Indian Food Allergy Guide
भारतीय व्यंजन · India
Indian cuisine presents contradictions: it has the world's largest vegetarian population yet ghee (clarified butter containing trace dairy proteins) is in nearly everything, cashew paste hides in gravies that look tomato-based, and asafoetida — used in virtually every dal — almost always contains wheat flour as a carrier agent. The gap between 'this cuisine should be safe' and 'this cuisine will cause a reaction' is wider in Indian food than almost any other tradition.
Allergen data cross-referenced against published allergen databases.
1. Set your dietary restrictions
Unsafe dishes will be flagged and safe dishes highlighted below.
2. Hidden allergen traps in Indian cooking
ghee
घी (ghee)
Ghee is clarified butter that retains approximately 0.01% milk protein after the clarification process. While lactose-intolerant people are usually fine, those with IgE-mediated milk protein allergy (casein, whey) are NOT safe. Ghee is used in tempering (tadka), on breads, in rice, and in most sweets.
cashew paste
काजू पेस्ट (kaaju paste)
Cashew paste is the thickener that creates the creamy texture in korma, butter chicken, makhani gravies, and many other restaurant curries. Restaurants often buy pre-made curry base and may not know it contains cashews. The sauce looks tomato-cream based but is partially nut-based.
asafoetida
हींग (heeng / hing)
Pure asafoetida resin is gluten-free, but over 90% of commercial hing powder sold in India is compounded with wheat flour as a carrier to prevent clumping. It is used in virtually every dal, lentil dish, and many vegetable preparations. Gluten-free hing (cut with rice flour) exists but is specialty.
yogurt marinade
दही (dahee)
All traditional tandoori marinades use yogurt as the tenderizing base. Tandoori chicken, chicken tikka, seekh kebab, and boti kabab all use yogurt. The yogurt is not visible on the finished product after high-heat cooking but allergens remain.
fenugreek
मेथी (methee)
Fenugreek is in the Fabaceae family (same as peanuts) and has documented clinical cross-reactivity with peanut allergens. It is used extensively in Indian cuisine as a spice (methi seeds) and as leaves (methi saag). Norwegian food allergy data links anaphylaxis in peanut-allergic individuals to fenugreek in Indian food.
besan (chickpea flour)
बेसन (besan)
Chickpea flour (besan) is used in all pakoras, bhajias, and kadhi. While it is not itself an allergen for most people, those with legume allergies (rare but serious) cannot eat any besan-coated items. Besan is also a hidden ingredient in some chutneys.
| Ingredient | Native name | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| ghee | घी (ghee) | Ghee is clarified butter that retains approximately 0.01% milk protein after the clarification process. While lactose-intolerant people are usually fine, those with IgE-mediated milk protein allergy (casein, whey) are NOT safe. Ghee is used in tempering (tadka), on breads, in rice, and in most sweets. |
| cashew paste | काजू पेस्ट (kaaju paste) | Cashew paste is the thickener that creates the creamy texture in korma, butter chicken, makhani gravies, and many other restaurant curries. Restaurants often buy pre-made curry base and may not know it contains cashews. The sauce looks tomato-cream based but is partially nut-based. |
| asafoetida | हींग (heeng / hing) | Pure asafoetida resin is gluten-free, but over 90% of commercial hing powder sold in India is compounded with wheat flour as a carrier to prevent clumping. It is used in virtually every dal, lentil dish, and many vegetable preparations. Gluten-free hing (cut with rice flour) exists but is specialty. |
| yogurt marinade | दही (dahee) | All traditional tandoori marinades use yogurt as the tenderizing base. Tandoori chicken, chicken tikka, seekh kebab, and boti kabab all use yogurt. The yogurt is not visible on the finished product after high-heat cooking but allergens remain. |
| fenugreek | मेथी (methee) | Fenugreek is in the Fabaceae family (same as peanuts) and has documented clinical cross-reactivity with peanut allergens. It is used extensively in Indian cuisine as a spice (methi seeds) and as leaves (methi saag). Norwegian food allergy data links anaphylaxis in peanut-allergic individuals to fenugreek in Indian food. |
| besan (chickpea flour) | बेसन (besan) | Chickpea flour (besan) is used in all pakoras, bhajias, and kadhi. While it is not itself an allergen for most people, those with legume allergies (rare but serious) cannot eat any besan-coated items. Besan is also a hidden ingredient in some chutneys. |
These hidden allergens are in the base sauces and pastes. A real Indian menu has dozens more dishes. Want to check them all at once?
