BEST AND TASTIEST RECIPES IN FOOD CULTURE

Explore the best of Indian cooking Recipes with these top-rated recipes for curries, tandoori chicken, chutneys, and more flavorful faves.

1. INDIAN CHICKEN CURRY: Spicy Recipes In food In India

This Indian-inspired Recipes creamy chicken curry recipe is similar to a curry I had in India. The aromatic spices and flavors are a delight to the senses! Delicious with fresh naan and basmati rice.

You don’t need to leave the house to enjoy satisfying Indian chicken curry. With this recipe, you can have a restaurant-worthy meal on the table in under an hour.

What Is Indian Chicken Curry?

Chicken curry Recipes from the Indian subcontinent typically features chicken stewed in a tomato-based sauce seasoned with aromatic spices. This recipe, like many others, calls for curry powder (a spice blend made with coriander, turmeric, cumin, and chili powder).

How to Make Indian Chicken Curry Recipe

You’ll find the full, step-by-step recipe below — but here’s a brief overview of what you can expect when you make this top-rated Indian chicken curry recipe:

Saute a diced onion in olive oil until lightly browned. Stir in the seasonings (garlic, curry powder, cinnamon, paprika, bay leaf, ginger, sugar and salt). Add the chicken pieces, tomato paste, yogurt, and coconut milk. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and stir in the lemon juice and cayenne pepper. Continue simmering for about 5 more minutes.

What to Serve With Indian Chicken Curry

For a restaurant-quality meal, ladle the curry over freshly cooked basmati or jasmine rice and serve with homemade naan.

How to Store Indian Chicken Curry

Let the curry cool, then transfer to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to four days and reheat in the microwave or on the stove.

2. NAAN: best tasty recipes in India

This homemade naan recipe makes soft, chewy naan with a buttery taste. It is the best I have tasted outside of an Indian restaurant. Simply delicious eaten warm brushed with melted butter or served with your favorite curry.

Warm, buttery homemade naan will take your weeknight dinners to the next level. Whip up restaurant-quality bread with toasted edges and a pillowy interior. This easy naan recipe yields deliciously puffy, garlicky results that are the perfect accompaniment to curries, soups, and dips. Learn to make foolproof naan with this 5-star recipe — plus, learn how to store and what to serve with this popular bread.

What Is Naan?

Naan (pronounced nahn) is an oven-baked, leavened bread that is stuffed and flavored in a variety of ways. An essential part of South and Central Asian cuisine, naan is easy, affordable, and makes the most of pantry ingredients you already have on hand.

Flour, yeast, milk, and butter make a tender dough that’s simply seasoned with garlic and salt, but there is a wide array of naan bread flavors. You’ll find everything from coconut and raisin-stuffed bread to saucy lamb-topped naan in restaurants and home kitchens around the world.

Naan vs. Pita

Naan is similar to other baked flatbreads but has a few distinguishing characteristics. Naan is enriched with ingredients like yogurt, milk, and eggs, while pita uses water to moisten its dough, making naan the softer bread.

Naan vs. Roti

Roti is generally thinner and coarser than naan as it uses stoneground flour and is unleavened. While naan’s fillings are baked right in, roti is traditionally served and filled with whatever main dish it accompanies.

How to Make Naan

Making delightfully soft homemade naan is easier than you think. You’ll find the full recipe below with step-by-step instructions, but here’s what you can expect when you make this top-rated recipe:

Start by making an easy egg-enriched yeast dough, then let it rise for one hour. Next, punch the dough down and knead in minced garlic or other desired fillings before letting it rise a second time. Cook the naan dough on a grill pan over high heat until golden brown and puffy.

What to Serve With Naan

Homemade garlic naan is a bold, flavorful bread that’s made for dipping. Serve naan with a fragrant dal full of warm spices and slow-cooked veggies, or opt for a citrusy chicken curry. Top naan bread like a pizza and share with friends — it’s a versatile recipe that allows you to customize it.

