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53 Indian recipes

• Janine Ratcliffe

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Create an Indian-style banquet at home with our recipes, from chana masala and creamy dahl to onion bhajis and Dishoom's gunpowder potatoes

Looking for Indian recipes? Want to make your own roti? Try our fragrant Indian recipes, including show-stopping curries, Indian street food snacks and takeaway staples (check out that butter chicken!).

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As well as popular classics, we have plenty of Indian household favourites from different regions of Indian, such as dum aloo and Goan pork balchao. Many of our Indian recipes come from Mumbai-born Indian chef and food writer Maunika Gowaardhan. Try her fish fofos and more below. We also have recipes from some of our favourite Indian restaurants including Dishoom and Darjeeling Express.

Tuck into your Indian food and escape to India virtually with our road trip in Kerala. Now discover Bangladeshi food: how to cook like a local and how to celebrate Holi.

Not spotted your favourite Indian dish? Do you know an awesome Indian chef or food writer that you’d like to see featured here? Email us or contact us on social media at @olivemagazine to let us know!

Indian recipes

Rajasthani lamb curry (laal maas)

Maunika Gowardhan's trip to Udaipur in Rajasthan was made really special by meeting locals from the region and discovering this stellar recipe for a traditional laal maas – a slow-cooked lamb curry with bone marrow, chillies and spices.

Chicken tikka

These juicy chicken skewers, marinated in yogurt, ginger, garlic and spices, make a great starter for an Indian-inspired feast.

Lamb biryani

Skip the takeaway and recreate this Indian classic at home. Tender, melt-in-the-mouth lamb takes the spotlight, accompanied by subtly spiced rice and saffron cream.

Hariyali (green masala) prawn and saffron pulao

This one-pot rice dish is elegant and dinner party thanks to the addition of herbs, saffron and plump pink prawns. It shares the same characteristics as a biryani but simplified for easy entertaining.

Tarka dhal

Serve this nourishing tarka dhal with plenty of roti for a classic Indian feast.

Chilli paneer fry

Chilli paneer is a vegetarian dish that’s a popular street food in India. This version by Maunika Gowardhan makes the perfect speedy meal for four.

Chapatis

Mop up saucy curries or dhals with these homemade chapatis – they're really easy to make at home with only a handful of ingredients required.

Naan bread

It's well worth making your naan from scratch for your next curry night – aim for nicely golden and blistered on the outside, and soft and fluffy inside.

Tandoori king prawns

No need to wait for barbecue season to enjoy these tandoori prawns. They're ideal as a starter with a kachumber salad or as a dinner party canapé – juicy, flavourful and no tandoor required.

Nadan chicken peralan

Chicken peralan has heat, so tailor the level of spice based on how much you prefer. Vinegar, pepper and fennel add so much flavour, as well as a gorgeous aroma.

Indian summer lamb traybake

Make this Indian-inspired one-tray roast with warming spices – the potatoes soak up all of the juices from the lamb as it cooks. Serve with a simple tomato and cucumber salad, naan, yogurt and chutneys for an effortless summer spread. If you can, marinate the lamb overnight so all of those flavours have time to absorb fully.

Sabzi dhal

This is a great wholesome one-pot dish. It is also an excellent way to use up leftover fresh or frozen vegetables, or combine the two in this dhal.

Karak chai

Originating in India, this strong, hot tea is perfect for waking you up at the start of the day.

Pilau rice

Make this pilau rice as an accompaniment for one of our Indian-style curries.

Aloo gobi with poached eggs

For a soothing midweek dinner, try Asma Khan’s twist on this popular Indian delicacy by serving it with runny poached eggs.

Kitchari with green bean tarka

Kitchari is a traditional Ayurvedic cleansing food consisting of split yellow mung dal and basmati rice. Here, we've given this soothing dish a glow-up with this tasty green bean tarka, making it a lovely vegan main course, great eaten with Indian flatbreads. The whole seeds in the tarka are good for digestion as well as helping to relieve gas and bloating.

Golda chingri

Coconut milk is mixed with fragrant garam masala to create a creamy, spiced sauce for fried prawns. This recipe comes from Lila Di at London's Soho restaurant, Gunpowder.

Langarwali dhal

Langarwali dhal has come to mean a hearty dark brown dhal that is slightly lighter in flavour than the more well-known dhal makhani. For the best dhal, soak the lentils overnight before cooking – they will absorb more flavour when cooked the next day.

Thakkali pachadi

Delicious tomato chutney with chilli, coconut and curry leaves. Traditionally this pachadi is eaten with soft dosai or as part of a feast.

Sindhi dhal pakwan

Try Maunika Gowardhan's Sindhi dhal pakwan, a classic Sindhi breakfast. Enjoy it sprinkled with chopped onions and a squeeze of lemon.

Mutton keema

In this recipe from Asma Khan of Darjeeling Express, mutton mince is mixed with cardamon, Indian bay leaves and cumin seeds to make a satisfying and aromatic dinner.

Jersey Royal bombay potatoes

Make the most out of seasonal Jersey Royals with this dish, spiced with turmeric, cumin, mustard seeds and garam masala. Great served with an egg for brunch or as a side with curry and rice.

This Indian-inspired smash taco packs a garam masala lamb patty, tangy tamarind sauce, crunchy chaat and a pinch of dried mango powder onto a crispy tortilla for a hand-held and bold dinner option.

Saag chana masala

This veggie side dish from Asma Khan of Darjeeling Express promises plenty of kick due to the addition of green and red chillies.

Maharashtrian anti dahl

olive’s Indian cooking expert, Maunika Gowardhan, shares her recipe for a classic sweet and sour vegan dahl from Maharashtra.

