‘I’ is the term for you and me but when it applies to food this is where we part company.
Food is delicious and jealously guarded by our taste buds, and as you will soon find out, many of the foods starting with the letter I are icy! This does not necessarily imply coldness and distance: it means that the food is chilled to keep its delicacy for longer.
Here you can expect to meet a lot of new and well-heeled exotic words, from Inga edulis fruits to Inca berries and Illawarra.
You will also discover that India, that ancient powerhouse of agriculture and modern culinary garden is mentioned a lot here in food names.
So, next is the list of foods starting with I:
Fruits: Icaco, Icacina, Inga Edulis, Inca Berries, Ice Apple, Ichigo, Indian Almond Fruit, Ilama Fruit, Illawarra plum, Imbe Fruit, Iyokan, Ita Palm Fruit, Indian Fig Tree, Indian Gooseberry, Indian Mango, Indian Jujube Fruit, Indonesian Lime, Italian Plum.
Vegetables and legumes: Iboga, Iceberg Lettuce, Ice Plant, Idaho Potatoes, Indian Squash, Indian Cucumber, Ice Vegetable.
Spices, oils and Condiments: Indian Mustard Plant, Irish Moss, Italian Parsley, Italian Red Onion, Italian Sweet Peppers, Ice.
Meat, Poultry and fish: Impala.
Dairy and Eggs: Icelandic Skyr.
Grains and seeds: Indian Corn.
Ready Meals: Ice Cream, Instant Noodles/Instant Ramen, Instant Oatmeal, Indian Potato Cake, Italian Rice Balls, Irish Potato and Leek Soup, Italian Wedding Soup, Italian Flag Salad, Indonesian Satay, Indian Spiced Peas, Irish Colcannon, Indian Chutney, Irish Soda Bread, Icelandic Rye Bread, Indonesian Fried Rice, Indonesian Fried Noodles, Indian Curry, Idli, Idiyappamm, Israeli Falafel, Iraqi White Bean Stew, Icelandic Salmon Grill, Ice Cream Instant Pudding, Ice Pop, Ice Cream Cake.
Beverages: Ice Cream Soda, Iced Tea, Iced Coffee, Irish Coffee, Indian Chai-Spiced Hot Chocolate, Inebriant, Icelandic Hot Shot, Instant Coffee, Irish Cream, Irish Whiskey, Independence Day Mojito.
Fruits that start with I
You’ll never go wrong with fruits, and for letter I, here are the top options you can explore:
1. Icaco
Icaco is a tropical seashore and interior fruit whose striking appearance of the berries lends it many descriptive and local names from paradise plum and cocoplum to abajeru. It thrives in Africa, the Caribbean and the Americas. In appearance, the tree is a shrub that grows low with a bushy, dark brown-tinged bark. The brightly colored pink-to-dark purple fruit is edible. It has a distinct stone seed made of five to six ridges. The flesh exudes a mild sweetness and when not eaten raw, makes a traditional dish known as dolce de icaco.
2. Icacina
Locally nicknamed ‘false yam,’icacina is a tropical flowering plant in the species Icacina claessens De Wild that grows in Cape Verde and other specific parts of Africa. Though it bears bright crimson fruits, it is known for its tubers that are huge and fleshy. Two parts of the plant are used, namely:
- Fruits: the drupes are eaten for their sweet flavor, especially the pulp near the skin. Others use the juice extract as a tonic against food poisoning.
- Tubers: The tubers are ground into powder in some countries like Nigeria to make icacina flour.
3. Inga Edulis
Inga edulis is one of those strange fruit trees that bear legumes instead of fruits! The 20-to-30-meter high plant of South America is in fact in the Fabaceae family of beans. Its fruit belies its nickname ‘ice cream bean,’ for it tastes like ice cream with some distant traits of cinnamon spicing. Unlike the legumes it is named for, Inga edulis fruit is soft, full of juice, tender in texture and fresh in aroma.
4. Inca Berries
Who has never relished the nutty, fresh and sweet taste of Inca berries the first time they sampled it? Known botanically as Physalis peruviana or the Cape gooseberry, this nightshade fruit grows naturally in Chile as well as Peru where locals call it aguaymanto, among other exotic words. The fruits are classic sights, as they are lightly covered by a papery calyx. These wild berries are eaten raw by first tearing off the calyces and popping the perfectly round, thin-skinned tender fruits into the mouth.