How to Store Naan

Naan bread can be stored at room temperature for up to three days. Allow naan bread to fully cool before wrapping it in an airtight plastic bag for best results. To reheat, sprinkle the bread with a bit of water before baking at 350 degrees F until crisp.

3. GULAB JAMUN: different cultures food recipes in India

Ingredients

• 1 cup dry milk powder
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter), melted
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ cup warm milk
• 1 tablespoon chopped almonds (Optional)
• 1 tablespoon chopped pistachio nuts (Optional)
• 1 tablespoon golden raisins (Optional)
• 1 pinch ground cardamom
• 1 quart vegetable oil for deep frying
• 1 ¼ cups white sugar
• 7 fluid ounces water
• 1 teaspoon rose water
• 1 pinch ground cardamom

How to Make

1. In a large bowl, stir together the milk powder, flour, baking powder, and cardamom. Stir in the almonds, pistachios and golden raisins. Mix in the melted ghee, then pour in the milk, and continue to mix until well blended. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes Recipes .
2. In a large skillet, stir together the sugar, water, rose water and a pinch of cardamom. Bring to a boil, and simmer for just a minute. Set aside.
3. Fill a large heavy skillet halfway with oil. Heat over medium heat for at least 5 minutes. Knead the dough, and form into about 20 small balls. Reduce the heat of the oil to low, and fry the balls in one or two batches. After about 5 minutes, they will start to float, and expand to twice their original size, but the color will not change much. After the jamun float, increase the heat to medium, and turn them frequently until light golden. Remove from the oil to paper towels using a slotted spoon, and allow to cool. Drain on paper towels and allow to cool slightly.
4. Place the balls into the skillet with the syrup. Simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes, squeezing them gently to soak up the syrup. Serve immediately, or chill.

4. SAMOSAS: Traditional Recipes in food in India

Arguably the most popular Recipes street food in India, samosas are fried or baked pastry pockets with a savory filling such as spiced potatoes, onions and peas. With origins dating back to around the 10th century, versions of samosas with different shapes and fillings can be found throughout Asia, Africa and the Middle East. The samosa has become an iconic Indian food recognized all around the world.

Ingredients:

For the Dough (Pastry):

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons oil or ghee
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon carom seeds (optional, adds flavor)
• Water, as needed to knead the dough

For the Filling:

• 3-4 medium potatoes (boiled, peeled, and mashed)
• 1/2 cup green peas (boiled)
• 1-2 green chilies, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon dried mango powder (amchur) or a few drops of lemon juice
• Salt, to taste
• Fresh coriander leaves, chopped
• 2 tablespoons oil

For Frying:

• Oil, enough for deep frying

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Instructions:

1. Prepare the Dough:

• In a large bowl, mix flour, salt, and carom seeds.
• Add oil/ghee and rub it into the flour with your fingers until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs.
• Gradually add water, a little at a time, and knead into a firm dough (not too soft or sticky).
• Cover with a damp cloth and let it rest for about 30 minutes.

2. Prepare the Filling:

• Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan.
• Add cumin seeds and let them sizzle.
• Add green chilies and sauté for a few seconds.
• Stir in the boiled potatoes, green peas, and all the spices (coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala, red chili powder, turmeric, amchur).
• Add salt and mix everything well.
• Cook the mixture for 2-3 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally.
• Turn off the heat and let the filling cool. Add chopped coriander leaves.

3. Shape the Samosas:

• Divide the dough into small, equal-sized balls (around 8-10).
• Roll each ball into an oval or round shape (about 6 inches in diameter).
• Cut the rolled dough in half to form two semi-circles.
• Take one semi-circle and fold it into a cone shape, sealing the edges with a little water.
• Fill the cone with the potato-pea filling, but don’t overfill.
• Seal the top by pinching and folding the edges together.

