Indian Recipes (Most Popular)

This is a very popular dish made from a mix of various Lentils and Cereals made into a coarse Flour.This is then flavoured with finely chopped Onion,Methi(Fenugreek)Leaves or Fresh Coriander(Cilantro)Leaves,Salt and Spices and bound to a firm doughwith warm Water.Made into 7"diameter rounds and roasted on a griddle,it can be eaten by itself with plain Yoghurt for a full meal.Or smaller rounds can be made tto be served as a Breakfast dish or an afternoon Teatime Snack.This flour is kept ready in our households always as a popular and versatile Diet Option.

My next door neighbour Vijaya is a Manglorean and makes delicious Neer Dosais and Appams.Her Sweet Appams are truly delicious and crisply light and can be eaten as a Dessert or an Evening Snack.By fermenting the Batter one need not add any Yeast or Baking Powder/Soda as these come out extremely light and fluffy by themselves.These are made in a special Cast Iron Pan called the Appa Chatti which is these days available in the Market in a healthy Non-Stick format too.These can be eaten by themselves or dipped in Rasaayan or sweet Spiced Coconut Milk.They taste great either way but I prefer these by themselves!!!

This is a well loved Maharashtrian Snack----Maharashtra's answer to the Punjabi Chholay--Tikki!!!Both are healthy Foods---since addition of Oil is in our hands!!!Both of these are literally irresistable----one can make one's meal on it!!!

I learnt to make this from our Cook ,Narayandas.He was the first Cook my Parents employed when they moved into a Tent first and later a Row House among the first 8 homes built in Chandigarh---way back in early 1953.Mummy had a notebook in which she would note down these various Proportions and she handed these to me on her return from Mauritius after Daddy passed away.This Masala can turn even the simplest Food into lip smacking delicious!!!Sprinkle it on Plain thick bowlful of Yoghurt or on boiled,peeled,cubed Potatoes/Sweet Potatoes with a squeeze of Lemon Juice ---it adds zing and enlivens these mundane Foods up!!!Even a bowlful of Fresh Fruit perks up when this is added to it with a dash of Lemon Juice---we Indians call it "Fruit Chaat"!!!

Indian Food is based on a balance of various Ingredients---Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian.This has been a favourite of mine since childhood---except those days I ate two whole Eggs---today I eat only the Egg Whites---thanks to my Health constraints!!!Many people are sailing in the same boat as me so I thought I'd share this recipe.Combined with a Multi Grain Bread Roll it makes for a great Breakfast or Evening Snack---in fact anytime you need some nourishment!!!!

This Dal is used as an extra Vegetable and is a very tasty and nutritious addition to any Meal.This too is a North Indian dish(Punjabi) and used to be made mostly during Summer as the variety of Vegetables is less.

I make this fish curry with either Tomatoes or Mangosteen Shells(Kokum) as I avoid using Tamarind.If desired feel free to use Tamarind instead. The Tomato Puree gives a richer red colour to the Curry.This is a thicker preparation than any Thai Curry though the taste is somewhat the same----that's why my husband loves Thai food!!

Though easy to make this dish is a little on the higher side where the use of Oil is concerned.However by using a Non-Stick Pan and draining on paper towels the intake of Oil can be reduced.I saute in the pan instead of deep frying it.

This is a spicy preparation---served both as an Appetizer or an after Dinner Digestive drink.It is very popular on hot Summer nights as a coolant.Also called "Phooti Kadhi" it can be eaten with plain boiled White Rice----I prefer it as a Drink---very good for Diabetics!!!!

This is favourite way of cooking French Beans in our family.We string these and slice them very finely into tiny rounds.These are then seasoned and cooked on a low flame and if desired garnished with raw shredded Fresh Coconut for added flavour.I do not add any.

The East indian people were the first settlers of Mumbai or Bombay as the Portuguese named this set of seven islands.Converted to Christianity by them this community retains a quaint mixture of their Indo-Portuguese heritage in their cuisine.Their Fish dishes are truly fabulous.I have adapted some to our taste and one of these is this Dry Bombil Chutney. If you can get hold of their lovely Bottle Masala you could taste the REAL taste.The Bottle Masala is a closely guarded Recipe-----I used to get mine from an elderly friend who since has passed on---God rest her soul.Hence the adaptation!!!

This preparation is made with Dried Shrimps.It is a spicy Vegetable mix very popular for either Lunch or Dinner.

Biji lived next door from my birth till I was 6 years old for that was when we moved.Her house was my second home during that period and our relations survived with the same warmth till she passed away!!It was in her home that I became addicted to Punjabi Pickles specially "Aam kaa Achaar" as the Mango Pickle was called---I must have downed kilos of it with crisp,flaky "Matthree" a salty flaky fried Biscuit type preparation---the wonderful buttery taste still lingers on my tongue!!

This is a very simple dish to make.It is one of the everyday dishes in our house and the recipe is our old family traditional one.This can be made a part of our Lunch or Dinner menu and the Coconut is optional for those who do not want it.

