"But we had this for lunch!" Is that a familiar phrase in your family? That's something you won't hear when you try these recipes from the Indian continent. They range from a mild and creamy chicken entree to a spicy steak seasoned with a wet curry paste. You can easily adapt the recipes to reflect your tastes and your children's tastes.
India is a complex country, rich and fascinating, just like its food. The cuisine can be as simple as a one dish meal or a sumptuous feast with courses and condiment after condiment arranged like jewels on a tray. When you begin experimenting with these recipes, you will quickly learn about flavors and spices intrinsic to the cuisine, and you may even begin adapting old favorites using your new skills. Take a look at Indian Cuisine Glossary for a rundown of some ingredients and terms used in this cuisine.
Most people unfamiliar with the cuisine expect it to be very spicy, with overwhelming lists of ingredients and unfamiliar words. The ingredient lists may be long, but usually the length is made up of spices you can just line up on the counter and add as you cook. Indian cooking tries to incorporate sweet, sour, salty, bitter, astringent, and spicy into all meals; this balance of flavors has spiritual meaning as well.
One great way to begin is to make a meal with tried and true recipes, adding just one Indian dish. For instance, serve traditional pork chops and your children's favorite salad, and add Curried Green Beans. Or add a simple Indian bread like Chapati to a familiar meal.
Many recipes call for curry powder. You can purchase curry powder in the supermarket, but most Indian home cooks create their own blend, also known as garam masala. A selection of whole spices is toasted, ground, then used in recipes. Most curry blends include variable amounts of peppercorns, mustard, cumin, fennel, and coriander seeds, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and dried chilies.
The most important advice is to relax and have fun. You are broadening your horizons and adding zip to your life by trying these recipes. I believe that food defines us as a culture and brings us together as people. And the more you know about other cuisines, the more you will understand the world. If you are really interested in Indian cuisine, I recommend any cookbook by Madhur Jaffrey, the doyenne of Indian cuisine. Enjoy!
Indian Recipes
- Curried Couscous
This delicious side dish mixes couscous with grated carrots and golden raisins. Yum. - Mulligatawny Stew
This rich lamb stew is full of fruits and vegetables; it cooks slowly in your crockpot to make it so easy. - Curried Fish Fillets
Fish is an ideal meat to serve with curry, because its mild flavor blends well with the complex spices. This dish is cooked in the microwave. - Butter Chicken
Quickly marinated chicken is simmered with spices, tomato, and butter to make this delicious entree recipe served over rice. - Skillet Chicken Curry
Ready in minutes, this delicious and quick recipe adds curry powder, apples, and mushrooms to chicken thighs. - Tandoori Chicken
Chicken marinated in yogurt and spices becomes velvety rich and so fragrant in this easy grilled recipe. - Crockpot Curried Beef Stew
Apple juice adds a wonderful sweet note to this rich slow cooker entree recipe. - Crockpot Orange Curried Chicken
This is my favorite curry recipe. The flavors and textures of this easy main dish recipe are superb. - Chapati
A simple and wonderfully nutty flatbread is so easy to make. Serve them warm with any Indian dish. - Spicy Indian Steak
Ground onions and garlic combine with spices to marinate a steak before grilling. Yum. - Potato and Basmati Rice Pilaf
This excellent side dish has the most wonderful combination of flavors and textures. Serve it with grilled chicken, steak, or pork chops for a great meal. - Curried Green Beans
Green beans, curry powder, and peanuts combine to make a delicious side dish recipe. - Raita
This fresh and cool salad is a nice contrast to hot dishes in any meal.
