Walk into any Indian restaurant in Ontario and you will face a curry menu with ten, fifteen, sometimes twenty different options. Rogan josh. Vindaloo. Korma. Balti. Saag. For anyone who is not already a seasoned Indian food lover, the choice can be overwhelming — and the wrong order can mean you end up with something too hot, too mild, or just not what you were hoping for.
This guide ranks the most popular Indian curry dishes from mildest to boldest, explains what makes each one distinct, and helps you find exactly the right curry for your taste. Whether you are dining at Balti Indian Restaurant in Whitby, Toronto, or Niagara Falls, or just doing your research before your next Indian food order, this is the guide you need.
Find Your Perfect Curry at Balti
Three Ontario locations — Whitby, Toronto Bloor West, and Niagara Falls. Our team is always happy to help you choose the right dish for your taste and heat tolerance.
How to Read a Curry Menu — What to Look For
Before ranking individual dishes, it helps to understand what differentiates one curry from another. Indian curries vary along three main axes: heat level (from korma’s gentle warmth to vindaloo’s fierce burn), sauce base (tomato-based, cream-based, onion-based, or dry), and cooking technique (slow-braised, tandoor-grilled, pan-fried). Understanding where a dish sits on these axes tells you almost everything you need to know before ordering.
Indian Curry Dishes Ranked: Mildest to Boldest
1. Korma — The Mildest Curry
Heat level: Very mild
Korma is the gentlest Indian curry — a slow-cooked dish in a rich sauce made from yogurt, cream, ground nuts (usually cashews or almonds), and fragrant whole spices like cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves. There is almost no chilli heat in a korma. The flavour is warm, slightly sweet, and deeply aromatic. It is the ideal choice for first-time Indian food eaters or anyone who prefers mild food.
Korma is available with chicken, lamb, or vegetables. Chicken korma is the most popular version and is consistently one of the gentlest, most approachable dishes on any Indian restaurant menu.
2. Butter Chicken — Mild and Creamy
Heat level: Mild
Butter chicken sits just above korma in terms of flavour complexity. The sauce is built on tomato, butter, and cream with a blend of spices including fenugreek, garam masala, and ginger. It has a slight tang from the tomato and a warmth from the spices, but no real heat. It is probably the most ordered Indian dish in Ontario — and for good reason. It is utterly satisfying, crowd-pleasing, and works for virtually everyone at the table.
3. Dal Makhani — Mild and Rich
Heat level: Mild
Dal makhani is not technically a curry — it is a slow-cooked lentil dish — but it belongs on this list because it is one of the most satisfying, flavourful dishes in Indian cuisine, and it pairs the same way as a curry on the plate. Slow-cooked black lentils with butter, tomato, and cream. Silky, rich, and completely mild. The ideal dish for vegetarians or anyone who wants something deeply comforting without any heat.
4. Chicken Tikka Masala — Medium Complexity
Heat level: Mild to medium
Chicken tikka masala takes the approachability of butter chicken and adds a layer of smokiness and complexity. The chicken is marinated and grilled before being added to the sauce, giving it a slightly charred quality. The sauce is similar to butter chicken but slightly tangier and spicier, with more depth. It is a step up from butter chicken for anyone ready to explore a bit further — still approachable, but more interesting.
5. Saag / Palak — Medium, Earthy
Heat level: Mild to medium
Saag (or palak, when made exclusively with spinach) is an earthy, slightly bitter green curry made from slow-cooked leafy greens with ginger, garlic, and spices. Available with paneer, chicken, or lamb. The heat level is typically mild to medium, but the flavour is distinctly different from cream-based curries — greener, earthier, more complex. It is one of those dishes that Indian food lovers tend to develop a deep appreciation for over time.
6. Lamb Rogan Josh — Medium, Fragrant
Heat level: Medium
Rogan josh is a Kashmiri curry — lamb slow-cooked in a sauce built on Kashmiri red chillies (which give colour more than heat), whole spices, and yogurt. The result is a deeply aromatic, medium-spiced curry with a rich red colour and a sauce that clings beautifully to the lamb. It is not fiery — the heat is present but not dominant — and the fragrance from the whole spices (cloves, cardamom, bay leaf) is extraordinary. One of the finest lamb dishes in Indian cuisine.
