India: Cuisine and Recipes

Aloo gobi is a popular North Indian vegetarian dish often accompanied by naan, roti or paratha to make a full vegetarian meal. Some people serve it in soft buns as a satisfying sandwich. Being what Indians call a "dry curry," very little water is used in making aloo gobi, so it is best made in a non-stick pot. Sometimes spelled alu gobhi. Read more »

Baigan bhurta, sometimes spelled baigan bharta, is kind of like an Indian version of the Middle East's baba ghanoush. The eggplant is roasted and the pulp mixed with tomatoes and spices. Serve as a side dish or spread on chapati or naan. Read more »

Besan laddu or ladoo is a very easy sweet to make and is popular throughout India, especially at festivals and celebrations. It is said to be the favorite sweet of the elephant-headed Lord Ganesh. Read more »

"Bhaji" is the Hindi word for a type of vegetable side dish that is usually served fairly dry and without a sauce. If you like okra, this recipe is a great way to use it. Read more »

Chapati, or chapatti, is a popular bread accompaniment to a northern Indian meal. It is a simple wheat flatbread typically baked on a hot griddle, or tava. Pieces are broken off and wrapped around food before it is popped in the mouth. Read more »

Dhanya chatni is perhaps the most popular of all Indian chutneys. The bright, fresh flavor of the cilantro and citrus bite of the lemon juice make this condiment a perfect match with many Indian dishes and curries. Make sure you chop the cilantro stems very finely or they will leave strings in your chutney. Read more »

Gajar halwa, or carrot halva, is a favorite Indian dessert, a little like a pudding, with a beautiful color and a wonderful sweetness. It is popular at Diwali celebrations and at Indian wedding banquets, where it is often served paired with a scoop of rich vanilla ice cream. Read more »

Garam masala, Hindi for "warm spice mixture," is a slightly sweet and aromatic spice blend that is used mostly in northern India to season meat and poultry dishes. Although a pinch is sometimes added to food while it cooks, it is more often used as a final garnish, sprinkled over a plated dish for a final flourish of flavor. Each household has its own favorite combination. Read more »

Ghee, or ghi, is a common cooking fat in Indian and Pakistani cuisine. Butter is given a long, slow simmer which gives it a deep, nutty flavor. Ghee is great for sautéing as it has a higher smoking point than butter. And because the milk solids are strained out, it can stay fresh for up to 3 months at room temperature. Read more »

Imli chatni is a sweet-sour chutney that is often served with samosas and pakora. Read more »

Goa curry in one form or another is eaten up and down the western coast of India. There are endless variations, but the basic qualities are a fiery hot coconut curry with the sour punch of tamarind. Read more »

Kerala curry is a famous fish curry from the southern Indian state of Kerala. It is traditionally served in a shallow clay dish called a chatty, or manchatti. Read more »

Lassi is a cooling yogurt beverage originally from the northern part of India. Traditionally lassi is unsweetened and has a pinch of salt and some spices mixed in. More recently, sweetened fruit lassis have become very popular drinks, both in India and around the world. Read more »

Indian masala chai, often known simply as chai in the English-speaking world, should be spicy, milky and strong. There is no one true recipe for masala chai. Adjust the spices to your taste. Any black tea will do, but Darjeeling or Assam is best. Tea vendors in India are known as chai wallahs. Read more »

Matar paneer is a simple yet tasty vegetarian dish from the northern part of India around New Delhi and the Punjab. Pair it with a piece of naan or chapati to make a full meal. Read more »

This is a basic recipe for a simple, simmered dal. It will work substituting a variety of lentils and split peas for the moong dal. Serve as a side side dish to an Indian meal. Read more »

Dopiaza is a type of Indian curry where meat is cooked with lots of onions. It is especially popular in the southeast Indian city of Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh state. Dopiaza means "two onions," and indicates that onions are added at two times during cooking. A general rule of thumb is that the amount of onions used should be double the amount of meat. Dopiaza is made with lamb, chicken or fish. There are also vegetarian versions using okra. Read more »

