Indian Recipes
345 recipes found
Chocolate Burfi
Burfi is a very sweet Indian candy — similar to fudge, but slightly earthier and more milky — that is typically made with some combination of milk, sugar, ghee and flavorings. In Indian culture, burfi is often given as a gift, accompanying any kind of celebration: a birthday, a holiday, even a simple get-together of friends. This recipe, adapted from Raja Sweets in Houston, caters to those looking for an accessible entry point to the world of burfi; it offers a slight variation on the basic formula by adding a layer of cocoa-infused khoya (the name for the milky base).
Nihari (Spiced Oxtail Stew)
Nihari, a deeply spiced beef stew from the Indian Muslim tradition, is traditionally simmered overnight, enriched with bones, and served with marrow to make it an extra-filling breakfast. In her book, “Masala: Recipes From India, the Land of Spices” (Ten Speed Press, 2022), the chef Anita Jaisinghani, who grew up in Gujarat and opened Pondicheri in Houston in 2011, adapted the recipe for oxtail. She roasts it until caramelized, then braises it until tender in a mixture thickened by chickpea flour toasted in ghee. Tradition holds that the rich flavors of nihari come from saving a bit of each day’s stew and adding it to the next, like sourdough starter, in “an unbroken string of flavor over decades.”
Sabudana Khichdi (Maharashtrian Tapioca Pilaf)
Sabudana khichdi, which loosely translates to “tapioca mixture,” is a delightfully chewy Maharashtrian pilaf studded with the crunch of toasted peanuts, creamy bits of potato, and the occasional cumin seed. A hit of sweetness is balanced with salt, lemon and the alternating flames of ginger and green chile, and then everything is showered with a generous amount of chopped cilantro. The result is seductive in both texture and flavor. The key to this simple dish is to thoroughly soak the sabudana, or medium-sized tapioca pearls, until you can easily smash one between your thumb and forefinger. Then, use a microwave to cook the sabudana, stopping to check for doneness in 15-second increments. As soon as the pearls are translucent and chewy, they’re done.
David Tanis's Yogurt Sauce
Garlic Rasam
While working on her new cookbook, “Usha’s Rasam Digest,” the author Usha Prabakaran gathered over 1,000 recipes for rasam, a thin, tangy broth from southern India with many names and infinite variations. This one comes together in minutes, from a base of gently sautéed garlic and a peppery spice mixture that is ground to make rasam powder. Ms. Prabakara suggests the soup for anyone feeling unwell. Don’t let the garlic color, or it’ll add a note of bitterness to the rasam.
Shrikhand (Sweet Strained Yogurt)
Shrikhand is a creamy yogurt-based dessert from western India made simply by straining yogurt and sweetening it. The yogurt is traditionally strained by pressing it between newspaper (to soak up extra whey), but if you can find thick, full-fat Greek yogurt at the grocery store, then the process is even simpler: Hang it in a mesh strainer over a bowl for a day, and let the excess whey drip out. You can substitute slivered almonds for pistachios, if that's more your speed, or even skip the nuts altogether for a smooth shrikhand flavored only with sugar, cardamom and a celebratory sprinkle of saffron threads.
Indian-Spiced Corn Soup With Yogurt
The sweetness of summer corn marries nicely with a burst of Indian spices and tangy thick yogurt. Serve this vegetarian soup hot or chilled.
Saag Paneer
Saag refers to an Indian vegetable dish in which spinach or other dark greens are stewed with ginger, garlic, fresh chiles and spices until meltingly soft. As the name suggests, saag paneer includes paneer, a mild Indian cheese that is firm enough to cook without melting. The heat of the serrano chiles balances the creamy richness, but for a milder dish, remove the seeds before mincing the chiles. The fresh greens are finely chopped before cooking, to help them break down faster into a silky gravy. Thawed chopped frozen spinach can be used to save time, but make sure to drain well and squeeze out the excess liquid first. Finish the dish with a little heavy cream (or plain yogurt) to lend body and richness. Serve with steamed rice and/or Indian flatbread (such as naan). Any leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.
