Indian-Inspired Recipes

Staff Picks

Curried Chicken with Coconut Rice

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All you need with this one-pot dish is a quick salad. Toss sliced cucumber and tomato with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and salt and pepper.

Golden Dal with Gingered Tomatoes

Cherry tomatoes mingle with ginger, shallots, and cumin atop this Indian-inspired red-lentil stew spiced with sunny turmeric.

Instant Pot Chicken Curry

This instant winner recipe puts a delicious chicken curry on the table in about 30 minutes—as much time as it would take a (speedy) takeout order to be delivered. Made with chicken thighs, warm spices like coriander and cumin seeds, and zippy fresh garlic and ginger, this dish packs a lot of flavor into just one pot. Before starting, put on a pot of fluffy rice to serve on the side, and the whole dinner will be ready at the same time.

Shrimp Tikka Masala

One pot, family-friendly, and under one hour? Sign us up for this flavorful recipe inspired by the Indian-American classic. This recipe can also be made with one pound of sliced skinless chicken breasts. Both variations pair well with a bright and juicy mango chutney.

Kitchari

The main ingredient in this good-for-you savory porridge is yellow mung dal, split mung beans that break down and thicken as they cook.

Lamb Koftas with Cucumber Raita

Soothing cucumber and mint raita complements ground-lamb koftas with Indianspices.

Quick Chickpea Curry

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This fiber-rich, meatless, and low-sodium meal is delicious with rice or warm whole-wheat pitas.

Indian-Spiced String Beans

Serve these spicy string beans with our Shrimp in Coconut Curry.

Quick Spiced Shrimp with Garam Masala

Transform marinara into an Indian-style simmer sauce for shrimp with the help of garam masala, fresh ginger, and scallions. Serve atop steamed couscous for a quick yet satisfying weeknight dinner.

Chicken Biryani

Popular throughout India, Pakistan, and the Middle East, this chicken dinner varies depending on the region but typically consists of rice layered with lavishly spiced meat or vegetables. Our take calls for toasting and grinding herbs such as cloves, peppercorns, cardamom, cumin, and coriander for depth of flavor.

Slow-Cooker Indian-Style Fish Curry

The best part about making curry in a slow cooker? No stirring! Give it a couple of hours to thicken and to let the flavors meld, then add your favorite white fish 20 minutes before serving. This recipe appears in our cookbook "Martha Stewart's Slow Cooker" (Clarkson Potter).

Quick Curried Lentils in Tomato Sauce

In this Indian-inspired vegetarian main, top-notch jarred tomato sauce and canned lentils save hours of work. When chosen well, jarred tomato sauce can rival your own. The best ones include tomatoes and seasonings but are free of preservatives, sugar, and corn syrup.

Inspiration and Ideas

20 Easy Indian Recipes That Make Delicious Weeknight Dinners, from Curry to Tandoori

It's easier than you think to recreate the inspiring Indian flavors you love at home. Our recipes for curry, tandoori, and more are delicious and come together fast.

Chicken Curry

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The slow cooker does the heavy lifting here when it's time for dinner. All you have to do is assemble this hearty coconut milk-based curry, which takes just 10 minutes.

Red Lentil and Sweet Potato Stew

Spicy Indian Chicken Soup

Chai Tea with Soy Milk

Chai tea has been a favorite refreshment in India for centuries. Essentially a blend of tea, ground spices, honey, and milk, it can be enjoyed hot or cold. Our version, which replaces cow's milk with soy milk, is served hot.

All Indian-Inspired Recipes

Wild-Salmon Kedgeree

Here's an easy and healthy one-pot dinner with salmon fillets. Stateside there isn't much name recognition for kedgeree, but across the pond it is a beloved dish with Anglo-Indian roots. In this version, basmati rice steams with curry powder, onion, and garlic; halfway through, the salmon is nestled on top to cook with the rice. Garnish bowls with hard-cooked eggs, parsley, and paprika for a weeknight meal.

Spiced Potato Salad

An Indian simmer sauce adds big flavor to dishes like this potato salad.

Roasted Eggplant and Tomatoes

Also known as baigan chokah, this dish is often eaten with simple whole-grain flatbreads, such as chapatis, or rice. It can also be served as part of a meal in small, individual bowls. This recipe is courtesy of Madhur Jaffrey.

Madhur's Spiced Basmati Rice

Martha's friend Madhur Jaffrey, author of numerous Indian cookbooks, shares her secret for perfectly cooked rice. Washing the rice minimizes the starchy powder left over from the milling process, while soaking allows each grain to absorb water so that it sticks less to the next grain during cooking.

Simple Vegetable Curry

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This warmly spiced dish is quick and satisfying. Who knew vibrant flavor could be such a cinch? Try adding cubed extra-firm tofu or chicken breast along with the vegetables if you like.

Easy Tandoori Chicken with Yogurt Sauce

Making your family's favorite take-out Indian food is easier than you think -- and much healthier.

Tandoori Chicken Salad

This delicious Tandoori Chicken Salad gets a kick from fresh ginger. The recipe courtesy of Padma Lakshmi.

Potatoes with Sesame Seeds

Til ke aloois another of those easy, delicious dishes you might enjoy with both Indian meals and simple dinners of roasted and grilled meats. You can use leftover potatoes or cook them fresh; just be sure they're completely cool before you start. This recipe is courtesy of Madhur Jaffrey.

Quick Chicken Curry with Spinach and Peas

This easy Indian-inspired weeknight dinner comes together in under an hour. Save leftovers for lunch the next day, as the flavor only gets better.

Easiest Indian Stew

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A thick vegetarian stew made from pantry staples, such as rice, spices, and canned chickpeas, is enlivened with a bit of yogurt and lime.

Spiced Yellow Rice with Chicken and Vegetables

This chicken dish jazzes up the rice with coriander, turmeric, and cumin seed for an Indian flavor.

Indian Eggplant (Bharta)

Serve with cooked rice or even better, warmed naan or other flatbread for scooping. This Indian vegetarian eggplant recipe doubles easily if you're serving a crowd or just love leftovers.

Eggplant Roti Pachchadi

In the Southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, the word roti means "in a mortar and pestle"—not the popular Indian flatbread. These fresh vegetable chutneys are usually hand-pounded to retain the full flavor, texture, and goodness of the ingredients, and are excellent with steamed rice or flatbread. This eggplant version includes coriander seeds ($10, diaspora.com) and cumin seeds ($12, diaspora.com).

Chai Tea with Milk

Chai tea is a blend of black tea, milk, and spices. This recipe was first published in Martha Stewart Living, September 2003.

Cardamom-Coconut Rice

Mild and creamy coconut milk mellows this spice-infused side dish.

Grilled Lamb Chops with Garam Masala

Garam masala -- a blend of Indian spices -- gives these succulent lamb chops a lovely flavor and aroma.

Indian-Spiced Eggplant Stacks

Warm naan and some cucumbers make a nice accompaniment to this dish.

Stir-Fried Carrots with Coconut

This simple dish, also known as carrot poriyal, complements most Indian meals. Leftovers can be added to salads. Urad dal are small lentils that have been skinned and split; they can be found at Indian markets or kalustyans.com. This recipe is courtesy of Madhur Jaffrey.

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