Inca berries have the following key nutrients:
- 70% vitamin A intake portion per day.
- 20 % iron content of your daily portion for the mineral.
- Other vitamins, proteins and minerals.
5. Ice Apple
Ice apple is the produce of the rarer kind of palm that is classified as palmyra palm. It is an important anti-heat succulent fruit suitable for the Indian summer. Locals take the jelly of the fruit with its vaguely transparent pulp as a coolant. It is considered a healthy source of carbohydrates at 11 grams per fruit and also a weight loss formula as it only has 43 calories in every 100 grams of pulp.
6. Ichigo
Ichigo is simply the Japanese word for strawberry. The word has been used widely since the eighth century to denote Rubus, while in popular culture in Japan it means ‘one life, one encounter,’ or a similar interpretation. Chinese and Koreans also refer to strawberries using this word.
The tapered ichigo or strawberry fruit is used in many ways in cuisine including:
- Dressing salads with its rich crimson color.
- Blending drinks and making strawberry juice.
- Making jam, flavoring ice cream and making baked goods.
7. Indian Almond Fruit
Known botanically as Terminalia catappa, Indian almond is a tall tree of the tropics that bears fruits that taste the same as almonds. It is considered a healthy choice as, among others, it brings down high cholesterol, serves supplementary nutrients during pregnancy and aligns with a diabetic culture. Indians and other people where the Indian almond fruit is found eat it raw or feature it in cuisine. It can be roasted, sliced in pies or baked.
8. Ilama Fruit
Resembling a guava only that it is ribbed on the outside in pink or green hue, ilama fruit is the fruit scion of a tree native to Central America. Its name interestingly quotes directly from the Aztec word Nahuat ilamatzapotl, denoting an old lady’s food. There are two varieties:
- Green ilama which has a white sap and sweet flavor.
- Pink ilama which has rose-tinged flesh with a tart flavor.
9. Illawarra plum
Illawarra plum is the fruit of tall trees that often reach 36 meters high and gain a trunk width of 1.5 meters. It is native to the eastern Australian rainy jungles. Its fruit has the flavor of pine, hence the nickname ‘plum pine.’ The flesh is tender and pulpy with succulent juiciness while its texture is that of a grape. Overall, the Illawarra plum tastes mildly sweet.
10. Imbe Fruit
Imbe fruit or Garcinia livingstonei, sometimes called the African mangosteen, is one of those rare yellow mangoes rarely found elsewhere but in the African rain forests. It is named after Laurent Garcin for its botanical term.
The Imbe fruit is usually smallish and similarly-sized as a peach. It has a thick skin that is tinged a bright orange. The flesh is juicy and acidic with pleasantly scented pulp. There are many varieties such as Rata, which has a yellow pin-ended aspect with a buttery but slightly sour flesh.
11. Iyokan
Iyokan is a key feature of the fruity side of Japanese cuisine. It is basically a mandarin orange lookalike only that it is different: it is a hybrid of a Dancy’s pollen and a Kaikokan seed. This Japanese citrus fruit comes second among the most cultivated citruses in the Land of the Rising Sun. As a raw fruit, iyokan has a slightly sour taste verging on the sweet side. In cuisine, its peel is baked and commonly glazes candies.
12. Ita Palm Fruit
One of the interesting characteristics of the ita palm fruit (Mauritia flexuosa) besides its many exotic names across the world from ita or ite to marite, is its appearance. It has a chestnut aspect and is tinctured a reddish shade accented with bright scales. It measures 5 by 7 centimeters laterally and vertically respectively. It naturally grows in Guyana and other tropical parts of South America including Brazil. In Ghana, red palm garnishes soups after it is boiled and mashed, then mixed with green leaves or meat.
