When you travel to India, you can only imagine the rich and diverse culinary experience. No matter which part of India you are in, the people there have their own unique touch when it comes to preparing a dish. There are many vegetarian options, plenty for those who stay away from meat, and even if you have a soft spot for spicy foods, Indian cuisine has them all. Now, let’s explore some simple Indian recipes that will make you yearn for these flavors in your kitchen every day.
Murgh Makhani (Butter Chicken)
Butter chicken is usually referred to as one of the most famous Indian dishes outside of India due to its popularity and appeal to diners. And why wouldn’t it? Butter chicken is typically mild, and has a rich and buttery taste that appeals to even the most basic of palates, which is ideal for those trying Indian food for the first time or for individuals who prefer their food without too much spice.
Ingredients:
- 500g bone- chicken cut according to desire
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup tomato purée
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 onion cut into very small pieces
- 2 garlic cloves cut into tiny bits
- 1 teaspoon ginger cut into tiny pieces
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon Paprika (this is just to make the dish more colorful than it already is)
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon salt (as per individual taste)
- Fresh coriander leaves for garnishing
Directions:
Marinate the Chicken: The chicken portions must be mixed up with spices like garam masala, cumin powder, paprika, and salt for at least half an hour.
Cook the Chicken: Marinated chicken should be cooked in a pan consisting of 1 tablespoon of butter until ready. Set aside.
Make the Sauce: Onion fry needs to be done in the pan containing the rest of the fat till a light color appears. Then both ground nut and ginger need to be added. Tomato purée and turmeric powder must be added and cooked for ten minutes.
Finish the Dish: Now add heavy cream along with salt to taste. After that cooked chicken should be added, raise the temperature and let it boil for 5 more minutes. It should be garnished with fresh leaves of coriander.
Serve: Basmati rice or naan can accompany this dish for a wonderful meal.
Chana Masala (Chickpea Curry)
Chana Masala is a unique dish as it is known to be rich and healthy due to the presence of chickpeas. What’s more fuss about this dish? It’s ideal for those eating a vegan diet and is quick and easy to prep, making it an ideal food to grab when on the move, which often seems to be the case nowadays.
Ingredients:
- 1 can of chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
- 1 onion (chopped)
- 2 tomatoes (chopped)
- 2 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 teaspoon of ginger paste
- 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon of coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon of turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon of garam masala
- ½ teaspoon of red chili powder (optional)
- 1 tablespoon of oil; Salt to taste
- Fresh cilantro for garnishing
Directions:
Sauté The Spices: Cut them and add them to your plate. Once they heat up, coat the cumin seeds in oil and, after a few seconds, add in the onions until they turn brown.
Add off the base: On top of this, add garlic, ginger, turmeric powder, powdered coriander, and red chili powder. Only after mixing for a minute should you proceed to the next step, which is to mix the already chopped-up tomatoes into the mix.
Simmer: To create a sauce where all the tomatoes are combined, it is necessary to cook the tomatoes for an extended period. Equal parts of chickpeas and garam masala should be added in equal measure, along with continuous stirring, before covering the pot and allowing it to cook for 10 minutes.
Finish and Garnish: Pour in some salt and tahini before putting in some coriander leaves as a garnish. This dish goes well with rice or roti.
Palak Paneer (A blend of Spinach and Indian Cheese)
Palak Paneer is a very healthy and delicious vegetarian dish made from paneer (cottage cheese of Indian origin) and spinach. It’s rich and thick in flavor with a hint of leafy green sweetness.
Ingredients:
- 200g paneer (cubed)
- 4 cups spinach (washed with dirt removed)
- 1 onion (finely chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
- 1 tsp ginger (crushed) or grated ginger
- 1 green chili (optional)
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- ½ cup heavy cream (optional for extra creaminess)
- 1 tablespoon oil
- Salt to taste
Directions:
Boil and blanch: boil water and let the spinach leaves soak into it for approx 2 minutes. Strain the leaves and blend into a smooth paste.