The word tikka comes from the Persian language of the Moghuls and means "pieces." Chunks of chicken are marinated in a spiced yogurt marinade and then skewered and broiled in a hot tandoori oven. Serve with piaz ka chatni, lemon wedges and naan bread. Read more »

Murgh tikka masala is an easy curry made with ingredients found in most American and British kitchens. And there's a reason for that: it was probably invented in Scotland! Never mind that. Tikka masala is now popular around the world. The chicken chunks for tikka masala are usually roasted first as for chicken tikka, but this recipe is simpler, and the chicken is just simmered in the creamy tomato sauce until tender. Read more »

Naan is the famous bread from northern India that is baked in a distinctive tandoor oven. Variations of naan are found from India to Central Asia on into the Middle East. The intense heat of a tandoor is most closely replicated in the modern home by a very hot oven. Read more »

Pakoras, savory fritters, are a very popular Indian chaat — snack or appetizer — especially in the North. The chickpea batter gives them a unique flavor, and their crispy crust encases all kinds of vegetables and sometimes chunks of meat. Pakoras are often bought from street vendors who serve them wrapped in a newpaper cone. Read more »

Paneer is a fresh, unsalted cheese, often homemade, that is a primary source of protein for many India's millions of vegetarians. Easily made, it is most often cut into cubes and fried or stirred into curries. Paneer is also used in Persian and some Central Asian cuisines. Read more »

Serve piaz ka chatni as a condiment for a variety of curries, rice dishes, breads, scrambled eggs. Onion chutney goes well with tandoori murgh. Read more »

Serve this podina chatni as a condiment for of curries, rice dishes, breads, scrambled eggs, pakora and other appetizers. This chutney is sometimes spelled pudina chatni. Read more »

Pulaos form a wide variety of spiced rice dishes in India. It is a method of cooking rice that was adopted from the Persians with their rice polows. The style of first sautéing and then boiling rice is also known as the pilaf, or pilav, method. Pulao is also popular in East Africa given past Indian immigration to the area. Read more »

Raitas are cooling side dishes often served as part of an Indian meal. These seasoned yogurt salads are used quench the fire of chilies found in many Indian dishes. There are endless variations. Feel free to experiment! Read more »

Rogan josh is classic of Kashmiri cuisine. Some preparations are very lavish with lots of sweet spices and liberal amounts of cream. The name rogan josh means "red meat," and reflects the reddish color of the dish. Read more »

Saag, or palak, dishes are spiced spinach purees common in northern India. They often contain additional ingredients such as potatos, fresh cheese, chicken or chickpeas to make a more substantial dish. Saag makes a tasty and nourishing meal when paired with chapati or naan. Read more »

Sambar is a lentil stew popular in the cooking of southern India. It is generally composed of yellow lentils (toor dal) simmered with tamarind-flavored water and a special blend of spices called sambar powder. It commonly contains a variety of vegetables and is often finished off with more spices and curry leaves sautéed in oil. Sambar is especially popular as a breakfast dish, served with idli and vada. Read more »

Samosas are the perfect chaat, or Indian snack food. These tetrahedral pastry pockets are made with a variety of stuffings, both vegetarian and with meat. But a simple spiced potato and pea filling is the most popular. Read more »

Korma is a mild, creamy curry thickened with ground nuts and with origins in the Mughlai cuisine of the 16th century. While there are endless variations to the basic recipe, shahi korma is typically made with mutton or lamb. Read more »

Tandoori murgh is the famous chicken dish from the Punjab region of northern India. In the original version, whole chickens are marinated, skewered and quickly roasted in a fiery hot clay oven called a tandoor. The same oven is then used to make naan bread, which is served with the chicken. This recipe allows you to make a reasonable facsimile of the dish at home without the benefit of a tandoor. Read more »