Indian Recipes (Most Popular)

Another traditional favourite it can be eaten for Breakfast,Brunch or Tea.Pohey is prepared from boiled Rice which is beaten and dried during the Summer months.By washing it under the tap in a colander this is re-constitituted into an edible
Cereal which is tasty when had with Milk and Sugar like Corn or Wheat Flakes. It is available
in the two Varieties---Thick and Thin.The Thin Variety is eaten after just sprinkling Water on it .Otherwise it turns into mush.Travellers used to carry this with a pouch of Salt in the old days as a makeshift Food in case they were unable to get a cooked meal

These are stuffed Patties and the stuffings can vary from Vegetarian to Non-Vegetarian.We prefer to stuff these with Minced Goat Meat or tiny Shrimp or even hard boiled eggs.These are an any time filler---part of Lunch,Dinner ,Cocktails or even a Tea-Time Snack!!

This Gourd is so named because it resembles a snake. The name puts many people off this extremely healthy,tasty and nutritious Vegetable. This Gourd is long,thin and pale green in colour with darker green stripes.Quick and easy cooking a great variety of dishes can be made from this.Here are two easy ways of cooking this Gourd.

This is one simple,tasty and healthy dish I truly love.In fact you can substitute Split Moong Dal for Urad Dal and Ginger instead of Garlic for a variation in taste.This is a North Indian recipe and is eaten as a side dish with Indian Breads.

This Sweet is made from a special varity of Bananas called 'Rajali' or 'Kingly' Bananas.These are specially grown at Vasai or Bassein as the British called it and are highly valued for their unique taste.Available during the Monsoon period these are used to make various Sweets and certain Savouries for those Fasts where we do not eat any Cereals for 24 hours.This is one dish which is very popular and well loved by all.
Any ripe Bananas can be used instead of these to make this Sweet.

Indian Gooseberries are highly prized as a medicinal Fruit in Ayurveda----these are called the secret healing food.It has a sharp tart taste but leaves a sweet after taste.The fresh Juice of this Fruit is beneficial in Diabetes,Cholestrol control as well as being a rich source of natural Vitamin C and is drunk first thing in the morning for maximum benefit.

My friend Radha Dhanani is a wonderful cook---specially her traditional Sindhi Cuisine is her forte.This Paratha is a filling and light Lunch when eaten with a serving of Fresh thick Yoghurt----just wonderful during the Summer Heat!!!

Most of the people in our complex are Vegetarian---and being Vegetarian in India means not eating any Non-Vegetarian Food---this includes Fish as well as Eggs.Anuradha is an expert at adding various Ingredients while making this Cake-----she flavours it with fresh Fruit Pulp and it really makes a very tasty treat!!!!

This is a very popular snack all over India though the methods of making this differ.In Marathi cooking this is served as a snack by itself or as part of a meal.This Vegetable is particularly available in the Rainy season and forms an integral part of our staple religious diet.

This is a popular Konkani preparation------particularly with those who don't eat Chicken or Meat.It tastes like Red Meat but cooks really fast.In fact if made a day earlier and kept overnight before serving,it acquires a richer taste.

This thick Yoghurt Curry is very popular all over India but each State prepares it differently.I am giving the North Indian style of making this.This is the recipe used by one of our cooks named Sohan Singh and one of my personal favourites.This should be eaten with piping hot plain Steamed Rice specially in the heavy Monsoon days.Heaven!!!

This is a favourite sweet in the Konkan,Goa and Karwar regions specially during the month of Shravan(mid July-mid August).As Coconuts and Rice are the main crops in that region this is made with these two things and adds a sweet touch during the Poojas during that month.
We use a 'Sora' or a wooden Mould.It is a hollow Teak Wood Cylinder with handles.Thin Brass discs fit into one end while another solid Wood Cylinder---also with handles,forms the other half.This fits into the hollow Cylinder. By applying pressure the Dough is forced out through interchangeable brass discs with have various shapes on them.These are something like the nozzles in an Icing Gun.Today Steel Soras are also available on which we need to use far less pressure and therefore are way easier to use.We use the medium Vermicelli mould for these.

This popular Dessert is made from the Colostreum rich Milk produced by Cows who have just calved.The thick Milk produced by these on the first three days is mixed with regular Milk,Sugar,Saffron Threads and Cardamom-Nutmeg Powders and steamed.When set this is cooled to room temprature,cut into squares and served cold.
However due to religious constraints, this Milk is not used for any Poojas or any auspicious Occasions.Hence this is a Dessert eaten only during non-religious get-togethers.
We do not like too sweet desserts in our house but do adjust the sweetness to suit personal tastes.

This is another Favourite dish from my childhood---and I crave this in the Summers when certain Vegetables like tiny Eggplants, Okra,Tindas,Parwals/Parmals and Tendli/Kundrus/Ivy Gourds are available in the Markets---very fresh and tender.Any of these can be used and stuffed with this Masala Paste and make a great Side Dish!!!I have used Okra---while the Masala (Stuffing) remains the same you can use it by stuffing any small Vegetables of your choice!!

