Top 18 Indian Dinner Recipes: A Culinary Journey Through India

Indian Dinner Recipes: A Culinary Journey Through India

India, a country known for its diverse culture and rich heritage, is also famous for its exquisite cuisine. Indian dinners, usually served between 8:00 - 9:00 PM, are a delightful blend of flavors, colors, and textures. This blog post will take you on a culinary journey through India, exploring the top 10 Indian dinner recipes. Each recipe is accompanied by step-by-step cooking instructions, making it easy for you to recreate these dishes at home.

1. Butter Chicken

Butter Chicken, also known as Murgh Makhani, is a popular dish in North India. It’s a creamy, mildly spiced curry that’s perfect with naan or rice.

Ingredients:

• Chicken: 500 grams
• Butter: 2 tablespoons
• Onion: 2, finely chopped
• Ginger-garlic paste: 2 teaspoons
• Tomato puree: 1 cup
• Cream: 1/2 cup
• Spices: Turmeric, cumin, coriander, garam masala, red chili powder
• Salt: To taste

Instructions:

1. Marinate the chicken in ginger-garlic paste, salt, and spices for at least 30 minutes.
2. In a pan, melt the butter and sauté the onions until golden brown.
3. Add the marinated chicken to the pan and cook until it’s no longer pink.
4. Add the tomato puree and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Stir in the cream and let it cook for another 5 minutes.
6. Serve hot with naan or rice.

2. Palak Paneer

Palak Paneer is a healthy and delicious dish made from cottage cheese (paneer) and spinach (palak). It’s a staple in many Indian households.

Ingredients:

• Spinach: 500 grams
• Paneer: 200 grams
• Onion: 1, finely chopped
• Ginger-garlic paste: 1 teaspoon
• Green chili: 1, finely chopped
• Spices: Cumin seeds, garam masala, turmeric, red chili powder
• Salt: To taste
• Oil: 2 tablespoons

Instructions:

1. Blanch the spinach in boiling water for 2 minutes, then drain and blend into a smooth puree.
2. In a pan, heat the oil and add the cumin seeds. Once they start to splutter, add the onions and sauté until they turn golden brown.
3. Add the ginger-garlic paste and green chili, and sauté for another minute.
4. Add the spinach puree and spices, and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Add the paneer cubes and cook for another 5 minutes.
6. Serve hot with roti or rice.

3. Dal Tadka

Dal Tadka is a popular Indian lentil dish made with pigeon pea lentils or arhar dal.

Ingredients:

• Arhar dal: 1 cup
• Onion: 1, finely chopped
• Tomato: 1, finely chopped
• Green chili: 1, finely chopped
• Ginger-garlic paste: 1 teaspoon
• Spices: Turmeric, cumin seeds, red chili powder, garam masala
• Salt: To taste
• Oil: 2 tablespoons

Instructions:

1. Rinse the dal thoroughly and cook it in a pressure cooker with 2 cups of water, salt, and turmeric.
2. In a pan, heat the oil and add the cumin seeds. Once they start to splutter, add the onions and sauté until they turn golden brown.
3. Add the ginger-garlic paste and green chili, and sauté for another minute.
4. Add the tomatoes and cook until they are soft.
5. Add the cooked dal to the pan, add the red chili powder and garam masala, and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
6. Serve hot with rice or roti.

4. Chole Bhature

Also read :Top 18 Indian Dinner Recipes: A Culinary Journey Through India

Chole Bhature is a classic dish from Punjabi cuisine. It’s a combination of spicy chickpea curry (chole) and deep-fried bread (bhature).

Ingredients:

• For Chole: Chickpeas, onions, tomatoes, ginger-garlic paste, chole masala, spices, oil
• For Bhature: All-purpose flour, yogurt, baking soda, oil for deep frying

Instructions:

1. Soak the chickpeas overnight and cook them in a pressure cooker.
2. In a pan, heat the oil and sauté the onions until golden brown. Add the ginger-garlic paste, tomatoes, chole masala, and other spices, and cook until the tomatoes are soft.
3. Add the cooked chickpeas to the pan and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
4. For the bhature, mix the flour, yogurt, and baking soda to make a dough. Divide the dough into small balls and roll them out into oval shapes.
5. Heat the oil in a deep frying pan and fry the bhature until they puff up and turn golden brown.
6. Serve the chole hot with the bhature.

5. Biryani

Biryani is a flavorful and aromatic rice dish that’s popular all over India. It’s made with basmati rice, meat (like chicken or mutton), and a blend of spices.