13. Indian Fig Tree Fruit
Indian fig tree fruit is the berry of a tropical version of the fig and it is native in south Asia and Australia. It grows fast into a large shrub-shaped tree verging on a gnarled appearance. It is also commonly called ‘cluster fig’ possibly for the clusters of fruits that hang down the length of the shrub’s stem. Indians call it banyan, a loose term for East Indian fig fruit. Eaten either fresh or dried, the fruit has these benefits:
- Fights off inflammation with its antioxidants.
- Keeps down high blood pressure and improves digestion.
- Can solve fertility issues and hinders constipation.
14. Indian Gooseberry
Indian gooseberry or Phyllanthus emblica, sometimes simplified as emblic, is a berry-bearing deciduous tree that is native to the tropics of south Asia. Local Indians call it amla and use it both as a raw fruit or cuisine and as a medicinal herb. It is round in shape and bright yellow-green in color when mature. Its benefits include: helping to cut weight, improving metabolism and digestion and aiding in detoxification.
15. Indian Mango
Known for its distinct shapely oval largesse, the Indian mango or Mangifera indica is a mango that grows in India and southeast Asia. It is succulent and juicy with a sweet mango flavor. Its pulpy flesh is a coolant during the Indian summer, thereby preventing sunstroke. In terms of healthy benefits, the Indian mango aids in digestion due to its lush digestive fiber: it prevents indigestion and overcomes morning sickness, among other fiber-derived attributes.
16. Indian Jujube Fruit
Cheekily nicknamed ‘Chinee apple,’ Indian jujube fruit is a kind of date that some call Indian plum out of hand, which grows in tropical Asia. It has a satiating flesh that can be snacked on raw, only throwing out the hard pit inside. It also garnishes cuisine whereby you slice it in half and sprinkle the drops on salads and granola or cheese-based meals.
17. Indonesian Lime
Indonesian lime trees have that smallish stature of hardly reaching more than 20 feet high but the fruits reach a mile tall in terms of uses. In Indonesia, Thailand and Laos, where the tree is native, locals turn it into culinary marvels including:
- Eating it raw or spreading candy on the raw fruit to relish its sourness on a sweeter level.
- When not eating the Indonesian lime, locals use the tree leaves as curry and soup garnish.
18. Italian Plum
Italian plums have that distinct clouded aspect on the skin that you associate with blueberries. Indeed, the fruit of this Prunus cocomilia species is also called prune plums as a secondary term to denote its egg shape and similar fruity aspect. Italian plums are black in color and are mostly taken in dried form. They exude a sweeter flavor than that of prunes.
Vegetables and legumes that start with I
Here is the vast range of healthy and nutritious vegetables starting with l.
19. Iboga
A shrub like no other characterized by evergreen leaves and spare stems, iboga is a plant used for medicinal purposes in Central Africa. Its scientific name is just that, Tabernanthe iboga. It is touted to give relief to the following symptoms and conditions:
- Addiction to drugs ranging from smoking to heroin abuse.
- Helps users to withdraw from morphine and similar therapeutic substances.
20. Iceberg Lettuce
A cool weather plant with the leaf formation of a cabbage only less compact, iceberg lettuce is a pale green-leaved vegetable. Basically a lettuce, it grows for a long time during the winter months. It is an essential staple for healthy eating especially in the temperate regions of the world due to its vitamins including vitamin C and folate. It has little fiber content but its high water levels compensate and for this reason it is often eaten in summer for its refreshing qualities.
21. Ice Plant
Ice plant is a remarkable plant that espouses bright yellow flowers when in bloom and cell formation on leaves that reflect light like ice, hence the name. Not only is this plant’s leaves edible, but they can be applied directly on the skin for medicinal purposes. In South Africa, locals call the ice plant vygies perhaps because of the fact that its leaves and even stems are edible in raw or cooked form. The texture of the eaten parts verges between crispy juiciness and saline jelly highlights while the taste is rather sweet.
22. Idaho Potatoes
Another term for Russet potatoes, Idaho potatoes are the ultimate cultivar of potato in the world. They are a large variety with clear brown skin with few eyes if any and the flesh is white mealy largesse. They can be prepared in all the main potato-cooking methods, ranging from baking to mashing and roasting to stir-frying. They can also make chips and potato cube dishes.
The name Idaho potatoes derives from the fact that they are grown widely in the state of Idaho in the US, but they did not originate here.