Ragda pattice

Each mouthful of these ginger and chilli potato patties is a flavour bomb. They can easily be made ahead and heated up for a spicy sharing treat.

Keralan chicken and cashew curry

Also know as 'chertha kozhi kari', this chicken curry has classic flavours from Kerala, with ginger, green chilli, whole fragrant spices and a light, creamy gravy enriched with cashew nuts.

Goan pork balchao

Balchao is a classic curry in most Goan homes, often made with prawns. This pork version from Maunika Gowardhan is divine. Cooked with chilli, vinegar and black pepper, the resultant balchao has a rich consistency, with the spiced gravy clinging to the pork.

Dum aloo (potatoes in a thick nut gravy)

A version of this dish is cooked in almost every traditional Indian household – this particular recipe with new potatoes comes from Asma Khan, chef-patron of Darjeeling Express. Serve with fried bread such as puris.

Spiced coffee kulfi

Nik Sharma's Indian frozen dessert is flavoured with coffee, cardamom, cinnamon and star anise. A perfect kulfi should contain ice crystals, so look out for them!

Kombdi masala

Try Maunika Gowardhan's hearty curry that uses classic spices synonymous with west India for a lively entertaining dish.

Chettinad chicken fry

Maunika Gowardhan's super-simple version of chettinad chicken flavours thigh fillets with ginger, turmeric, fennel seeds, cinnamon and dried red chillies. It's adapted from the classic curry and can be prepared in much less time.

Air-fryer onion bhajis

There’s no need to spend time deep-frying these bhajis when you can cook them in the air-fryer in just 15 minutes.

Vegetable hakka noodles

Combine noodles with lots of crunchy veggies in this Indo-Chinese dish – it makes a quick and easy side dish for four.

Brinjal pickle

Try Maunika Gowardhan's classic Indian condiment packed with plenty of spice and a slight sweet hit for a great addition to any curry.

Dishoom's gunpowder potatoes

Dishoom's gunpowder potatoes, using deggi mirch chilli powder, are the ideal side to any Indian feast. This recipe was created by Dishoom's executive chef, Naved Nasir.

Chana masala

Packed with plenty of spice, this vegan chickpea curry has less than 200 calories. Eat it with roti for a more filling meal that the whole family will love.

Spring onion bhajis with mint and coriander chutney

Homemade mint and coriander chutney is the perfect condiment to eat with these crispy spring onion bhajis. Serve as a starter, snack or side at an Indian-themed dinner.

South Indian-style hake curry

This south Indian-inspired hake curry feeds four in under an hour and has less than 500 calories per serving – perfect for a healthy midweek meal. We have more fish curry recipes where this came from, too.

Duck samosas

Samosas are popular Indian street food snacks, often filled with potato and veg. Our version sees tender duck wrapped in flaky pastry and served with a fresh coriander chutney.

Shahi paneer

Here, Indian cheese stars in a rich and creamy cashew and tomato curry. This vibrant Indian-style dish is an easy veggie curry recipe that's also gluten-free. We have lot's more great paneer recipes over here.

Vegetable and paneer dum biryani

This veggie biryani from The Curry Guy, Dan Toombs, is great served on special occasions – lift the lid at the table and enjoy the fantastic aroma as the steam fills the room.

Mutter paneer

Mutter paneer is a traditional north Indian curry. The texture of fresh peas stands up well against the paneer, but frozen is fine too. This version can be ready in just 30 minutes. It's easy to make your own paneer – here's how to do it.

Black dahl with paneer-stuffed naan

Lashings of butter and cream give this dahl the X-factor. The beans need time to soak, but once it’s in the oven it looks after itself.

Mulligatawny soup

Our version of a hearty Indian soup, packed with vegetables and chicken, and spiced with curry powder. If you’ve got a food processor, use the grater blade to speed up the prep for this recipe.

Indian-style spiced sweet potato cakes

Traditionally cooked in Indian households as a snack, these potato cakes are packed with warming spice and served with a fresh, crunchy kachumber salad. Using sweet potato keeps them lighter.

Chettinad chicken

This is our take on a fiery curry from Southern India. The marinating takes time but the recipe is quick to prepare and cook. Fans of spicy chicken curries will love this. Serve with rice or naan alongside.

Southern Indian-style chicken curry

This fragrant southern Indian curry is unusual in that it gets all its heat from black pepper rather than chilli. For maximum flavour from the spices, marinate the chicken for as long as you can, then it’s a speedy curry to make.

Sesame naan bread

Make your own flatbread from scratch. The ideal accompaniment to any curry dish, this naan is kicked up a notch with the crunch of sesame seeds.

Lamb shank rogan josh

We use lamb shanks for our rogan josh – they're seriously tender and full of flavour. No need for a takeaway when you can devour these straight from the oven.

Cheat’s butter chicken curry

We've created a super-easy version of this curry house classic, ready in 45 minutes. The combination of butter, almonds and yogurt magically creates a rich, creamy sauce.

Indian-inspired kofta sandwich

Upgrade your sarnie with our Indian-spiced fish sandwich with creamy raita and punchy chutney. These easy flatbreads are quite magical, starting off puffy and scone-like then gradually becoming moreishly chewier as they cool down.

Cauliflower pakoras with pomegranate raita

Almost any vegetable can be used to make pakora, or even paneer, but we love this version with cauliflower. Find gram (chickpea) flour in Indian grocers and larger health food shops.

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Vegan aubergine dhansak curry

Cook aubergine pieces with fragrant spices and red lentils for a hearty yet healthy vegan curry.

Authors

Janine RatcliffeFood director

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