Some of the great dishes which are not only spicy and delicious but also healthy for the ingredients used in the preparation are the food recipes from India.
What are some good Indian dishes to try?
There are lots of dishes I have tried on my travels some of the authentic traditional meal which were very cheap to buy and vegetarian friendly are the foods from the Indian cuisines.
Though there are lots of them I couldn’t try but some of the popular and top foods include the ones I am writing this article on.
What is the most popular Indian food with Recipes?
Chicken Tikka Masala
One lip-licking food from the Indian cuisines is Masala but when its made with chicken, it tastes super. This is grilled chicken pieces in a tomato sauce that is served with rice, naan and what have you.
Ingredients
- 600 g chicken thigh fillets, cut into cubes
- Marinate Chicken:
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 6 garlic cloves
- 3 cm piece fresh ginger
- 1 ½ tsp cumin seeds
- ½ tsp ground coriander, coriander powder
- ½ tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- 2 tbsp yogurt
- 2 tbsp oil
- Salt to taste
Chicken Tikka Masala:
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 tsp minced ginger, ginger paste
- ½ tsp ground turmeric, turmeric powder
- 2 tsp ground coriander, coriander powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- 1 tbsp tomato puree, tomato paste
- ¼ cup canned tomatoes or 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- ¾ cup fresh cream
- ¼ tsp garam masala
- A handful coriander, cilantro leaves, chopped
- Salt to taste
- Water
- Naan or rice, to serve
Instructions
- Place chicken pieces in a large bowl. Rub with lemon juice and enough salt. Marinate for 10 minutes in the refrigerator.
- Meanwhile, place garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, garam masala, chili powder, and yogurt in a blender. Process until smooth. Add this paste to the bowl of chicken. Add in oil and mix well. Marinate for at least 30 minutes or overnight if possible.
- When you are ready, preheat grill. Thread the chicken pieces onto skewers. Grill, turning occasionally, for 15 – 20 minutes or until cooked through. Remove chicken from skewers. Set aside.
- Meanwhile heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add onions. Saute for 2-3 minutes or until lightly browned. Add ginger. Saute until aromatic. Add ground turmeric, ground coriander, paprika and red chili powder. Saute for a minute. Add tomato paste and fry for a few seconds. Now add in the tomatoes. Saute until they are soft and mushy. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- Add lemon juice and cream. Add in enough water to make a thick sauce. Season with salt. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes. Add more water if needed.
- Add garam masala and coriander (cilantro) leaves. Heat through. Stir in the grilled chicken. Garnish with more coriander leaves if you like. Serve with naan, roti or rice.
Chicken Biryani
This is an Indian delicacy that is prepared with chicken and rice cooked in vegetable sauce.
Ingredients
- Brown Onions (Note 1)
- 2 Onions Large
- ½ cup Vegetable Oil
Chicken Marinade:
- 700 grams Chicken Thighs and Drumsticks bone-in and skinless (Note 2)
- ¾ cup Yogurt or hung curd
- ¼ cup Tomato Puree
- ¼ cup Vegetable Oil
- 1 tablespoon Ginger Garlic Paste minced ginger and garlic
- 1 tablespoon Red Chilli Powder sub with 1 teaspoon Paprika + 1 teaspoon Cayenne
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 1 teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
- 2 tablespoon Brown Onions
- 1 ¼ teaspoon Salt
Saffron
- 2 tablespoon Hot Milk
- 10-15 Saffron strands
Parboiled Rice (70% cooked):
- 2 cups Basmati Rice Note 3
- 6 cups Water
- 2 tablespoon Salt
- 1 Bayleaf
- 5-6 Cloves
- 2-3 Cardamom Pods
Other Biryani Ingredients:
- 1 cup Mint Leaves fresh
- 1 cup Coriander Leaves Cilantro
- 1 ½ tablespoons Ghee or Butter
To Serve:
- Crispy Brown Onions
- Onion Raita
Instructions for preparation
- To make the brown onions, pat the onions dry and if time permits, leave them out on a kitchen towel for 15-20 minutes to dry them out slightly.
- Heat oil in a pan and add the onions. On a medium flame, shallow fry the onions for 15 minutes till they are a deep golden brown, without burning them.