This is the way Tea would be made during my childhood.Half a teaspoon of this Spice Powder along with a few Fresh Sweet Violet Leaves (Banafsha/Adulsa)would be boiled in four cups of Water and reduced to half.This Concoction would then be strained,1 tsp. of Dark Honey added to this along with a squeeze of Lime Juice would be given to us three sisters to drink as hot as possible by my Nanny---specially in the Monsoon and the Winter----to warm us and prevent Coughs and Colds.She used to call it "Kaadhaa".This Powder can also be added to traditional Tea made with Milk to spice it up and give it a zing.This also is excellent as an "Ukaalaa" or just boiled in a mixture of plain Milk and Water without the addition of Tea Leaves.This is drunk with Dark Honey stirred in after it is strained into a Cup.I still continue to make this Spice Powder and add a pinch of this to spice up my early morningTea--and this acts as a great wake up call each morning--very refreshing and energising!!

This is one of our favourite combinations---specially in the Ghats as the Satara-Kolhapur region is called.This Ghati combination is a mix of Sweet,Hot and Sour tastes.Traditionally Pooran is made for every Pooja or Religious Ceremony.It is known as 'Poorna-Varanachey Jevan'.It is also a must have for the festival of 'Holi' which is last important Festival in the Hindu Calender and eating this on that day means completing the year on a happy note.

On the Indian West Coast we get rounded triangular Mussels called Tisrya/Shivlya or Shimplya in Maharashtra and Goa.These come in hues of beige/brown or black and in small,medium or large sizes.These are available in Chinese Stores outside India.

This curry is a hot,spicy and very aromatic dish.Though simple to prepare this takes some time to make.I make all my Masalas(Spice Powders) in advance as well as keeping roasted Dry Coconut ready in my 'Fridge so I require very little time to make this.The proportions for making the Spice powders are listed in my Cook Books so whoever is interested in making them can do so.

My maternal Grandfather retired to Pune or Poona as it was then known.Ba-aji took this recipe from one of my Grandma's Brahmin friends and modified it a little to suit her Konkani tastes.This Masala is spicier than the other varieties and should be used in moderation.

Our Dinner Parties always had to have new dishes which were not repeated except by requests.This recipe was one such often requested Party favourite and being a gravy dish
was easy to serve with hot Parathas or Naans.

This is very special Bengali Dessert which I just love immensely.Made from whole Cow's Milk it is very simple to make but really great on taste.In the Winters this is made with Date Palm Sugar(Nolen Gur) which elevates the taste even further raising it to divinity!!!
Traditionally set in Earthern Ware Pots this is one of the simplest but best Desserts India has on offer!!!

I grew up in North India and love the Dals prepared there.I have adapted these because the Ghee based preparations are too heavy for comfort.I am giving only those Recipes as can be comfortably eaten today.

This is an oil free recipe which is an ideal side dish for dieters or health food fans.If fat is needed clarified butter(ghee) can be added while serving with Phulkas.

This is another everyday staple recipe as we eat Dal almost daily.Our daily Thali or Meal consists of Dal,Rice,Salad(Koshimbir/Kachumber),Yoghur
t(Dahi),1or2 Vegetable preparations and Whole Wheat Indian Bread.This is one of our favourite recipes for preparing Dal.Non-Vegetarian items are added as and when desired.Mondays are fasting days in our family so the meal does not contain either Garlic or Shallots.

This was my maternal Grandma's--Aaji's forte.She was an expert Cook and this was a Puneri Delicacy that she picked up when they moved to Poona/Pune in the late 1950s.In the old days these would be steamed first in Steamers and then cooled and cut into Squares.These Squares would then be deep fried in Oil to give these Squares a crispy, crackly touch.Today I either steam these and fry in Pam Spray in a Frying Pan or bake these in a Pre-heated Oven to reduce the Oil Content of this Recipe.This is a very light preparation and one of my Favourite Snacks with Mugfulls of hot,Milky Tea---specially when it is pouring heavily outside!!!

My friend Kanta is a Gujarati hailing from the Kutch region of that State.Gujaratis are very fond of Pickles and this one is a fresh Pickle that is made and finished while still crunchy and fresh.This is a Kutchi Recipe which is very yummy and is made by stuffing the Green Chillies with a blend of different Spices ground coarsely---the coarse ground Seeds are called "Kuria".This lasts for about 3 weeks in the Refridgerator or for about 10 days on the shelf.

This is one of my favourite Mughalai Dishes and cooked mostly in the holy month of Ramzan/Ramadan by my Muslim friends.During this month they fast from Sunrise to Sunset----and are forbidden to swallow even their own Saliva during the fasting period----but once the night falls,they celebrate with Prayers and sumptous Meals----sometimes till early Dawn!!!My very dear friend----late Zubeida Jacob was a very pious Soul---and a fantabulous Cook!!!This was one of the dishes she'd cook during that month---- it would cook slowly throughout the day----and by Dinnertime would be simmered to delicious perfection------I write the Recipe in your memory---Dear Aunty!!!