Ten Indian Recipes You Really Need to Try at Least Once

There are probably thousands of recipes for Indian foods out there and some of them can be a little too plain for their own good. But these ten hand-picked recipes are full of classic indian flavours and ingredients making them all well worth a try at least once…

Baingan Bhartha (Mashed Brinjals)

Ingredients…
1 large brinjal
2 tablespoons oil
1 pinch asafoetida
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 large onion
1 tablespoon chopped ginger
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon green chillies
1 large chopped tomato
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
salt

Wash and wipe the brinjal. Roast it over direct flame for a few minutes, turning it often so that it cooks evenly. Roast till the brinjal shrinks, blackens and starts peeling off. Cool, peel and mash the brinjal. Heat the oil in a pan. Add the asafoetida and cummin seeds and saute till the seeds are light brown in colour. Add 1/2 the chopped onion, ginger, garlic and green chillies. Saute on a low flame for about 5 minutes, stirring continuously. Add the chopped tomato, mashed brinjal, chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt. Cook covered on a low flame for about 5 minutes. Mash the brinjal thoroughly with the back of a ladle and add the remaining onion. Cook uncovered on a high flame for 2 minutes, stirring continuously. Add the garam masala and mix well. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and green chillies.

Methi Matar Malai

Ingredients…
Powder together:
1 cardamom
2-3 cloves
1/2″ stick cinnamon
Grind to a paste:
1 onion
1 tbsp. khuskhus (poppy seeds)
1-1/2 tbsp. cashew nuts
1 tbsp. curds
1 tsp. sugar
2-3 green chillies
1/2″ ginger

Immerse methi in salted hot water for 5 minutes. Drain and wash well in a colander under running water. Press out well to remove as much water as possible. Keep aside. Beat malai till smooth. Keep aside. Heat ghee, add cumin seeds and asafoetida. Add the paste and stirfry for 2-3 minutes. Add powdered spices. Stir, and add peas, methi leaves and malai. Add all other ingredients. Boil for 2-3 minutes or till the gravy thickens. If gravy feels too watery sprinkle a dash of flour and stir. If too thick, add a few tbsp. of milk. Serve piping hot with parathas, rotis, etc.

Bhatura

Ingredients…
500 grams refined flour
2 tablespoons curds
1 teaspoon baking powder
7-8 tablespoons oil salt

Sieve together the flour, salt and baking powder. Knead into a hard dough with curds and a little water. Keep aside for 6 hours. Roll into small discs and fry in hot oil till they swell up. Serve hot with chole or potato vegetable.

Indian Bread Rolls

Ingredients…
large slice white sandwich bread -1
mashed potatoes – 500 gm
fresh green peas – 100 gm
chopped onion – 50 gm
green chili –1
fresh cheese – 100 gm
tomato paste – 10 gm
salt – 10 gm
cumin seeds – 5 gm
red paprika – 5 gm
black pepper – 2 gm
fresh coriander leaves
vegetable oil for deep frying

Take the bread slice and chop all the four edges with a sharp knife. In a bowl mix all the ingredients. Just wet the one bread slice with water and put a spoonful of filling into the centre of bread slice, fold the bread in the shape of a roll. Deep-fry these rolls until they get golden and crisp. Serve warm with a spicy chutney or tomato sauce.

Broad Bean Vegetables

Ingredients…
1 cup fresh shelled broad beans
1 stalk curry leaves
1 tsp. coriander leaves chopped
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tomato chopped
1/2 tsp. each mustard & cumin seeds
1/2 cup fresh curds
1 tbsp. oil

Boil beans in water to which a pinch of soda bicarb is added, till cooked. Drain, hold under running water in colander, keep aside. Heat oil in a pan, add seeds, asafoetida, allow to splutter. Add chillies, ginger, curry leaves, tomato, stir fry 2 minutes. Mix all dry masalas (including salt) in 1/2 cup water to a paste. Add to pan, stir till oil separates. Add beaten curds, stir continuously, till gravy gets thick and oil separates. Add beans, sugar, stir. Simmer for 5-7 minutes, till gravy becomes thick again. Add coriander, stir. Serve hot.

You may used the dehydrated lobia available in stores. Soak overnight, pressure cook, proceed as above. Also, instead of boiling, you may microwave for 3-4 minutes, stirring once. Cook covered, after sprinkling some salt and water. Wash under running cold water and drain, before adding to masala.

