It was a collection like this that first opened my eyes to the wonders of Indian cuisine. It happened at my friend’s wedding, where the vibrant colors and aromas of the food stole the show. As I took my first bite of the rich butter chicken, an explosion of flavors danced across my tongue. The creamy tomato gravy was perfectly balanced with warm spices like cardamom and cinnamon.
Next, I tried the flavorful chana masala, a chickpea curry bursting with the tanginess of tamarind and the aroma of roasted cumin. The naan bread was soft and pillowy, perfect for scooping up every last drop of the mouth-watering curries.
From the comforting palak paneer to the fragrant biryani, each authentic dish was a revelation from the 25 Authentic Indian Dinner Recipes collection. I was hooked. Indian cuisine had won me over with its bold flavors, layered spices, and evident love and tradition poured into every recipe. That wedding feast started my enduring love affair with Indian food.
1. Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani)
Bold, creamy, and indulgent curry with tender chicken in a velvety tomato-based gravy.
Ingredients: Chicken Yogurt Cream Tomatoes
Butter Garlic Ginger Spices (garam masala, cumin, coriander, red chili powder)
Instructions:
- Marinate chicken in yogurt and spices for 30 mins
- Cook chicken in butter/oil until lightly browned (10 mins)
- Make gravy: Cook tomato puree, garlic, ginger, and spices (10 mins)
- Add chicken and simmer until tender (15 mins)
- Finish with cream and butter (5 mins) Total Cook Time: 40-50 mins
2. Palak Paneer
Delicious blend of fresh spinach and soft paneer (cottage cheese) cubes in a creamy, aromatic sauce.
Ingredients: Spinach Paneer Onions Tomatoes Garlic Ginger
Spices (cumin, coriander, red chili, garam masala)
Instructions:
- Blanch spinach, puree (5 mins)
- Cook onions, garlic, ginger, tomatoes & spices (10 mins)
- Add spinach puree and paneer, simmer (10 mins) Total Cook Time: 25-30 mins
3. Chana Masala
Flavorful, protein-packed chickpea curry with robust spices and a hint of tangy tamarind.
Ingredients: Chickpeas Onions Tomatoes Garlic Ginger Spices (cumin, coriander, red chili, garam masala) Tamarind
Instructions:
- Cook onions, garlic, ginger, tomatoes & spices (10 mins)
- Add chickpeas, tamarind paste, water & simmer (15-20 mins) Total Cook Time: 25-30 mins
4. Aloo Gobi
A classic vegetarian curry with potatoes and cauliflower simmered in a fragrant tomato and spice sauce.
Ingredients: Potatoes Cauliflower Onions Tomatoes Garlic Ginger Spices (cumin, coriander, red chili, turmeric)
Instructions:
- Cook potatoes and cauliflower until tender (10 mins)
- In another pan, cook onions, garlic, ginger, tomatoes & spices (10 mins)
- Add potatoes, cauliflower and water, simmer until thickened (10 mins) Total Cook Time: 30 mins
5. Malai Kofta
Velvety vegetable dumplings (koftas) simmered in a rich, creamy tomato and cashew sauce.
Ingredients: For koftas – potato, paneer, veggies, spices For sauce – tomatoes, cashews, cream, butter, spices
Instructions:
- Make kofta dumplings by mixing potato, veggies, paneer & spices (15 mins)
- Cook tomato cashew sauce with cream and spices (15 mins)
- Add koftas to sauce and simmer until thickened (10 mins)
Total Cook Time: 40 mins
6. Biryani
An aromatic and flavorful layered rice dish with your choice of meat or veggies cooked with yogurt, saffron and fried onions.
Ingredients: Basmati rice Meat or veggies Yogurt Fried onions Saffron Spices Ghee/oil
Instructions:
- Marinate meat/veggies in yogurt & spices (30 mins)
- Par-boil rice (5-7 mins), set aside
- Layer marinated meat/veggies and rice in pot with spices & saffron milk (20 mins)
- Slow cook on low heat until rice is done (20-25 mins)
- Garnish with fried onions Total Cook Time: 1 hr 15 mins
7. Rogan Josh
An iconic Kashmiri lamb curry with a deep red color and rich flavor from aromatic spices.
Ingredients: Lamb Yogurt Onions Tomatoes Garlic Ginger Spices (Kashmiri chili, coriander, cumin, cloves, bay leaves)
Instructions:
- Marinate lamb in yogurt & spices (30 mins)
- Cook onions until browned (10 mins)
- Add garlic, ginger, tomatoes & remaining spices (10 mins)
- Add marinated lamb and water, simmer until tender (45-60 mins) Total Cook Time: 1.5 – 2 hrs
8. Chicken Tikka Masala
Yogurt and spice-marinated chicken in a creamy tomato-based curry sauce with a hint of smokiness.
Ingredients: Chicken Yogurt Cream Tomatoes Garlic Ginger Spices (garam masala, cumin, paprika, cayenne)
Instructions:
- Marinate chicken in yogurt & spices (30 mins-overnight)
- Grill/broil marinated chicken pieces until charred (10-12 mins)
- Make sauce: Cook onions, garlic, ginger, tomatoes & spices (10 mins)
- Add grilled chicken and cream, simmer (10 mins) Total Cook Time: 50 mins – 1 hr 10 mins
9. Dal Makhani
Rich, creamy black lentils simmered overnight with kidney beans, cream and butter for incredible flavor.
Ingredients: Whole black lentils Kidney beans Cream Butter Onions, garlic, ginger, tomatoes Spices (coriander, cumin, red chili, garam masala)
Instructions:
- Soak lentils overnight or 8-10 hours
- Pressure cook lentils & kidney beans until very soft (25-30 mins)
- In a pan, cook onions, garlic, ginger, tomatoes & spices (10 mins)
- Add cooked lentil mixture and cream, simmer until thickened (20 mins)
- Finish with butter Total Cook Time: 55 mins + overnight soaking
10. Paneer Butter Masala
Soft paneer cubes simmered in a creamy, tomato-based curry with pockets of richness from butter and cream.
Ingredients: Paneer (cottage cheese) Tomatoes Onions Cream Butter Garlic, ginger
Spices (garam masala, red chili, cumin, coriander)
Instructions:
- Sauté paneer cubes until lightly browned (5 mins)
- Cook onions until translucent (5 mins)
- Add garlic, ginger, tomatoes & spices, cook until soft (10 mins)
- Add paneer, cream & butter, simmer until thickened (10 mins) Total Cook Time: 30 mins