Spiced Brown Lentils With Yogurt
In India, dal refers to a number of lentil-shaped legumes. They are served with rice and curries, and are usually soupy, unlike this thick rendition, which resembles refried beans in consistency. If you prefer a soupier dish, double the amount of liquid.
Matar Kachori (Fried Pea-Filled Pastries)
Kachori started as street food in Rajasthan, where Marwari cooks sealed food in pastry and deep-fried it, making it ideal for the hungry traders doing business at outdoor markets. Kachori can be filled with potatoes, dal and vegetables, but when peas are in season, they make what I consider the pinnacle of the genre. The filling is fresh, green, bright, juicy and lightly seasoned with herbs and lemon, all tucked inside a thin, flaky crust. The dough behaves nothing like pie dough, but somehow achieves the same effect after it’s deep-fried. Though the snack was originally made to be portable and to keep for a long time, these kachori are best the day they’re made.
Aloo Masala (Spiced Potatoes)
A little bowl of simply spiced half-mashed potatoes and onion, glistening with fat, is a standard side dish at bustling restaurants that serve dosas. It’s also one of the best vegetable dishes — inexpensive, quick and delicious — to add to your repertoire as a home cook. The key to these potatoes is water, not fat. Overcooking them just slightly ensures that they’re tender, and that they hold enough moisture so when you drop them into the hot pan, they break up and meld into the sautéed onion mix, becoming almost indistinguishable from it. Though aloo masala is great with a hot dosa, it’s a versatile dish that can also work as a side with other meals.
Coconut Basmati Pilaf
Adapted from a recipe by the Indian chef, cooking teacher and cookbook author Julie Sahni, this pilaf is an excellent accompaniment to a vindaloo or other Indian main dish. In addition to the coconut milk, it’s flavored with cardamom and ginger.
Goan Coconut-Milk Pilaf
Dudhi Kofta Curry (Indian Squash Dumplings)
The Indian cookbook author Raghavan Iyer experienced his first Thanksgiving, in Minnesota, in the early 1980s. “Coming from a land of spice, I thought, ‘Man, how boring,’" he recalled. He shared this recipe for squash dumplings in a creamy tomato sauce spotted with cashews and raisins, a bright and spicy dish welcome on any table, any time of the year. In a pinch? The sauce and dumplings can be prepared a day ahead and refrigerated separately.
Meen Gassi (Fish Curry)
Sour with tamarind, full-bodied with coconut and smoldering with dry red chiles, this dish has roots in the coastal city of Mangalore. In India, a cook might reach for Byadagi chiles from Karnataka to stain the sauce a bright red color. In the United States, chiles de árbol are easier to find. A stone mortar and pestle is the best tool for grinding the curry paste; the finer you can get the coconut and chile, the smoother and richer the texture of the final sauce. From there, the recipe is very adaptable — replace the fillets with any fish you like, including nice oily ones like mackerel or sardines.
Dosa
Many diners in the United States know dosas as the crisp, oversize folds served at South Indian restaurants. But those dosas have a large extended family: dosas from Karnataka made with grated cucumber; dosas from Tamil Nadu made with pearl millet flour; and dosas from Kerala made with jaggery. There are lacy-edged dosas and cakelike dosas, delicate dosas that crumple like hankies, and fat, deeply pocked dosas that break where they’re creased. If you’ve never made dosas at home, a good place to start is this simple rice and urad dal batter. Traditionally, the batter relies on a wild fermentation that flourishes in warm kitchens, but many cooks hack this, reaching for packets of dosa mix or adding yeast to ensure that the fermentation kicks off properly. A powerful blender is crucial to getting a fine, smooth batter. You’ll know it’s ready when it’s very foamy and smells a little sour.
