Have never had Indian food; can you help me choose?

Our family hasn't had traditional Indian food, just tried samosas. We have many good and well-reviewed Indian restaurants in our city, but we've been reluctant to try, since we would have no clue what to start with - what to order? Would appreciate some advice on some simple things to start with, so we can be introduced to the tastes and cuisine. Thanks for your help.Have never had Indian food; can you help me choose?
some Indian food can be HOT but I prefer milder dishes such as

chicken biryani

Tandoori

Rogan Josh

chick pea s/dahl

curry beef chicken prawn or pork

and my Indian friend makes delicious 'salad' which is greek natural yogurt with onion, tomatoes %26amp; cucumber salt %26amp; pepper mixed in

this is nice and cool and if the food is a little hot it helps cool the mouth.

I also learned how to make Bajis which is a batter made from chickpea flour/rice flour/cumin/corriander and strips of onion and great with a dip such as mango.

If you are thinking of trying Indian food start at home with a store bought curry sauce (such as Pataks) and try it with some rice and see how you like it.

I also love Parathas these can be bought frozen ready made and you just fry them for a couple of minutes they are great for breakfast and we often have them with cream cheese %26amp; bacon!

Another idea is to find a really good indian restaurant and talk to the chef about what your tastes are and go with his suggestion.You could also ask to try some 'samples' before you order or ask if they do a 'tasting plate a lot of restaurants do this for a small charge and it gives you the chance to try a little bit of everything before ordering your meal.

You could get some easy recipes online too and have a go at home I found the following sites to be very good

http://indianfood.about.com/

http://indianfood.about.com/od/breadreci鈥?/a>

http://forums.egullet.com/index.php?show鈥?/a>
Most Indian places offer a lunch hour buffet, check out the places in your area and go for the buffet!!!!! I'm sure you'll find something you like!!! The buffet is a great way to sample several dishes.....



Tandoori chicken or anything from the Tandoori oven is always a good bet for first timers.......and I've never had an Indian bread that I didn't love!!!!!Have never had Indian food; can you help me choose?
well try to find a buffet, then u can try the different foods...

but u might want to start with mild dishes (the spicyness is usually indicated on the menu)... e.g. chicken tikka masala, naan bread, chappatis (a bit like tortilla wrap bread), channa chaat (chick peas), daal (lentil soup), chicken bhuna, biryani (rice with meat)/pilao (rice sometimes with vegetables) or just plain boiled rice ...these dishes are relatively mild and in my opinion very tasty...



oh and don't forget mango lassi for the drink (a gorgeous milkshaky mango drink - except it's way better than a milkshake!) and u could try laddoo, rice pudding (trust me it's different to english rice pudding, but nice all the same) and maybe gulab jamun, ras gulla or jilebi (traditional sweets - they can be pretty sweet though!)
What ever it is eat the rice with it. It can be really hot and can constipate you.Have never had Indian food; can you help me choose?
Absolutely go for a banquet. Whenever you are trying a new cuisine, you should have a banquet if it's on offer. It's more expensive than a single dish, but it totally worth it to get a more rounded experience. Particularly because in many cultures that's how food is served. It's modernity that has us sitting down to a one pot wonder since we don't have enough time for food prep. It's also healthier to have a variety of dishes at once, so you get a variety of nutrients.

Tell your waiter it's your first time having Indian, and you are really wimpy with chilli. Don't go out until you can afford to spend up, then let the waiter order for you if they don't have a banquet on the menu.

Contrary to popular belief, curry does not mean hot, it means a mixture of spices. That mixture does not have to include chilli. That's the ingredient that clears your sinuses.

You should go right now! I'm traumatised that you haven't done this yet! Boring food=boring life! That's my motto in life :)
Novices to Indian cuisine often like their dishes to be fairly mild, so don't go overboard if they ask you how spicy you want it.



I'd recommend Tikka Masala (usually w/ Chicken), or Saag Panner (spinach and homemade cheese) or Mattar Paneer (peas with cheese). Biryani (a rice dish)is also often pretty mild.



Don't be afraid to ask the server for suggestions, that is part of what they do.
Butter chicken is amazing, so is Tikka Masala. You might like Channa Masala as well (chickpeas in tomato sauce with spices). Very yummy :)



I also agree that you should look for a restaurant with a buffet... that way, you can try a bit of everything.
it looks like you've got alot of meat suggestions here are some nice veggie things to include in your indian experience:

*Aloo-goobie / a califlower potatoe dish - order mild

*Shahee-paneer / soft cheese or crud in a curried yellow creamy sauce - order mild

*Masala dosa / a crepe like dish with potatoes %26amp; peas seasoned inside served with a yellow sauce - order mild

*Rita / like a light cucmber salad made with yogurt-very nice with other indian foods.

*Idily %26amp; Sambar / a type of dumping served floating in soup - order mild

* Roti %26amp; Nan / 2 of my favorite breads( flat round)

*Mango Lassie / yummy smoothie like drink

*Ladhu( Ladoo) / a peanutbutter tasting fudge kind of desert

*Sweet Rice / a little like rice pudding only served w/ rosewater

well hope this helps - happy eating!