23. Indian Squash
A miniature pumpkin so to say, the Indian squash is a tropical squash that weighs about 2 kilograms. It has yellow flesh and a rounded shape topped by a tough rind. Courtesy of its sweet, a bit nutty taste and the fact that it is less astringent than a pumpkin, the Indian squash is widely used in many local dishes in India, including:
- It is roasted with spices including garam masala, black pepper and turmeric.
- It is also mashed with condiments including curry leaves, red hot chili and olive oil.
24. Indian Cucumber
Actually grown in North America, Indian cucumber botanically known as Medeola virginiana, is a vegetable tuber that is related to lilies. This wild flowering cucumber has shapely green leaves topped by greenish-yellow flowers that are in bloom at the end of spring. It thrives in moist forested areas.
This tuber features in spicy dishes around the world such as:
- Vegetarian Indian cucumber salad: this delicacy contains condiments like cumin, lime and mustard seeds garnished by coconut and baked peanuts.
- In India, it features in a local sauce known as kachumber, made up of red onions, cherry tomatoes, lemon juice and cilantro.
25. Ice Vegetable
Like the aforementioned ice plant, ice vegetable is a mainly water-composed leafy plant of the temperate climes. It beats lettuce and ice plant however in terms of nutritional benefits. Not only does it peak with low calorie count, good for those battling weight problems, but it is lush with minerals and vitamins. It is also that rare plant with an important sugar known as Myo-Inositol that is essential for the proper signaling function in the human brain.
Dairy and eggs that start with I
Calcium and protein are the bodies’ main nutrients, which we can obtain from dairy products. We only have one option here, but a worthy one!
26. Icelandic Skyr
Icelandic skyr is one of the oldest milk products in the world, having been used for a millennium in Norway and Iceland. It is cultured in such a way that the solids and the liquid part of milk are separated, which lends the yogurt a milder taste than that of regular strained yogurt.
Icelandic skyr is rather expensive because of these two facts:
- It needs 4 parts milk for each 1 part milk that makes normal yogurt.
- It is a strained yogurt, meaning it requires some extra work to separate the solids from the milk.
Grains and seeds that Start with I
The unique flavors and rich nutritional value that is inherent in grains and seeds lead to a healthy lifestyle. Just like the category above, we also got one great option here.
27. Indian Corn
Indian corn is a flint kind of corn, meaning that it is hard on the kernel. Its inner core or endosperm is quite starchy, a quality that puts it in the same league as grits, basically maize denuded of its outer skin.
Though it is common maize in all aspects, Indian corn has a distinct appearance however, with many varieties having multi-colored grains. The most common colors in a single cob include blue, white, yellow, purple, pink and black grains. As a food, this maize makes rich cornmeal or corn flour.
Meat, Poultry and Fish that start with I
Unique dining experiences are often incomplete without a lavish setup of meat, poultry and fish. And for letter I, there is one amazing option.
28. Impala
Impala is a sprightly antelope of medium size that is remarkable for speed and wariness against carnivores. It has a tan or brown coat color on its medium body. It is remarkable for being the only remaining member of its genus, Aepyceros. Its first sighting and description by a European was in 1812. It resides in Kenya and the southern parts of Africa.
As a delicacy, Impala meat is extremely popular game meat that comes in two varieties:
- Black impala meat with its deep color and gamey flavor.
- Regular brown meat that is packaged proudly with an impala on the packet.
Spices, oils and condiments that start with I
Well, many of us love spices for the extra taste they bring. They may not be the kind of food that you can eat to get full, but they are the kind of food that many will rarely do without. Let’s just say they bring ‘excitement’ to our food and we are happy to now present the list of spices that start with letter I, alongside oils and condiments.
29. Indian Mustard Plant
Indian mustard plant or Brassica juncea is a leafy plant with flattened thin leaves. Its leaves, seed and stems are all edible. In various parts of south Asia, its tender leaves that are gathered at an immature stage garnish salads, adding a fresh, spicy aroma to the meal. Mature leaves are good saute ingredients and preserve well when dried intact on the stems. As a low sodium crop, Indian mustard plant is thought to lower high blood pressure.