Lamb Biryani
In India, you’re just as likely to have biryani as a lunchtime delivery at the office as you are to see it as a stunning centerpiece at a wedding feast. The dish is pervasive, with many modern interpretations and regional permutations rooted in Muslim communities of the subcontinent. Hyderabad is famous for its style of biryani, which traditionally involves a layer of raw meat and gravy that cooks the rice as it steams in a tightly sealed pot. This Sindhi-style biryani is the one I make for special Sunday lunches and parties. With multiple layers of parcooked rice, fresh herbs, caramelized onion, saffron-infused milk and braised lamb, it’s a project, but a rewarding one. Two tips: Meat on the bone isn’t a rule, but it’s consistently better than meat off the bone. Potatoes are welcome; add a pound of small boiled potatoes to the cooked meat if you want to stretch the pot and feed a few extra people.
Indian Rice
Baked Rajma (Punjabi-Style Red Beans With Cream)
Punjabi-style rajma, or red beans, in a thick, spicy tomato gravy is comforting, quick and comes together with what you have in the pantry. This one-pan baked version is inspired by it, but deviates from tradition in several ways. First, it lets the oven do the work of reducing the sauce. When the dish comes out, scatter with cilantro, if you’ve got it, and some quick-pickled onion. The key is to take your time with the base, letting the onion mixture cook out properly, so the final sauce is mellow and deeply flavored. But you can try the same technique with different beans, from chickpeas to cannellini. Eating the dish with a side of yogurt or a glug of cream is common, but it’s also a treat with a little melted cheese, the edges browned in the pan. Use what you’ve got. Serve the rajma over rice, ideally, but if you’re in a pinch, a side of hot flour tortillas or even buttered toast will make it into a delicious meal.
Instant Pickled Carrot With Ginger
Pickle culture in India is as vast and diverse as its people, which is why Usha Prabakaran collected 1,000 recipes for her cult classic cookbook, “Usha’s Pickle Digest.” Her recipe for an instant carrot pickle, made with ginger and chile, is a simple one to master. It comes together quickly, and lasts for a couple of weeks in the refrigerator. Have it with rice and yogurt, or even in a sandwich with melted cheese.
Naan (Indian Flatbread)
In spite of its ancient origins and utter simplicity, the tandoor produces startlingly sophisticated results, including smoky flatbreads that puff like pillows, and roasted meats of uncommon succulence. But you can make naan just as easily in an oven.
Vegetarian Kofta Curry
Kofta curry — a saucy dish of gently spiced meatballs — is often made with meat. But this one, based on my grandfather’s, swaps in a mash of beans. Bound with bread crumbs and seasoned with ginger, garlic, green chile and herbs, it’s a variation full of flavor and texture. Have it with some flatbread and some sliced cucumber in yogurt, or spooned over a bowl of rice. It’s also delicious in a sandwich the next day. Note: To make it with lamb, as in his original version, substitute 1 1/2 pounds ground lamb for the beans. Soak the bread crumbs in 1/2 cup whole milk first, then squeeze out any extra liquid before adding them to the mixing bowl.
Chepa Vepudu (Fish Fry)
As the Indian cookbook author Archana Pidathala worked to translate and rewrite her grandmother’s collection of recipes from Andhra, in southeastern India, one of the first dishes she mastered was chepa vepudu, a simple fish fry. In Kurnool, where Pidathala grew up, her family would eat the spicy, crisp fish dish when there was a fresh catch of murrel available, also called bull's-eye snakehead, a delicious freshwater fish. But almost any fish, cut perpendicular to the spine, into small steaks, will do nicely. Marinated quickly in a simple spice paste, and shallow-fried, the fish becomes golden and crisp all over, and takes on the flavors of caramelized ginger and garlic, browned coriander seeds and red chile. Be sure to use a nonstick pan, or a well-seasoned cast-iron pan, to keep the fish from sticking or the marinade from falling off.
Khichdi
Khichdi is reassuring, everyday fare, made from a mix of rice and lentils, cooked together in one pot until tender and seasoned with a splash of spice-infused fat. In India, it can be on the firmer side or more mushy, stripped down to the basics or more embellished, but it’s always a comfort. To make the dish a meal, serve it with a drizzle of ghee on top and some chopped cilantro leaves, a spoonful of full-fat yogurt on the side and a little jarred Indian-style lime pickle.