | Also called |
|---|---|---|
| Atta | Wholewheat flour | gehun ka atta, chapati flour |
| Maida | Refined white flour | all-purpose flour, plain flour |
| Besan | Gram flour, chickpea flour | chana ka atta |
| Sooji | Semolina | rava, suji |
| Makki ka atta | Maize flour, cornmeal | not cornflour, which is the starch |
| Bajra | Pearl millet | kambu, sajje |
| Jowar | Sorghum | cholam, jola |
| Ragi | Finger millet | nachni, kezhvaragu |
| Jhangora | Barnyard millet | samak, sanwa, vrat ke chawal |
| Poha | Flattened rice | chivda, aval, beaten rice |
| Murmura | Puffed rice | mudhi, pori, kurmura |
| Sabudana | Sago, tapioca pearls | javvarisi |
| Dalia | Broken wheat, cracked wheat | lapsi, godhuma rava |
| Seviyan | Vermicelli | semiya, shavige |
| Idli rice | Parboiled short-grain rice | ukda chawal, puzhungal arisi |
| Name | In English | Also called |
|---|---|---|
| Bhindi | Okra, ladies' finger | vendakkai, bhendi |
| Baingan | Aubergine, eggplant | brinjal, begun, vangi, kathirikai |
| Lauki | Bottle gourd | doodhi, ghiya, sorakkai |
| Karela | Bitter gourd, bitter melon | pavakkai, hagalkai |
| Parwal | Pointed gourd | potol, potala, palwal |
| Turai | Ridge gourd | tori, beerakaya, peerkangai |
| Tinda | Apple gourd, Indian round gourd | — |
| Petha | Ash gourd, winter melon | kumbalanga, boodh kumra |
| Kaddu | Pumpkin | bhopla, parangikai |
| Kundru | Ivy gourd | tendli, tindora, dondakaya |
| Arbi | Taro, colocasia | ghuiyan, seppankizhangu |
| Suran | Elephant foot yam | jimikand, oal, chena |
| Kathal | Jackfruit, unripe | enchakka, phanas |
| Mooli | Radish, daikon | mullangi |
| Shalgam | Turnip | — |
| Patta gobi | Cabbage | bandh gobi |
| Phool gobi | Cauliflower | gobi |
| Matar | Green peas | — |
| Methi | Fenugreek leaves | menthya soppu, vendhaya keerai |
| Palak | Spinach | pasalai keerai |
| Sarson | Mustard greens | rai ka saag |
| Chaulai | Amaranth greens | lal saag, thotakura, harive soppu |
| Bathua | Chenopodium, lamb's quarters | — |
| Kamal kakdi | Lotus root | bhee, nadru |
| Sahjan | Drumstick, moringa | munagakaya, murungakkai |
| Amla | Indian gooseberry | nellikai, avla |
| Shakarkandi | Sweet potato | ratalu |
| Kachcha kela | Raw banana, plantain | vazhakkai |
| Name | In English | Also called |
|---|---|---|
| Haldi | Turmeric | manjal, arishina |
| Jeera | Cumin | zeera, jeerakam |
| Dhania | Coriander seed | kothamalli vithai, malli |
| Saunf | Fennel seed | perumjeeragam, variyali |
| Methi dana | Fenugreek seed | vendhayam, menthe |
| Ajwain | Carom seed | omam, bishop's weed |
| Kalonji | Nigella seed | mangraila, black cumin, loosely |
| Hing | Asafoetida | perungayam, ingu |
| Rai | Mustard seed | sarson, kadugu, sasive |
| Kali mirch | Black pepper | milagu, menasu |
| Choti elaichi | Green cardamom | elakkai, yelakki |
| Badi elaichi | Black cardamom | kali elaichi |
| Laung | Cloves | lavang, krambu |
| Dalchini | Cinnamon, cassia bark | pattai |
| Tej patta | Indian bay leaf | cassia leaf |
| Jaiphal | Nutmeg | jathikai |
| Javitri | Mace | jathipatri |
| Chakra phool | Star anise | anasphal, badiyan |
| Kadi patta | Curry leaves | kariveppilai, meetha neem |
| Pudina | Mint | putina |
| Kasuri methi | Dried fenugreek leaves | — |
| Amchur | Dried mango powder | amchoor |
| Anardana | Dried pomegranate seed | — |
| Kokum | Garcinia indica, dried rind | aamsul, punarpuli |
| Imli | Tamarind | puli, hunase |
| Khus khus | Poppy seed | posto, gasagase |
| Til | Sesame seed | ellu, gingelly |
| Kesar | Saffron | zafran |
| Deghi mirch | Mild red chilli powder | kashmiri mirch, for colour |
| Name | In English | Also called |
|---|---|---|
| Dahi | Yogurt, curd | thayir, mosaru, doi |
| Ghee | Clarified butter | tup, nei |
| Makhan | Butter | loni |
| Malai | Clotted cream | — |
| Paneer | Fresh pressed cheese | chhena is the same curd, undrained |
| Khoya | Reduced milk solids | mawa, khoa |
| Chaas | Buttermilk, thinned | majjige, moru, taak |
| Sarson ka tel | Mustard oil | kachi ghani is the cold-pressed grade |
| Gur | Jaggery | gud, vellam, bella |
| Mishri | Rock sugar | kalkandu |
| Nariyal | Coconut | thengai, kobbari |
| Kaju | Cashew | mundiri |
| Badam | Almond | — |
| Pista | Pistachio | — |
| Chironji | Charoli seed | chirongi |
| Kishmish | Raisins | draksha |
| Name | In English | Also called |
|---|---|---|
| Tadka | Tempering: spices bloomed in hot fat and poured over | chhaunk, baghar, phodni, oggarane |
| Tadka dal | Dal finished with a tempering | dal tadka, dal fry is the fried-onion version |
| Bhuna | Browning: frying masala until the fat separates | bhunao |
| Dum | Slow-steaming in a sealed pot | dum pukht |
| Kadhai | Deep wok-shaped pan | karahi, cheena chatti |
| Tawa | Flat griddle | tava, kallu |
| Handi | Deep round-bellied pot | chatti |
| Sil batta | Grinding stone | ammikkal, pata varvanta |
| Masala | A spice mix, or the fried base of a dish | — |
| Saag | Cooked greens | keerai, soppu |
| Sabzi | A cooked vegetable dish | subzi, palya, poriyal |
| Rasam | Thin sour pepper broth | saaru, chaaru |
| Kadhi | Yogurt and gram flour curry | majjige huli is the southern cousin |
| Chutney | Fresh or cooked relish | thogayal, pachadi |
| Achar | Pickle | oorugai, loncha |
| Papad | Thin lentil wafer | appalam, happala |