Indian-Inspired Recipes

Staff Picks

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.

Broccoli-and-Potato "Samosa" Pie

Inspired by Indian samosas, here’s an appetizer to feed a crowd and—most importantly—avoid a vat of oil. Store-bought puff pastry crisps up beautifully in the oven, and a mixture of cumin, mustard seeds, and coriander spices up a basic potato and broccoli filling. The pastry is formed into a long rectangular package so there is plenty of surface area for maximum crunch.

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).

Healthy Chicken Tikka Masala

No cream here! This healthy take on the Indian takeout classic—Chicken Tikka Masala—relies on yogurt for its rich texture. Broiling the chicken thighs before braising gives the meat a hint of smokiness.

Quick Chickpea Curry

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

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.

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.

Curried Red Lentil Soup with Dried Cherries and Cilantro

One of the world's oldest health foods, lentils are nutritional powerhouses. Their high protein and fiber content steadies blood sugar, staving off hunger. Create this Curried Red Lentil Soup with Dried Cherries and Cilantro for a tasty and nutritious meal.

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.

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.

Spicy Indian Chicken Soup

Onion, ginger, and garlic -- a classic flavor trio in Indian cuisine -- form the base of this soup, which takes on a pleasing spiciness when finished with cumin, coriander, and chile. A squeeze of orange juice adds a touch of natural sweetness.

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

Intimidated by cooking Indian food? While there's always a time and place for ordering takeout, it's easier than you think (and healthier!) to recreate the flavors you love at home. Our best recipes for curry, tandoori, and more are oh-so-simple and ready in a flash.

Red Lentil and Sweet Potato Stew

This is a hearty Indian-style stew without meat but chock full of protein.

Indian-Spiced String Beans

Chai Tea with Soy Milk

Butter Chicken

Also known as murgh makhani, this famous Indian dish is probably only rivaled in popularity by chicken tikka masala. Dinner takes on an intoxicating aroma as the chicken cooks in the creamy tomato sauce, thanks to the combination of garam masala and toasted cumin.

All Indian-Inspired Recipes

Plain Basmati Rice

Madhur Jaffrey shares the easiest way to cook basmati rice, also known as saaday basmati chawal. Salt is generally not added, as it is meant to be eaten with well-seasoned food, such as Jaffrey's Chicken with Roasted Coriander in Coconut-Curry Sauce.

Indian-Spiced Chicken

Want to try an easy Indian dinner recipe? Chicken thighs braised in a rich, spicy tomato sauce make for a hearty one-pot meal.

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.

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.

Golden Dal with Gingered Tomatoes

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

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.

Chicken with Roasted Coriander in Coconut-Curry Sauce

Madhur Jaffrey's recipe for dakshini murgh, a southern India-style chicken dish, is ideal for entertaining. Let the coconut milk sit undisturbed until you're ready to cook; then remove the thick layer of cream from the top to stir in at the end.

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.

Northern Indian Lamb Meatballs

Simmered in a silky tomato-based sauce, these delicate lamb meatballs have sweet prune centers. Indian flatbread and pickled carrots are, respectively, mild and mouthpuckering foils for the curry.

Indian-Spiced Bean-and-Tomato Soup

You can also simmer beans in a slow cooker after soaking them and adding aromatics.

Spiced Yellow Rice with Chicken and Vegetables

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

Roasted Curried Cauliflower

An Indian-inspired spice blend adds a warm hue and gives this vegetable dish an exotic taste.

Cardamom-Coconut Rice

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

Easy Tandoori Chicken with Yogurt Sauce

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

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.

Barfi

Barfi (or burfi) is a fudge-like Indian candy that's typically served at celebrations, from birthdays to Diwali. Our homage to the classic confection starts with ricotta cheese and butter instead of the traditional condensed milk and ghee, then adds cardamom for flavor and pistachios for crunch.

Bombay Fizz

This drink is based on nimbu pani, a lemon- or limeade popular in India. A little orange-blossom water, while not necessary, gives it a delicate fragrance.

Red Lentil and Squash Curry Soup

Butternut squash and lentil soup is a simple light meal or a first course.

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).

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