30. Irish Moss
Notable for its fronds that gather together like many irregular fans, Irish moss is a red algae member that thrives in the cooler coasts of the northern Atlantic. It can be a deep or light green or red or brown in color, among other tinctures.
As food, Irish moss is a vitamin B2- and mineral-rich garnishing ingredient that makes gel soups and moss drinks. It has no gluten, making it a healthy choice that fights mucous-related problems and bacterial/viral infections.
31. Italian Parsley
Italian parsley is a variety of regular parsley with at least three physical, culinary and textural differences, namely:
- It has broader and flatter leaves than those of common parsley which as curly fronds.
- In terms of taste, Italian parsley lends salads a more pronounced flavor than the neutralized aroma of its cousin.
- It is also smoother to the touch though a little less colorful in appearance than the brighter-looking regular variety.
32. Italian Red Onion
Cipolla Rossa di Tropea or the Italian red onion is a Calabria native crop that is noted for its versatile uses, including making jam. It has a perfect spherical shape with a bright red shade. It is sweeter than the common types such as the red onion. Besides, it has a more pronounced white color in its inner layers which also rank as juicier than those of its market competitors. Its lack of the pungent aroma so common in onions makes it a jam-making choice for many Italians.
33. Italian Sweet Peppers
A satisfying substitute to bell peppers, Italian sweet peppers are just that: sweet and with little or none of the sour highlights you find in green peppers and thus their affinity for being eaten raw. They range in color appeal when ripe from a rich scarlet to a glossy yellow. Unlike bell peppers, these Italian sweet peppers have longish pods that fall between tapered and flattened shapes.
34. Ice
Though not a real condiment in the strict sense of the word, ice or frozen water in the form of solidified crystals is a must-have for food chilling purposes. It is a perishable food preservative and a coolant for cold drinks during the summer heat. When a drink is kept in an ice box on a hot day, ice crystals absorb the thermal heat from the beverage and keep it at zero degrees or below. It is also used as an external cooling agent in a room by passing fanned hot air over it to chill the surrounding, including the perishables inside.
Ready meals and various dishes that start with I
Explore the international options you can have on the ready with this carefully selected list of ready to cook foods that start with letter I. .
35. Ice Cream
More of a frozen dessert than a cream but classified as dairy all the same, ice cream is milk cream that has been sweetened with a particular sweetener, then spiced with cocoa and similar. It also commonly contains natural flavors of fruit. It is chilled and eaten in the same chilled condition as a refreshment in the summer heat.
36. Instant Noodles/Instant Ramen
Instant noodles or instant Ramen is a ready-prepared block of noodles that is mildly spiced and seasoned. It is sold in take away food stores. This dried snack was first produced in 1958 in the Far-east and it is available virtually everywhere around the world today. Though a carbohydrates-rich food, instant noodles nevertheless have these benefits:
- Satiating ability due to their lush fiber content.
- Fewer calories (about 188 per serving) compared to other noodles.
- They also contain simple proportions of vitamins and a few minerals, like iron.
37. Instant Oatmeal
The appeal of instant oatmeal lies in the fact that they are sold in pre-cooked form and just need a little heating. They are composed of whole oats that have been rolled and pressed. Oats in instant oatmeal are slightly thinner than those in rolled oats. They have a mushy aspect when you heat them because of the flavors and seasoning oil added to them beforehand. For this reason, they are slightly sweeter than regular oats.
38. Indian Potato Cake
Indian potato cake is a satisfying spicy dish made of fluffy potatoes that are baked to a crisp finish and adorned with herbs. Though the potato cake dish was first invented in eastern Europe, it is now also a common south Asian delight. Aloo tikki, as the dish is known in Hindi, is made as a patty or flat cake that requires the following preparation steps:
- Blend peeled potatoes, eggs and milk with flour to make a slightly firm dough.
- Add seasoning of your choice including garam masala and cayenne pepper.
- Cut and shape the dough into 2 cm-thick patties and bake them to a crisp brown.
- Serve with green peas and adorn with fresh green herbs.