Sauté: saute garlic, ginger, and onion in a pan and add them into the heated oil till they turn slightly brown. Also, add cumin powder and green chili (optional).
Cooking: Add simmered spinach purée in the hot pan and cook for the next 5 minutes without stirring with a lid. If the mixture is too thin in consistency, then add some heavy cream to it.
Add Paneer: Add the rough cut paneer in the pan and salt to taste and cover the lid for the final 5 minutes.
Serve: serve the dish using naan or hot rice.
Aloo Gobi (Potato and cauliflower curry)
In India, Aloo Gobi refers to a vegetarian lentil curry that consists of tender and mildly seasoned potatoes and fresh cauliflower paired with a variety of spices. Aloo Gobi is uncomplicated and is ideal for creating a hearty dish that is quick to prepare.
Ingredients:
- 2 potatoes (cut into cubes)
- 1 small cauliflower (broken into small bits)
- One onion (cut into small pieces)
- 2 tomatoes (cut into small pieces
- Mince two cloves of garlic
- One teaspoon of grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon of Indian halal
- 1 teaspoon of coriander
- ½ teaspoon of spiced powder heat mixture
- Salt (to taste)
- Two tablespoons of vegetable oil
- Cilantro (finely chopped and used for garnishing)
Directions:
Preparation of potatoes: Pour some vegetable oil into a frying pan and then add some cumin seeds and allow them to cook until the oil bubbles. Introducing potatoes to prevent them from browning would be ideal.
Cooking cauliflower: The next step will be to add broken cauliflower pieces and remix them well. Keep the pan covered, and cook for the next 5 minutes.
Cooking garlic ginger and tomatoes: put garlic, ginger, turmeric, and Indian spices based on the paste mixture into the pan together with the previously cooked tomato mixture, and let it sit.
Steaming: The pan should be covered with some cloth and put on low flame for 15 minutes, and the vegetables should be stirred every few minutes.
Completion: The last step would be to put garam masala and salt. Put some coriander on which to serve, on a roti or rice.
Biryani (Fragrant Rice with Spices)
Biryani is a rice dish having basmati rice, spices, and some meat or vegetables depending on the choice. Biryani is great for special moments or a healthy meal that one enjoys with great pleasure.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups basmati rice (soaked for 30 minutes)
- 500g chicken (or vegetables of choice)
- 1 onion (sliced)
- 2 garlic cloves (chopped)
- 1 teaspoon ginger (grated)
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 pieces of cardamom
- 2 cloves
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ cup yogurt
- Fresh mint and cilantro (garnishing)
- 3 tablespoons oil
- Salt to taste
Directions:
Cook the Chicken (OR Vegetables): Put some oil in a large pan, put it on the fire, and add some gram masala. After it is heated, add onions and fry until they are golden, and then add garlic, ginger, and chicken or vegetables. Keep frying until the chicken is ready.
Prepare the rice: Rinse the soaked rice in fresh water and place it in a pan filled with water, boiling it until they are 70 percent completed. Remove water from the rice.
Layering: Using the same pan that contains the fried chicken, put layers of the rice that is washed but still partially cooked on the chicken that is already in the pan. Pour over this mixture of yogurt and layer it with fresh mint and cilantro. Seal the pot and cook over low heat for 15 minutes.
Serve: Use a fork to fluff the rice and sprinkle fresh herbs on top, then serve hot.
Indian food is rich and colorful cuisine with delicious dishes that would enhance without overwhelming your home meals. These tasteful recipes bring the flavor of Indian dishes to your kitchen using readily available ingredients and straightforward procedural directions, they are easy to follow and delicious at the same time. A little bit of Indian ingredients and a few native spices are all you need to make Indian food in your very own kitchen. Hence you can have fun and play with these recipes as they will enhance your eating experience. No matter if you are a first-time cook or a professional chef, these dishes would add warmth and excitement to any meal.
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