Scan a menu with Menu Decoder3. Browse 20 Indian dishes
Butter Chicken
मक्खनी मुर्ग
Tender chicken in a rich, mildly spiced tomato and cream sauce with butter, cashew paste, and aromatic spices.
Chicken Tikka Masala
चिकन टिक्का मसाला
Chunks of tandoor-roasted chicken in a rich, spiced tomato-cream sauce with onions, garlic, ginger, and garam masala.
Palak Paneer
पालक पनीर
A vegetarian Indian dish of fresh cheese (paneer) cubes in a smooth, spiced spinach sauce.
Dal Tadka
दाल तड़का
Yellow lentils cooked until smooth and topped with a ghee-based tempering (tadka) of cumin, garlic, tomatoes, and spices.
Naan
नान
A soft leavened flatbread baked in a tandoor oven, made with refined wheat flour, yogurt or milk, and sometimes egg.
Samosa
समोसा
Deep-fried pastry triangles with a wheat flour shell, filled with spiced potatoes and peas (vegetarian) or minced meat.
Chicken Biryani
चिकन बिरयानी
Long-grain basmati rice slow-cooked with marinated chicken, whole spices, saffron, caramelized onions, and aromatic herbs.
Korma
कोरमा
A mild, rich Mughal curry braised in yogurt, cream, and ground cashews with aromatic spices.
Dosa
डोसा
A thin, crispy fermented crepe made from ground rice and urad dal (black lentils), served with sambar and chutneys.
Tandoori Chicken
तंदूरी चिकन
Chicken marinated in yogurt and spices (turmeric, cumin, coriander, garam masala, chili, garlic, ginger) and roasted in a tandoor clay oven.
Pakora
पकोड़ा
Deep-fried fritters made from vegetables or chicken coated in a spiced chickpea flour (besan) batter.
Dal Makhani
दाल मखनी
A slow-cooked black lentil dal made with kidney beans, butter, cream, tomatoes, and aromatic spices.
Aloo Gobi
आलू गोभी
A dry vegetarian dish of potatoes and cauliflower cooked with turmeric, cumin, coriander, and other spices.
Chole Bhature
छोले भटूरे
Spiced chickpea curry (chole) served with deep-fried leavened wheat bread (bhature).
Gulab Jamun
गुलाब जामुन
Soft, spongy milk solid balls soaked in rose water and cardamom sugar syrup.
Raita
रायता
A cooling condiment of whipped yogurt with cucumber, cumin, and fresh herbs, served alongside biryani and grilled meats.
Pav Bhaji
पाव भाजी
A spiced mashed vegetable mixture cooked with enormous amounts of butter, served with soft wheat rolls (pav) toasted in butter.
Shahi Paneer
शाही पनीर
A rich Mughal-style curry with paneer cubes in a gravy of cream, cashews, almonds, and aromatic spices.
Idli
इडली
Soft, round steamed cakes made from a fermented batter of ground rice and urad dal (black lentils), served with sambar and chutneys.
Sooji Halwa
सूजी का हलवा
A warm Indian dessert made from roasted semolina (wheat), ghee, sugar, milk, and cardamom, garnished with cashews and raisins.
What to say at the restaurant
Show these phrases to your server. Tap to copy.
I have a food allergy
मुझे खाने से एलर्जी है (mujhe khaane se allergy hai)
I cannot eat [allergen]
मैं [allergen] नहीं खा सकता/सकती (main [allergen] nahin kha sakta/sakti)
Does this contain nuts (cashews or almonds)?
क्या इसमें काजू या बादाम है? (kya ismein kaaju ya baadaam hai?)
Is this made with ghee or butter?
क्या यह घी या मक्खन से बना है? (kya yah ghee ya makkhan se bana hai?)
Without dairy, please
बिना दूध के बनाइए (bina doodh ke banaiye)
When you sit down at the restaurant, the menu will have dishes not on this list.
Menu Decoder scans the actual menu in front of you, in any language, and checks every dish against your dietary profile in seconds.
Scan a menu nowImportant: Dish Scout is a reference guide, not medical advice. Traditional recipes vary by restaurant, region, and chef. Always verify ingredients with restaurant staff before ordering. When in doubt, don't eat it.