- Drain them out on a paper towel, and set aside. These can be made ahead and stored in an air tight container overnight. Burnt onions will add a bitter flavor to the biryani. You can also use store bought fried onions/ shallots which are easily available in leading supermarkets, Indian and Asian stores.
- Mix together all the ingredients under chicken marinade and marinate for at least two hours or overnight for best results.
- When you are ready to make the biryani, soak saffron strands in hot milk and rub them slightly with the back of a spoon. Set this aside.
- Bring water to a roaring boil and add salt, whole spices and basmati rice. Cook for exactly 5 minutes and drain completely, leaving the whole spices in the rice. This will cook the rice to about 70% doneness which can be checked by pressing a grain of rice between two fingers – the rice should still be raw in the middle.
Layering and Cooking Chicken Biryani:
- Heat a heavy bottomed pot like a dutch oven, and add the chicken to it.
- Cook for 4 minutes and then turn the chicken pieces once.
- Cover and cook for another 3 minutes and turn off the heat.
- Scatter half the onions all over the chicken and then sprinkle all the coriander and mint leaves.
- Next layer the rice all over the mint and coriander, and in the end drizzle saffron milk and ghee all over the rice.
- Cover and cook on a low flame for 20 minutes to steam the rice, cook it to doneness and cook the chicken.
- Once the biryani is cooked, let it rest for 5-10 minutes and finish by scattering the remaining onions on top.
Serve hot digging the spoon deep to get all the layers.
Tandoori Fish
Another popular Indian recipe prepared with flavored fish in spices in marinated yogurt, is Tandoori fish.
This baked Tandoori fish is a classic Indian recipe that is very popular among Indians and non-Indians alike, and for a good reason. This simple and easy recipe is ready in about 15 minutes. It’s prepared with simple spices to flavor the fish and a yogurt marinade that keeps the fish soft, and moist.
Ingredients
- 4 (900 g) Fish fillets (about 2 lbs)
Tandoori masala:
- ½ cup (120 ml) Greek yogurt
- 2 Garlic cloves
- ¼ inch Ginger
- ½ tablespoon Lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon Pepper powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 2 tablespoon Canola oil
- 1 tablespoon Coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon Cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon Hot paprika (for spiciness)
- 1 teaspoon Sweet paprika (for the color)
- 1 pinch of red edible tandoori color (optional – mostly used in restaurants)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F / 200°C / Gas Mark 6
- Prep the fish – Wash, clean, and pat dry the fish. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
- Pan – Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil for easy clean-up. Spray or brush with oil to prevent the fish from sticking.
- Pro tip – Make sure the fish is dry. Otherwise, the marinade will slide down the fillets as soon as they are in the oven.
- Tandoori marinade – In a mixing bowl, combine all the tandoori masala ingredients. Stir or use a whisk to ensure you have no lumps in the marinade.
- Marinate the fish – Place the fish on the baking tray and spread the marinade over the fish fillets evenly.
Pro tip – Alternatively, you can add the fillets to the marinade bowl and leave them to marinate for an hour on the counter or overnight in the fridge Bake in the preheated oven on the middle rack for 15 minutes or until the fish is cooked. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves.
Chicken Curry
Ingredient Checklist
- 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ cup cooking oil
- 1 ½ cups chopped onion
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 ½ teaspoons minced fresh ginger root
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 (15 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup water
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Sprinkle the chicken breasts with 2 teaspoons salt.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat; partially cook the chicken in the hot oil in batches until completely browned on all sides. Transfer browned chicken breasts to a plate and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add onion, garlic, and ginger to the oil remaining in the skillet. Cook and stir until onion turns soft and translucent, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir curry powder, cumin, turmeric, coriander, cayenne, and 1 tablespoon of water into the onion mixture; allow to heat together for about 1 minute while stirring. Add tomatoes, yogurt, 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro, and 1 teaspoon salt to the mixture; stir to combine.
- Return chicken breast to the skillet along with any juices on the plate. Pour in 1/2 cup water and bring to a boil, turning the chicken to coat with the sauce. Sprinkle garam masala and 1 tablespoon cilantro over the chicken.
- Cover the skillet and simmer until chicken breasts are no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 20 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Drizzle with lemon juice to serve.
