Indian cuisine consists of a wide variety of regional and traditional cuisines native to the Indian subcontinent. Given the range of diversity in soil type, climate, culture, ethnic groups, and occupations, these dishes vary substantially from each other and use locally available spices, herbs, vegetables, and fruits. Staple foods of Indian cuisine include pearl millet, rice, whole-wheat flour, and a variety of lentils, such as masoor , pigeon peas, and moong. Many Indian dishes are cooked in vegetable oil, but peanut oil is popular in northern and western India, mustard oil in eastern India, and coconut oil along the western coast, especially in Kerala and parts of southern Tamil Nadu. Maharashtra food is an extensive balance of many different tastes.

The most important and frequently used spices and flavorings in Indian cuisine are whole or powdered chili pepper, black mustard seed, cardamom, cumin, turmeric, ginger, coriander, and garlic. One popular spice mix is garam masala, a powder that typically includes seven dried spices in a particular ratio, including black cardamom, cinnamon, clove, cumin(jeera), black peppercorns, coriander seeds, and anise star.