4. Fry the Samosas:

• Heat oil in a deep pan or wok over medium heat.
• Fry the samosas in batches, making sure not to overcrowd the pan.
• Fry on low to medium heat until they turn golden brown and crisp.
• Drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.

5. Serve:

• Enjoy the samosas with mint chutney, tamarind chutney, or ketchup!

5. BIRYANI: Hyderabadi Dum Biryani recipe

Biryani is a classic Indian Recipes dish popularized by Muslim communities across India. It is similar to Persian pilaf or pulao. The spiced rice dish can be found with many variations, though generally, it consists of meat, fish and/or vegetables and rice cooked separately before being layered and cooked together so that the gravy can be absorbed into the rice.

Regional and seasonal versions of this traditional Indian food may include rich or sweet ingredients such as nuts or fruit and may be accompanied by a selection of chutneys, raita, pickles or salad.

This staple Indian food has roots across many cultures, with dozens of cuisines from South Africa to the Philippines sharing a version of the mixed rice dish.

Ingredients:

For the Rice:

• 2 cups basmati rice (soaked in water for 30 minutes)
• 1-2 bay leaves
• 4-5 cloves
• 4-5 green cardamoms
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 star anise (optional)
• Salt, to taste
• Water, for boiling

For the Chicken Marinade:

• 500 grams chicken (bone-in, cut into medium pieces)
• 1/2 cup yogurt (curd)
• 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
• 2-3 green chilies, slit
• Salt, to taste
• Fresh coriander and mint leaves (chopped)
• Juice of 1 lemon

For Cooking the Chicken:

• 2-3 tablespoons oil or ghee
• 2 onions, thinly sliced (for fried onions)
• 1-2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tablespoon biryani masala (optional, adds more flavor)
• A few strands of saffron soaked in 2 tablespoons warm milk (optional)
• 1 tablespoon kewra water or rose water (optional, for fragrance)

For Garnishing:

• Fried onions (from the above)
• Fresh coriander and mint leaves

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Instructions:

1. Prepare the Chicken Marinade:

• In a large bowl, mix the chicken with yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, red chili powder, turmeric, garam masala, coriander powder, cumin powder, green chilies, salt, lemon juice, and chopped coriander and mint leaves.
• Cover and let it marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour (overnight for best flavor).

2. Prepare the Rice:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the bay leaves, cloves, cardamoms, cinnamon stick, star anise, and salt.
• Add the soaked and drained basmati rice to the boiling water.
• Cook the rice until it is about 70% cooked (the grains should still have a bite to them), then drain the water and set the rice aside.

3. Fry the Onions:

• Heat oil or ghee in a pan and fry the sliced onions until they turn golden brown and crispy.
• Remove the onions and place them on a paper towel to drain excess oil. Set aside for garnishing later.

4. Cook the Chicken:

• In the same pan (with the remaining oil), add the marinated chicken.
• Cook on medium heat for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until the chicken is nearly cooked and the masala thickens.
• Add the chopped tomatoes and biryani masala, and cook for another 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside.

5. Layer the Biryani:

• In a heavy-bottomed pot or a deep pan, start layering the biryani.
• First, spread a layer of the cooked chicken and masala at the bottom.
• Next, spread half of the partially cooked rice over the chicken.
• Sprinkle some fried onions, fresh coriander, and mint leaves on top.
• Add the remaining rice as the final layer.
• Drizzle the saffron milk and kewra/rose water over the rice.
• Top with more fried onions and some more coriander and mint leaves.

6. Dum Cooking (Steaming the Biryani):

• Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid or seal it with dough to trap the steam (dum).
• Cook on very low heat for about 25-30 minutes. You can place a tawa (flat pan) under the pot to prevent the biryani from burning at the bottom.
• After 30 minutes, turn off the heat and let the biryani rest for 10 minutes.

7. Serve:

• Gently fluff up the biryani with a fork, being careful not to break the rice grains.
• Serve hot with raita (yogurt sauce), salad, or your favorite side dish.