39. Italian Rice Balls
As seen in their crispy round shapes, Italian rice balls are made of rice stuffed under a breadcrumbs’ coating. The snacks serve as a common diet in Sicily. Besides rice, the balls also contain ragu. Ragu is an Italian sauce containing ground meat done in pasta, tomato puree and red onions sprinkled with wine.
40. Irish Potato and Leek Soup
Irish potato and leek soup is considered a decadent delight because of its spare yet palate-defining ingredients. It contains potatoes, leeks and butter mixed in broth. Even on the plate this traditional dish of the hamlets of Ireland is spare-looking and yet nothing could be as filling up. The broth of Irish potato and leek soup is sometimes redefined with bacon chops that have been first baked to a crisp edge.
41. Italian Wedding Soup
Italian wedding soup or simply wedding soup is a Mediterranean cuisine that is made of leafy greens and meat. Outside Italy, it is a popular treat in Italian-style food points across the US. Though high in sodium, this dish provides the following nutritional value portions per day:
- 9 percent dietary fiber.
- 6 percent protein.
- 3 percent calcium and iron apiece.
42. Italian Flag Salad
The Italian flag salad is a nutritious mixture of dairy products, vegetables and essential oil, mixed with wine. Its ingredients range from goat cheese spiced with red wine vinegar to cherry tomatoes done in olive oil. In other cases, it can have mozzarella balls, basically hard cheese from buffalo’s or cow’s milk, mixed with sauce and olive oil.
The Italian flag salad or Caprese salad has all the three colors of the national flag including red, green and white. It began trending after the end of World War 1.
43. Indonesian Satay
If grilled meat is your taste bud’s firestarter, then you will definitely enjoy the sizzling Indonesian Satay. Basically a juicy slab of marinated meat done on bamboo sticks and grilled directly over charcoal, Satay is a mouth-watering roast that is immediately helped down by a delicious sauce.
Sauce ingredients range from soy to peanut butter and, sometimes, kaffir lime leaves. The former US President Obama apparently loved the dish as a child.
44. Indian Spiced Peas
A perennial staple of side dishes, Indian spiced peas are one of those dishes whose absence beside a steaming hot meat-based south Indian meal often comes as a surprise. When it is there, however, as it always is, you will not mistake the oozing flavor of additional condiments, namely: green Thai chili, coriander, mustard seeds and if you like, cumin seeds, too. The peas can be fresh or frozen. Sprinkling a pinch of salt into the sauce finishes the magic appeal of the tender legumes.
45. Irish Colcannon
An interesting word for broth from Ireland to be certain, Irish colcannon is another classic meal from this country that is spare yet satisfying. It has four ingredients including that Irish staple food: potatoes. The peeled tuber is mixed with cabbage and concocted with butter and milk. A historian once funnily labeled the dish as ‘mashed potatoes,’ mixed with ‘pot herbs.’
Related: Irish potatoes market insights.
46. Indian Chutney
A term denoting different spreads in south Asian cuisine, Indian chutney can consist of many ingredients spiced up into a sauce. It is however often commonly prepared with tomato relish, ground peanuts, milk curd, cucumber and pungent onions. It can also have gravy made from vegetables and spiced with condiments, particularly vinegar. The meal is usually thick, savory and hot.
47. Irish Soda Bread
Irish soda bread is a version of leavened bread that looks like a pancake with a crispy finish. It is raised by baking soda instead of yeast. It also contains buttermilk and a pinch of seasoning agent such as salt. At other times, you are free to add an egg and raisins to improve the nutritional qualities of the bread.
One serving of an Irish soda bread provides 15 percent iron, 14 percent protein, 18 percent carbs and 5 percent vitamin B6 worth of your daily needs for these nutrients.
48. Icelandic Rye Bread
Icelandic rye bread is one of those staple baked foods whose traditional preparation method is tell-tale in nature. It is baked in two methods:
- Baked straight into a pot like any other bread.
- Put into a wooden cask made for the purpose and dug into the earth near a geyser, hence the loosely translated name ‘hot spring bread.’
Either way, whether done in the modern or the above traditional ways, Icelandic rye bread is always a bit sweet, dense in texture and a common sight in Iceland.