Ingredients:

• Basmati rice: 2 cups
• Chicken or mutton: 500 grams
• Onions: 2, finely sliced
• Tomatoes: 2, finely chopped
• Ginger-garlic paste: 2 teaspoons
• Biryani masala: 2 tablespoons
• Yogurt: 1 cup
• Saffron: A few strands, soaked in warm milk
• Oil: For frying
• Salt: To taste

Instructions:

1. Rinse the basmati rice until the water runs clear and soak it for 30 minutes.
2. In a large pan, heat the oil and fry the onions until they are caramelized. Remove half of the onions for garnishing.
3. Add the ginger-garlic paste to the pan and sauté for a minute.
4. Add the tomatoes and cook until they are soft.
5. Add the meat and biryani masala, and cook until the meat is tender.
6. In a separate pot, cook the rice until it’s 70% cooked.
7. Layer the partially cooked rice over the meat in the pan. Drizzle the saffron milk over the rice and top it with the fried onions.
8. Cover the pan and cook on low heat for 20-30 minutes, until the rice is fully cooked and the flavors have melded together.
9. Serve hot with raita or a hard-boiled egg.

6. Sambar

Sambar is a South Indian lentil and vegetable stew. It’s typically served with rice, idli, or dosa.

Ingredients:

• Toor dal: 1 cup
• Mixed vegetables: 2 cups (such as okra, drumstick, eggplant, pumpkin)
• Tamarind: A small ball, soaked in water
• Sambar powder: 2 tablespoons
• Mustard seeds: 1 teaspoon
• Dry red chilies: 2
• Asafoetida: A pinch
• Curry leaves: A few
• Oil: 2 tablespoons
• Salt: To taste

Instructions:

1. Rinse the toor dal and cook it in a pressure cooker until it’s soft and mushy.
2. In a large pot, boil the vegetables until they are tender.
3. Add the cooked dal, tamarind pulp, sambar powder, and salt to the pot and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
4. In a small pan, heat the oil and add the mustard seeds. Once they start to splutter, add the dry red chilies, asafoetida, and curry leaves.
5. Pour this tempering over the sambar and mix well.
6. Serve hot with rice, idli, or dosa.

7. Aloo Gobi

Aloo Gobi is a simple yet flavorful dish made with potatoes (aloo) and cauliflower (gobi). It’s a staple in many Indian households.

Ingredients:

• Potatoes: 2, cubed
• Cauliflower: 1, cut into florets
• Onion: 1, finely chopped
• Ginger-garlic paste: 1 teaspoon
• Spices: Turmeric, cumin seeds, coriander powder, red chili powder
• Salt: To taste
• Oil: 2 tablespoons

Instructions:

1. In a pan, heat the oil and add the cumin seeds. Once they start to splutter, add the onions and sauté until they turn golden brown.
2. Add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for another minute.
3. Add the potatoes and cauliflower to the pan, followed by the spices and salt. Mix well to ensure the vegetables are coated with the spices.
4. Cover the pan and let it cook on low heat for 20-25 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
5. Serve hot with roti or rice.

8. Rajma Chawal

Also read :Top 18 Indian Dinner Recipes: A Culinary Journey Through India

Rajma Chawal is a popular North Indian dish consisting of red kidney beans (rajma) in a thick gravy, served with rice (chawal).

Ingredients:

• Rajma (red kidney beans): 1 cup
• Onion: 1, finely chopped
• Tomato: 2, finely chopped
• Ginger-garlic paste: 1 teaspoon
• Rajma masala: 2 tablespoons
• Salt: To taste
• Oil: 2 tablespoons
• Rice: 2 cups

Instructions:

1. Soak the rajma overnight and cook them in a pressure cooker until they are soft.
2. In a pan, heat the oil and sauté the onions until they turn golden brown.
3. Add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for another minute.
4. Add the tomatoes and cook until they are soft.
5. Add the cooked rajma, rajma masala, and salt to the pan and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
6. In the meantime, cook the rice until it’s fluffy and fully cooked.
7. Serve the rajma hot with rice.

9. Paneer Tikka

Paneer Tikka is a popular vegetarian dish where paneer (cottage cheese) cubes are marinated in spices and then grilled to perfection.

Ingredients:

• Paneer: 200 grams, cubed
• Yogurt: 1 cup
• Spices: Turmeric, red chili powder, garam masala
• Lemon juice: 1 tablespoon
• Salt: To taste
• Oil: For grilling

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, mix the yogurt, spices, lemon juice, and salt to make the marinade.
2. Add the paneer cubes to the marinade and let it sit for at least 2 hours.
3. Heat the grill and brush it with oil.
4. Grill the marinated paneer cubes until they are golden brown and slightly charred.
5. Serve hot with mint chutney.