Cauliflower Bhaji

Ingredients…
1 cup water
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons coriander
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 inch fresh ginger, crushed
1 large onion, chopped

Bring water to the boil in a fry pan on the highest setting. Add the cumin, coriander, paprika, black mustard seeds and turmeric. Boil ferociously for a good five minutes, adding boiling water if the mixture begins to dry out too much. Add the garlic, ginger, chillies and onions with a little more water and continue on a high heat. Add the base of the cauliflower and any green stalks and simmer covered till soft. Add the cauliflower florets and baste in the spices (a little more water may be needed). Add the tomatoes, stock, salt and pepper and leave simmering covered for about 15 minutes. Add the sweetcorn (optional, un-authentic, but what the hell) and then the tomato puree to thicken. Serve with brown basmati rice or home made chappaties

Cheese Corn Capsicum

Ingredients…
8-10 medium well rounded firm capsicums
3/4 cup corn kernels boiled
1/2 cup grated cheese
1″ piece ginger ground to paste
5-6 green chillies ground to paste
2-3 flakes garlic ground to paste
1 tsp sugar
salt to taste
1 tbsp. oil

Heat oil in a vessel, add all the grounded paste and fry for one minute. Add the corn, cheese sugar and salt. Stir well, let all the wateriness evaporate. Keep aside. Boil water in a large pan. Slit the capsicum horizontally just below the stalk. Should resemble a jar with a lid. Scoop out the seeds. Place them in boiling water and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Drain and put on kitchen towel to remove excess water. Stuff the filling and cover with the caps. Secure with string. Place in casserole, dab with very little butter and bake in hot oven till tender. Remove strings and serve hot with garlic rolls or plain bread.

Chatpatey Channa

Ingredients…
chana black – 1 cup
ginger – 1/2 ”
cumin – 1 tbs
kala namak – 1 tsp
pudina – 1/4 cup
coriander
chopped – 1/2 cup
amchoor – 1tbsp
chat masala – 1 tbsp
green chilies – 2
chili powder – 1/2 tsp
oil – 1tbsp
turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
mustard seeds – 1/2 tbsp

Soak chana over night and next day boil it with little salt in it.See to it that they are quite soft to eat. Grind together, coriander leaves, cumin seeds, pudina, ginger, green chilies, kala namak. In pan heat oil and temper it with mustard seeds , hing and haldi. to that add ground paste and fry for min or so. then add the remaining seasoning to it and boiled chana. Add salt to taste fry for couple of min. Do not add water, and garnish it with freshly grated coconut , chopped coriander, onion rings and lemon wedges.

Masaledar Karela

Ingredients…
3 karela (bitter gourd)
2 green chillies
1/2 tsp. ginger grated
1/2 tomato chopped
4-5 tamarind pieces inch long
1 stalk curry leaves
2-3 sprigs coriander chopped
1/2 tsp. each mustard & cumin seeds
1 tbsp. molasses or sugar
1 1/2 tsp. red chilli powder
1 tsp. dhania powder
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
1/4 tsp. garam masala
2-3 pinches asafoetida
salt to taste
1 tbsp. oil
sour buttermilk to soak karela

Slice bitter gourd into thin discs. Soak in sour buttermilk for 4-5 hours. Drain, wash, sprinkle liberally with salt. Keep aside for 1 hour. Rub slices well with hand, wash and drain. Boil in water till soft to touch, drain, wash again, drain, keep aside. Heat oil in a heavy pan, add seeds, asafoetida, allow to splutter. Add curry leaves, ginger, tomato, chillies, tamarinds pieces. Stir. Mix all dry masalas in 1/2 cup water to form a paste, add to pan. Cook till oil separates, add karela slices. Stir, add molasses. Stir and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Garnish with chopped coriander. Serve hot or cold with chappaties.

Cucumber & Onion Raita

Ingredients…
1 cup cucumber, diced in small cubes
1 cup onion, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cup natural yoghurt
3 tbs. Patak’s Garlic Pickle
1 1/2 tbs. fresh mint, finely chopped
1 green chili, finely chopped
salt

In a bowl mix the yoghurt and garlic pickle until well combined. Add the cucumber, onion, mint, chillies and mix well. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle a pinch of garam masala over raita.

Have you tried any of these recipes yourself? If you have or want to recommend a different Indian recipe do let us know in the comments below.