49. Indonesian Fried Rice
Indonesian fried rice is one of those southeast Asian dishes that are classic treats and yet do not summon a galore of ingredients to make. Nasi goreng, as it is known in the Malay language, consists of jasmine rice, soy sauce, green chili fresh from the garden and chicken garnished with shrimp paste. Its other defining ingredient is the kecap manis. This spicy meal can also be coated with egg whites on top.
More resources: Price insights on Indonesia rice.
50. Indonesian Fried Noodles
Indonesian fried noodles span many regions of the country in terms of their ingredients and preparation methods. However, the classic dish mostly consists of ramen noodles or yellow noodles garnished with eggs. It is made as a stir-fry dish mixed with cabbages, flavored with sweet soy sauce and often mixed with rice.
51. Indian Curry
Indian curry refers to a set of sauces or soups made up of spices and are often a staple in every household in India. The meal more or less must consist of turmeric spice to pass as an Indian curry. Other spices include ginger, garlic, cloves, coriander and cumin, among others. The most popular of curries in regional cuisine include:
- Tikka masala
- Dhansak
- Saag
52. Idli
A product of mixing fermented black lentils with rice, Idli is a savory morning food in Sri Lanka and the south of India. It is a cake that is prepared in a few steps:
- Immerse rice and urad dal (lentils) in water.
- Mix the two ingredients and then ferment the batter before steaming it.
In these two steps lies the healthy aspect of Idli, because fermenting and steaming actually improves the nutritional make up of the food!
53. Idiyappam
With its frayed noodles, Idiyappam is an easy-to-identify Keralite dish that is made from rice flour shaped into noodles. These noodles are then reformed by pressing them into flattened discs, before steaming them. The frayed blocks of Idiyappam are often served with beans or peas which can also double as ingredients.
54. Israeli Falafel
Israeli falafel are vegetarian wheat ball pieces prepared from ground chickpeas mixed with beans. It is permissible to include garlic and cumin and other spices into the main ingredients. In Arab countries, fava beans, which are often associated with the origin of the dish, are still more preferred than chickpeas.
Israeli falafel make good culinary companions not only for their savoriness but in health too: they curb appetite for those who want to reduce weight.
55. Iraqi White Bean Stew
Iraqi white bean stew is a sauce made of cannellini beans mixed with spicy tomato sauce. The mix is usually flavored with a coriander oil garnish that adds a lemonade flavor to the whole. It is great when it goes along with veal. Locals call the dish fasolia yabsa, literal for white bean stew.
56. Icelandic Salmon Grill
Icelandic salmon grill is savory for two reasons:
- The whole salmon or filet is sandwiched between two tin foils and grilled slowly for ten minutes on both sides.
- It is served with butter and brown sugar as a sweetening agent.
Additional ingredients of Icelandic salmon grill include olive oil, pepper and lemon slices.
57. Ice Cream Instant Pudding
Making ice cream instant pudding is quite a straightforward method that involves whisking pudding mix with powdered sugar and creaming it up in milk. Whipping cream and pudding mix are usually added to whole milk. Creamier results can also be attained by using evaporated milk instead of whole milk: a decadent choice which is less healthier but creamy all the same!
58. Ice Pop
Ice pops are frozen snacks that are stuck on sticks for comfortable consumption. The difference between an ice pop and regular ice cream is that the ‘pop’ is left to form into a crystal rather than softened. Because it is let to freeze without whipping, water from an ice pop does not soften but solidifies into a bar of ice. This sweetened block of ice is a common sight with people on hot tropical afternoons.
59. Ice Cream Cake
One of the more delightful sights at a cake party, the ice cream cake is different as ice cream serves as the layering element on the cake instead of other ingredients. It is commonly associated with the layers that adorn a common cake or a swiss roll. An ice cream cake is baked on a bread pan and flavored in creamy layers using diverse flavors from chocolate to vanilla. It is a staple on birthday parties and wedding celebrations worldwide.
Beverages that start with I
Ready to quench your thirst or calm down after a long day? These beverages that start with letter I will do the trick.