10. Masala Dosa

Masala Dosa is a South Indian dish that consists of a crispy, thin pancake made from fermented rice and lentil batter, filled with a spicy potato filling.

Ingredients:

• For Dosa: Rice, urad dal (black lentils), fenugreek seeds, salt
• For Masala: Potatoes, onions, mustard seeds, curry leaves, turmeric, green chilies, salt

Instructions:

1. Soak the rice, urad dal, and fenugreek seeds in water for 4-5 hours. Grind them to make a smooth batter and let it ferment overnight.
2. For the masala, boil the potatoes until they are soft. In a pan, heat some oil and add the mustard seeds. Once they start to splutter, add the onions, curry leaves, and green chilies. Sauté until the onions are translucent.
3. Add the boiled potatoes, turmeric, and salt to the pan and mix well.
4. To make the dosa, heat a flat pan and pour a ladleful of batter onto it. Spread it out into a thin circle. Cook until the bottom is golden brown, then flip it over and cook the other side.
5. Place some of the potato masala in the center of the dosa and fold it over.
6. Serve hot with sambar and coconut chutney.

11. Matar Paneer

Also read :Top 18 Indian Dinner Recipes: A Culinary Journey Through India

Matar Paneer is a popular North Indian dish made with paneer (cottage cheese) and green peas (matar) in a tomato-based curry.

Ingredients:

• Paneer: 200 grams, cubed
• Green peas: 1 cup
• Onion: 1, finely chopped
• Tomato: 2, finely chopped
• Ginger-garlic paste: 1 teaspoon
• Spices: Turmeric, cumin seeds, coriander powder, red chili powder, garam masala
• Salt: To taste
• Oil: 2 tablespoons

Instructions:

1. In a pan, heat the oil and add the cumin seeds. Once they start to splutter, add the onions and sauté until they turn golden brown.
2. Add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for another minute.
3. Add the tomatoes and cook until they are soft.
4. Add the green peas, paneer cubes, spices, and salt to the pan and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Serve hot with roti or rice.

12. Chicken Curry

Chicken Curry is a popular dish in India, made with chicken pieces cooked in a spicy gravy.

Ingredients:

• Chicken: 500 grams
• Onion: 2, finely chopped
• Tomato: 2, finely chopped
• Ginger-garlic paste: 2 teaspoons
• Spices: Turmeric, cumin seeds, coriander powder, red chili powder, garam masala
• Salt: To taste
• Oil: 2 tablespoons

Instructions:

1. In a pan, heat the oil and add the cumin seeds. Once they start to splutter, add the onions and sauté until they turn golden brown.
2. Add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for another minute.
3. Add the tomatoes and cook until they are soft.
4. Add the chicken pieces, spices, and salt to the pan and let it simmer for 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked and the flavors are well combined.
5. Serve hot with rice or roti.

13. Vegetable Pulao

Vegetable Pulao is a one-pot rice dish made with basmati rice, mixed vegetables, and aromatic spices.

Ingredients:

• Basmati rice: 2 cups
• Mixed vegetables: 2 cups (such as carrots, peas, beans, cauliflower)
• Onion: 1, finely sliced
• Ginger-garlic paste: 1 teaspoon
• Spices: Cumin seeds, bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, turmeric, red chili powder
• Salt: To taste
• Oil: 2 tablespoons

Instructions:

1. Rinse the basmati rice until the water runs clear and soak it for 30 minutes.
2. In a large pot, heat the oil and add the cumin seeds, bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon, and cardamom. Once they start to splutter, add the onions and sauté until they turn golden brown.
3. Add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for another minute.
4. Add the mixed vegetables, turmeric, red chili powder, and salt, and cook for 5 minutes.
5. Drain the rice and add it to the pot. Add enough water to cover the rice and vegetables, and let it cook on low heat until the rice is fully cooked and all the water has been absorbed.
6. Serve hot with raita or a hard-boiled egg.

14. Kadai Paneer

Kadai Paneer is a popular North Indian dish made with paneer (cottage cheese) and bell peppers (capsicum) cooked in a spicy tomato gravy.