This hearty dish is a product of the Punjab and echoes the robust character of the people of the area.This is an exceedingly popular and well relished dish all over India and is cooked according to various recipes.
The recipe I am sharing is one that was used in my parents's kitchen by our cook Sohan Singh when I was a child.His Spices( Masalas) were always freshly made but I have managed through trial and error to duplicate the taste of his preparation with store bought Spices(Masalas).

I was born in Mumbai in my maternal grandparents home .Their neighbours were Parsis who gave me a lot of love during my childhood.
The Parsis migrated to India from Persia centuries back and have a fabulous and unique cuisine which blends together a variety of flavours.The spices and various Masalas as well as Lentils,Vegetables and Desserts are cooked in a very tasty but unique recipes.
The Parsis eat a lot of Eggs----in fact they literally eat Eggs by the dozen.This is a popular way of preparing Eggs----teaming these up with Vegetables.My recipe is modified to suit all as Parsi spices are not available everywhere.
Here I would like to say that the Parsis eat Eggs by the dozen yet the average Parsi lives a very active life to a very ripe old age----more often than not they cross into their nineties with all their faculties intact and leading very healthy lives---here I would like to cite premier lawyers like Mr.Nariman and Mr.Sorabjee as examples.
I havealways loved and admired this community which though small has cornered the lion's share in the fabric of Mumbai living.

This a spicy Minced Meat dish cooked with new potatoes in a curry-----this can be eaten both with plain steamed Rice and Chappaties(Indian Bread).This time on my visit to the U.S.A. my daughter bought Kaiser Rolls---these taste a lot like Indian Bakery Paav(Bread).These Rolls are a favourite of my husband as these soak up the Curry and are great for mopping up your plate!!!

This tasty treat is a speciality of the Sindhi Community in India.This can be eaten as a Breakfast or taken along as a packed Lunch to work or while travelling.Traditionally eaten with Plain Yoghurt it makes for a satisfying Meal-----I have modified my fried Radha Dhanani's recipe only as far as the Ghee(Clarified Butter)is concerned to lighten the Fat calories.

These traditional Laadoos(Balls) are made from polished Sesame Seeds and sticky Jaggery specifically for the Makar Sankranti Festival or Winter Harvest Festival which is celebrated to give thanks to The Almighty for His Bounty.This Festival takes place on either 14th. or 15th. of January each year and all the products of the Winter Harvest are ceremoniously worshipped in Clay Pots made specially for this day.These Clay Pots are daubed with stripes of Sandalwood ,Turmeric and Kum Kum Pastes,worshipped and then ceremoniously distributed to married women in different numbers---5/7/9/11--according to custom in each home..This Speciality is eaten and made all over India in the Winter---as that is when certain Foods are eaten to keep the body warm----Sesame Seeds too are considered a "Hot" food-----and combined with Jaggery,roasted Split Chick Peas,Peanuts,Dry Fruits,Coconut and aromatic Spices these add a festive air to these days!!!

This is the basic traditional Masala that I bottle and keep for making Fish Curries.Grinding this fresh everyday is too tiresome so I make this in bulk these days and keep.This has a long shelf life but I prefer to keep it in the Refrigerator as this keeps the flavours fresh.

This is another preparation with Dry Bombay Ducks.this tastes really good and can be served instead of a Vegetable preferably at night with a Dal,Salad,Bhakri and steamed Rice.

Batata Vada is a very famous Mumbai snack.This is my recipe in which I use Bhavnagari Chillies for giving a twist to the original recipe. This makes just the right sized bites per person.Coupled with fresh Dinner Rollsand Chutney this forms a very filling but slightly heavy snack.

This is the Recipe given to me by my neighbour Shetty Aunty.This tastes great with Idlies,Dosais as well as hot plain Steamed Rice.Like Methkut this versatile Powder is an asset to keep in the house.This tastes great if eaten as a Chutney too!

This is a very easy but tasty recipe which I have modified to reduce calories and promote healthy eating. Instead of using the traditional method which involves deep frying the Stuffed Potatoes I just stuff these par-boiled and the cook these in gravy to get the same taste.

This is a favourite amongst all the Konkanis----people hailing from the Konkan Region of Maharashtra as well as Goans and Karwaaris from the Karwaar region of Karnataka.This is the way my Great Grandma Ba-aji made it and I follow the same method.Both Coriander and Cumin Seeds are considered to be coolants and are used in various Recipes---either by themselves or together.Today ready made bottles of this Concentrate are readily available in shops.As a result, the Fruit is becoming hard to find in Mumbai markets.
This recipe makes two different kinds of Syrup and both taste truly wonderful!!!

This is something I created out of desperation---need to vary the Methods of cooking Egg Whites on a daily basis!!!Turned out okay so thought I'd share it here.

This too is an easy way to prepare Okra.I am giving 2 recipes here for different ways of stuffing it.You can steam these in the Microwave if so desired.

Yoghurt based Shrikhand is one of the favourite traditional Sweets in India----specially in the States of Maharashtra and Gujerat.This is easily converted into into Fruit or Mango Shrikhand also called Aamra Khand in Marathi.