Dairy-Free Indian Food: What to Avoid and What to Order

Much of it is. Most everyday Indian cooking is built on tomato, onion, lentils, coconut and spice with no dairy at all. The exceptions are the cream-based curries, all paneer dishes, tandoori and tikka marinades, naan, and ghee used to finish dal and rice.

No, but it's low in lactose. Ghee is clarified butter with most of the milk solids strained out, so people who are lactose intolerant often tolerate it well. It still contains trace milk protein, so it isn't reliably safe for anyone with a milk allergy, and it isn't vegan.

Only a very small amount. The clarifying process removes most of the lactose along with the milk solids. Many lactose-intolerant people find ghee causes no problems, though individual tolerance varies.

No. Tandoori and tikka dishes are marinated in yogurt, which tenderizes the meat and allows the marinade to cling to a vertical skewer. Some kitchens will prepare a lemon-and-oil marinade instead if asked.

The lentils are, but many kitchens finish dal with a tempering of spices in ghee. Many use oil instead. It's worth asking specifically, since it's the most common hidden dairy in Indian cooking.

Usually not. Naan dough typically contains milk or yogurt and the bread is brushed with butter or ghee. Roti and chapati are usually dairy-free, though it's worth asking for no ghee to be brushed on.

Most tomato and onion based curries, chicken and goat curries, chana masala, rajma, jalfrezi, kadai, chettinad dishes and vindaloo. The cream-based ones are korma, makhani or butter dishes, shahi, malai and tikka masala.

Generally yes, and more easily than at many other cuisines. Most curries, dals, rice dishes, dry vegetables and the whole Indo-Chinese section contain no dairy, and ghee is usually well tolerated. Avoid cream-based curries, paneer, tandoori dishes, naan and lassi.

Yes. The wrapper is flour and water and the filling is meat or vegetables. The only thing to check is the chutney, since some versions contain yogurt.