Ingredients:

• Paneer: 200 grams, cubed
• Bell peppers: 1 cup, diced
• Onion: 1, finely chopped
• Tomato: 2, finely chopped
• Ginger-garlic paste: 1 teaspoon
• Kadai masala: 2 tablespoons
• Salt: To taste
• Oil: 2 tablespoons

Instructions:

1. In a pan, heat the oil and sauté the onions until they turn golden brown.
2. Add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for another minute.
3. Add the tomatoes and cook until they are soft.
4. Add the bell peppers, paneer cubes, kadai masala, and salt to the pan and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Serve hot with roti or naan.

15. Pani Puri

Also read :Top 18 Indian Dinner Recipes: A Culinary Journey Through India

Pani Puri, also known as Golgappa, is a popular street food in India. It consists of a round, hollow puri filled with a mixture of flavored water (pani), tamarind chutney, chili, chaat masala, potato, onion, and chickpeas.

Ingredients:

• For Puri: Semolina, all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, oil for deep frying
• For Pani: Mint leaves, coriander leaves, green chilies, tamarind pulp, chaat masala, black salt, regular salt
• For Filling: Boiled potatoes, boiled chickpeas, onions, chaat masala

Instructions:

1. To make the puri, mix the semolina, flour, baking soda, and salt. Add water to make a stiff dough. Roll out the dough and cut out small circles. Deep fry these circles until they puff up and become crispy.
2. To make the pani, blend the mint leaves, coriander leaves, and green chilies to make a paste. Mix this paste with water, tamarind pulp, chaat masala, black salt, and regular salt.
3. For the filling, mix the boiled potatoes, chickpeas, onions, and chaat masala.
4. To assemble, make a small hole in the puri, fill it with the filling, and then dip it in the pani. Serve immediately.

16. Chicken Biryani

Chicken Biryani is a flavorful and aromatic rice dish that’s popular all over India. It’s made with basmati rice, chicken, and a blend of spices.

Ingredients:

• Basmati rice: 2 cups
• Chicken: 500 grams
• Onions: 2, finely sliced
• Ginger-garlic paste: 2 teaspoons
• Biryani masala: 2 tablespoons
• Yogurt: 1 cup
• Saffron: A few strands, soaked in warm milk
• Salt: To taste
• Oil: For frying

Instructions:

1. Rinse the basmati rice until the water runs clear and soak it for 30 minutes.
2. In a large pan, heat the oil and fry the onions until they are caramelized. Remove half of the onions for garnishing.
3. Add the ginger-garlic paste to the pan and sauté for a minute.
4. Add the chicken and biryani masala, and cook until the chicken is tender.
5. In a separate pot, cook the rice until it’s 70% cooked.
6. Layer the partially cooked rice over the chicken in the pan. Drizzle the saffron milk over the rice and top it with the fried onions.
7. Cover the pan and cook on low heat for 20-30 minutes, until the rice is fully cooked and the flavors have melded together.
8. Serve hot with raita or a hard-boiled egg.

17. Pav Bhaji

Pav Bhaji is a popular street food from Mumbai. It consists of a spicy vegetable mash (bhaji) served with buttered bread rolls (pav).

Ingredients:

• Mixed vegetables: 2 cups (such as potatoes, peas, carrots, bell peppers)
• Onion: 1, finely chopped
• Tomato: 2, finely chopped
• Ginger-garlic paste: 1 teaspoon
• Pav bhaji masala: 2 tablespoons
• Butter: For frying and serving
• Salt: To taste
• Pav (bread rolls): For serving

Instructions:

1. Boil the mixed vegetables until they are soft. Mash them coarsely with a potato masher.
2. In a large pan, melt the butter and sauté the onions until they turn golden brown.
3. Add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for another minute.
4. Add the tomatoes and cook until they are soft.
5. Add the mashed vegetables, pav bhaji masala, and salt to the pan and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
6. In another pan, slit the pav from the middle, apply some butter, and lightly toast them on the pan.
7. Serve the bhaji hot with the buttered pav.

18. Tandoori Chicken

Tandoori Chicken is a popular dish where chicken is marinated in yogurt and spices, then grilled or roasted to perfection.

Ingredients:

• Chicken: 500 grams
• Yogurt: 1 cup
• Spices: Turmeric, red chili powder, garam masala, tandoori masala
• Lemon juice: 1 tablespoon
• Salt: To taste
• Oil: For grilling

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, mix the yogurt, spices, lemon juice, and salt to make the marinade.
2. Add the chicken to the marinade and let it sit for at least 2 hours.
3. Heat the grill and brush it with oil.
4. Grill the marinated chicken until it is fully cooked and slightly charred.
5. Serve hot with mint chutney.