60. Ice Cream Soda
Ice cream soda is a carbonated drink that contains ice cream as an ingredient rather than as a float. It has three main parts, namely:
- Soda water
- Syrup
- Ice cream
These three parts are mixed into a delicious beverage full of calories. Thus, if you are one into health, you may opt for soda water taken separately with an ice cream-flavored healthy dish as an alternative.
61. Iced Tea
The thing about iced tea that makes it irresistible is that everyone can make it and it is quite refreshing. It is just common tea leaves that are added to boiling water and then cooled or chilled with an ice float. It can be taken with or without sugar. Though it has little nutrition in it other than 3 percent carbohydrates content of the daily value, iced tea is considered healthy for it may lower the risk of developing heart conditions.
62. Iced Coffee
Iced coffee is an alternative to iced tea with the added advantage that this time round it is either chilled with ice or served cold with milk. It is made by brewing coffee with hot water then cooled with ice or alternatively, once it is cold enough, you add milk. You have the choice of adding sugar or going without when the water is still hot.
Though it has low nutrients, iced coffee may help boost metabolism, speed up digestion, raise your energy levels and promote heart health.
63. Irish Coffee
Whether taken for its airy alcoholic concentration or just as an energy-giving caffeine drink, Irish coffee will remain just that superb concentrated drink of Ireland. It is made of Irish whiskey stirred in heated coffee that has been sugared, then served with a creamy float. Here is a simple preparation method of this product of two worlds:
- Heat the coffee and add a sweetener without letting it boil.
- Mix the solution with whiskey.
- Serve the alcoholic beverage hot and top the glassful with cream.
64. Indian Chai-Spiced Hot Chocolate
Who has never drank Indian chai even without knowing that the hot tea drink was actually the one? This fabled tea, basically meaning ‘tea’ in the Hindi, Arabic and Swahili speaking worlds, is a common breakfast staple in all parts of south and Western Asia and East Africa.
Indian chai-spiced hot chocolate is chai taken to the overdrive with extra nutrients including coconut milk, cinnamon, chocolate or cocoa powder, pitted date syrup and ground cardamom. The spices lend a spicy aroma to the overall delicious taste of the tea.
65. Inebriant
Inebriant is a term that does not describe any particular drink for it is just an umbrella word for beverages containing liquor and alcohol portions. For a brew to qualify as an inebriant, it has to be somehow intoxicating or a little dizzying. Its other synonyms include grog, firewater, spirit or just a drink.
66. Icelandic Hot Shot
Icelandic hot shot is a coffee drink slightly flavored with galliano, an Italian herb liquor. It consists of cocoa powder that is mixed to taste with sea salt and sweetened with white sugar. It is usually topped with whipped cream and served as a shot in a wine glass.
67. Instant Coffee
Providing the same weight loss-related attributes of coffee though on a lower note, instant coffee is the fastest kind of coffee you can make. It just requires adding boiling water or heated milk or both on the already brewed ground coffee beans.
After stirring the blend with a teaspoon, you have a foamy cup of instant coffee that can invigorate you just like any other brewed coffee drink. First made in New Zealand from crushed coffee beans in 1890, this drink is a common sight in every hot drink cafe and diner worldwide.
68. Irish Cream
Similar to and often blended with Irish coffee, Irish cream is a cream liquor with a slight alcoholic content. The drink contains 15 to 20 percent alcohol derived from Irish whiskey while the rest is cream, flavoring and water. Its non-alcoholic ingredients lend it a creamy sweet flavor. It is popular in North America and the UK, where it has been sold since 1973.
69. Irish Whiskey
Irish whiskey is the proud product of the country that originated the English word ‘whiskey,’ which began as the Irish phrase ‘uisce beatha’ or water of life. It first came up in the 13th century. Nowadays, it has been commercialized in various ways, with the Jameson brand of Irish whiskey and Scotch whisky being among the more popular variants. The content is 40 to 95 percent alcohol, with the rest of the ingredients including malt and water.
70. Independence Day Mojito
On the 4th of July each year, Americans like to enjoy a stiff spirit to celebrate this key liberation holiday. One such drink is Independence Day Mojito, a rum made of fresh mint leaves mixed with raspberries. The blend is further spiced up with watermelon cubes and flavored with lime juice. It can also contain a half ounce of soda and mint sprig garnish on top.
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