Samosa
Samosa is a popular snack in the Middle East, Asia especially India, Nepal and so on. This food is made from deep-fried potato stuffed and spiced.
Ingredients
For making samosa pastry;
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (maida), 250 grams
- 1 teaspoon carom seeds
- 1 teaspoon salt or add as required
- 6 tablespoons Ghee (clarified butter), 50 grams
- 7 to 8 tablespoons water or add as required
For cooking potato & peas
- 3 medium-sized potatoes – 300 to 350 grams or 3 cups chopped boiled potatoes
- ½ cup green peas – 180 grams, fresh – can use frozen peas
- 2 cups water – for steaming
Other ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil – I used mustard oil. sunflower, canola, grapeseed oil can be used
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger or 1 inch ginger
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped green chillies or serrano peppers or 1 to 2 green chillies
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder or cayenne pepper
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing) – optional
- 1 to 2 teaspoons dry mango powder (amchur)
- salt as required
- 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)
- oil for deep frying – as required, any neutral tasting oil
Whole spices to be ground
- ½ inch cinnamon
- 1 clove – optional
- 3 black peppercorns
- 1 green cardamom
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
- 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
Instructions
Making the samosa pastry dough
- Take the flour, carom seeds, salt in a bowl. Mix well and add ghee.
- With your fingertips rub the ghee or oil in the flour to get a breadcrumb like consistency.
- The whole mixture should clump together when joined and not fall apart.
- Add water in parts and knead to a firm dough.
- If the dough looks dry or floury, then add 1 to 2 tablespoons more water and knead.
- Cover the dough with a moistened napkin and set aside for 30 minutes.
Making potato and peas stuffing
- Steam or boil the potatoes and peas till are cooked completely. Drain them of any extra water in a colander or sieve.
- Peel the boiled potatoes and chop them into small cubes
- Dry roast all the whole spices mentioned in the above list until fragrant taking care not to burn them.
- When the spices are warm or cool at room temperature, grind them in a dry grinder or coffee grinder to a semi-fine or fine powder.
- Heat oil in a pan. add the cumin seeds and crackle them.
- Add the ginger and green chillies. Sauté for a few seconds until the raw aroma of ginger goes away.
- Add the steamed green peas, red chili powder, the freshly ground spice powder, dry mango powder and asafoetida.
- Stir and sauté on a low heat for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the potato cubes. Mix very well and sauté for about 2 to 3 minutes on low heat with frequent stirring.
- Set aside the potato filling aside to cool at room temperature.
Assembling & shaping samosa
- After resting the dough for 30 minutes, divide the dough in 6 equal pieces.
- Take each piece and roll in your palms first to make a smooth ball.
- Then roll it with a rolling pin keeping the thickness to 1 mm throughout.
- Cut with a knife or a pastry cutter through the center of the rolled samosa pastry.
- With a brush or with your fingertips, spread some water all over the edges.
- Join the two straight ends forming a cone shape.
- Press the edges so that they get sealed well.
- Stuff the prepared samosa cone with the prepared potato-peas stuffing.
- Pinch a part on the edge (check the video & photos). This helps the samosa to stand once it is shaped.
- Press both the edges. Be sure there are no cracks.
- Prepare all the samosa this way and keep covered with a moist kitchen napkin.
Frying Samosa
- Now heat oil for deep frying in a kadai or pan. Once the oil becomes hot (test by adding a small piece of dough – it should come up quickly once added to the hot oil). Gently slide the prepared stuffed samosa & quickly reduce the flame to low.
- Turn over in between and fry until golden. Drain the fried samosa on paper towels to remove excess oil.
- Fry them in batches. For frying the second batch, again increase the temperature of the oil to medium-heat. Do not overcrowd the pan while frying.
- Add the samosa and then lower the flame, thereby decreasing the temperature of oil. This way fry all the samosa in batches.
Serving suggestions
Serve your samosa hot or warm with coriander chutney, tamarind chutney or tomato ketchup. They can also be served with a yogurt dip or plain raita. Another way is to serve it with chana masala (chickpea curry). We usually pair samosa with masala chai or ginger chai. Even bread or pav (Indian bread rolls) can be served with it.
Whatever you serve samosa with, remember to have hot masala chai with it.
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