7. Balti Curry — Medium-Hot, Authentic
Heat level: Medium to hot
The Balti is the dish that gives Balti Indian Restaurant its name. Originally from the Birmingham Balti Triangle in the UK (with roots in Pakistan and Northern India), balti is cooked and served in a thin, pressed steel wok — the balti dish — over high heat. The sauce is fresh, vibrant, and aromatic — built quickly rather than slow-cooked — with tomatoes, onions, green peppers, and whole spices. It has more heat than the dishes above it on this list and a distinct brightness from the fresh ingredients.
8. Jalfrezi — Medium-Hot, Stir-Fried
Heat level: Medium to hot
Jalfrezi is a stir-fried curry — marinated protein cooked at high heat with onions, peppers, tomatoes, and green chillies in a thick, dry sauce. It has visible green chillies throughout, which tells you it has real heat. The flavour is bold and slightly smoky, with a freshness from the vegetables. Jalfrezi sits in the medium-hot range — noticeable heat, but not overwhelming. A great choice for anyone comfortable with spice who wants something with more character than tikka masala.
9. Madras — Hot
Heat level: Hot
Madras is a South Indian-influenced curry with a significant chilli presence. The sauce is tomato-based, tangy from tamarind, and built on a bold spice blend with dried red chillies providing genuine heat. It is darker in colour than northern curries and has a complexity that comes from the Southern spice tradition. For diners who want clear heat but still want the sauce to have layers of flavour rather than just burn, Madras is the right choice.
10. Vindaloo — Very Hot
Heat level: Very hot
Vindaloo is the benchmark for heat in Indian restaurant cooking. Originally a Goan dish with Portuguese roots — the name comes from the Portuguese vinho de alho (wine and garlic) — vindaloo uses a fierce combination of dried red chillies, vinegar, garlic, and mustard seeds. The version served in most Canadian Indian restaurants is intensely hot and tangy. It is genuinely spicy, and not a dish to order unless you are confident in your heat tolerance.
Indian Curry Heat Guide — Quick Reference
| Curry | Heat Level | Sauce Style | Best For |
|---|
Which Curry Should You Order?
If you are new to Indian food: Start with butter chicken or korma. Both are mild, creamy, and universally loved. Add garlic naan and plain rice.
If you like some heat but nothing overwhelming: Chicken tikka masala or lamb rogan josh. Both have interesting spice complexity without serious heat. Rogan josh is the choice if you want something that feels more traditionally Indian.
If you want real heat with great flavour: Balti or jalfrezi. Both deliver genuine heat alongside interesting, complex flavour profiles. Not just hot — actually delicious.
If you want maximum heat: Vindaloo. But be warned — restaurant vindaloo in Ontario is genuinely hot. Order it with extra rice and raita to balance the heat.
Try These Curries at Balti Indian Restaurant — Ontario
Balti Indian Restaurant serves a full range of Indian and Nepali curries across three Ontario locations. From the gentlest korma to a well-made balti, our menu covers the full spectrum of Indian curry cooking. Visit us in Whitby, Toronto Bloor West, or Niagara Falls and let our team help you find exactly the right dish.
Frequently Asked Questions — Indian Curries
What is the most popular Indian curry in Canada?
Butter chicken is consistently the most popular Indian curry in Canada. It is mild, creamy, and works for a wide range of tastes. Chicken tikka masala is a close second, followed by lamb rogan josh.
What is the difference between a curry and a masala?
In Indian cooking, a masala refers to a spice blend or spiced sauce. A curry is a broader term for any dish cooked in a spiced sauce. All masala dishes are curries, but not all curries are masalas — dishes like rogan josh or saag have their own distinct sauce bases that are not typically referred to as masala.
Is vindaloo the hottest Indian curry?
In most Indian restaurants in Ontario, vindaloo is the hottest standard menu option. Some restaurants also offer phaal curry, which is significantly hotter than vindaloo, but it is not commonly found in Ontario. For most diners, vindaloo represents the upper limit of practical heat.
What curry should I order if I like butter chicken but want something different?
Chicken tikka masala is the natural next step — it is similar in texture and sauce style to butter chicken but smokier and slightly spicier. Lamb rogan josh is another excellent step up if you want something completely different — fragrant, medium-spiced, and extraordinarily satisfying.
Not sure which curry to order? Come in and ask us — our team at any of the three Balti Indian Restaurant locations are always happy to guide you to the right dish for your taste.