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  6. 20 Easy Indian Recipes That Make Delicious Weeknight Dinners, from Curry to Tandoori

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

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By Frances Kim Updated August 27, 2020
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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.

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instant pot chicken curry in yellow bowl
Credit: Bryan Gardner

Elevate your weeknight dinner routine by making one of these easy Indian-inspired recipes. We've gathered some of our favorite recipes, including Instant Pot Chicken Curry, the dish that's shown here, Shrimp Tikka Masala, and more. They are simple, delicious, and surprisingly quick to make, making them winners in the world of weeknight dinners.

The recipes here will give you an insight into some of the many facets and techniques of Indian food—it's definitely one of the great cuisines of the world—but we've kept it simple enough that any home chef can recreate the flavors they love from traditional cuisine. If Indian food isn't already part of your regular cooking routine, you'll want to stock your pantry with some essentials. Renowned expert and Indian chef Madhur Jaffrey says there are 10 essential spices necessary for most Indian cooking: dried red chiles, cinnamon sticks, fenugreek seeds, cayenne pepper, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cardamon, brown mustard seeds, ground turmeric, and asafetida. You'll be able to find these ingredients at most grocery stores and your local Indian grocer.

Kick off your next family dinner by serving homemade tandoori chicken (no tandoor oven needed!) or a tasty spin on the dish like Tandoori-Style Chicken Burgers. Lamb stars deliciously in a multiplicity of Indian dishes, but we suggest trying this recipe for Northern Indian Lamb Meatballs or opting for this rich, melting Lamb Curry. For an easy, healthy vegetarian meal, try Stewed Lentils with Yogurt, Cucumbers, and Green Chiles.

Once you've gotten into cooking these easy-to-make Indian-inspired recipes, be sure to check out the elemental recipes of Indian food expert Madhur Jaffrey.

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Chicken with Roasted Coriander in Coconut-Curry Sauce

Chicken with Roasted Coriander in Coconut-Curry Sauce Dakshini Murgh
Credit: Jake Stangel
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You have to try this take on dakshini murgh, a southern Indian-style chicken dish packed with flavorful ingredients like coconut milk and roasted fenugreek and coriander seeds.

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Sauteed Okra with Coconut and Indian Spices

okra dish
Credit: Joanna Garcia
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A quick turn in the skillet and a handful of spices are all you need for super flavorful, tender okra. We go the extra mile with fresh coconut, which adds just the right amount of sweetness, and a squeeze of lime at the end, which brightens the versatile side dish.

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Shrimp Tikka Masala

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We lighten up this classic curry by swapping in yogurt for the usual heavy cream. You can use chicken breasts instead of shrimp for an equally delicious result.

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Stewed Lentils with Yogurt, Cucumbers, and Green Chiles

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Credit: Raymond Hom
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Simple, affordable, good for you—the list of attributes for this vegetarian dish goes on and on. Serve the flavor-packed lentils over rice with cooling yogurt and a spicy cucumber-cilantro relish.

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Tandoori-Marinated Chicken with Cucumber, Lime, and Chiles

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Upend your roast chicken routine by going for the tandoori treatment. Rub the bird with a bold mix of spices, onion, and yogurt. You'll enjoy tender, flavorful meat every time.

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Tomato Rice

tomato rice
Credit: Joanna Garcia
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Serve this rice dish as a side or even a light vegetarian main—it's that good and comes together in just 35 minutes. Curry leaves are the MVP ingredient here—they add an incredible aroma.

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Lamb Curry

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Credit: Jonathan Lovekin
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Combine lamb shoulder with potatoes, chicken broth, and aromatics and spices in your pressure cooker, and 24 minutes later, you'll be rewarded with a rich, flavorful curry. Magic!

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Quick Chicken Curry with Spinach and Peas

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Credit: Bryan Gardner
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Cook once, eat twice! This simple one-pot recipe makes a rich, spicy chicken dinner that's just as delectable the next day for lunch.

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Tandoori Chicken Wings

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Credit: Courtesy of Marcus Nilsson
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How do you take chicken wings from good to great? Marinate them in garam masala-spiced yogurt, broil, and glaze with mango chutney. Buffalo wings will be a thing of the past after you taste these.

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Masala-Spiced Rib-Eye Steaks with Tomato-Okra Relish

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Credit: Chris Court
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These juicy steaks rely on the three Cs for their divine crust: cumin, coriander, and cinnamon. Serve alongside charred tomato-okra relish and Grilled Corn with Lime and Chile to take your cookout to flavorful new heights.

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Northern Indian Lamb Meatballs

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Credit: Antonis Achilleos
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These fluffy lamb meatballs have a sweet surprise on the inside: prunes! Serve with plenty of naan to soak up all that spicy tomato sauce and pickled carrots to cut the richness.

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Tandoori Fried Chicken

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Credit: Christopher Testani
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You've never had fried chicken like this before. Marinated in traditional tandoori flavors and served with cucumber spears and herbed red onions, this bird is undeniably delicious.

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Chicken-and-Squash Curry

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Credit: David Prince
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Curry is a wonderful cold-weather comfort food, especially when you throw in sweet winter squash like Kabocha or butternut to temper the spice.

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Curried Shrimp and Cauliflower

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Credit: Bryan Gardner
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Go for the gold with this sunny supper that flavors plump shrimp and tender cauliflower with curry powder and ginger. It's ready in just 25 minutes.

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Spicy Indian Chicken Soup

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Move over, chicken noodle! This piquant soup is our new go-to dish for when we've got the sniffles or just need a bowl of something super comforting.

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Shrimp Masala

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Frozen okra and shrimp are the secrets behind getting this satisfying dish on the table in just 20 minutes. Serve with a quick Coconut-Cilantro Chutney, store-bought mango chutney, rice, and naan, then cool down with lassi-inspired Yogurt-Pistachio Smoothies.

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Tandoori-Style Chicken Burgers

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Classic tandoori flavors are transformed into juicy chicken burgers. Tuck them into pitas instead of buns and serve with a cooling cumin yogurt sauce and slices of sweet watermelon.

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Salmon with Indian Spices

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It calls for just a few spices, so you can put together this zesty salmon dish in less than 20 minutes.

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Chicken and Pork Seekh Kebabs

chicken and pork seekh kebabs
Credit: Johansen Krause
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Ingredients borrowed from Indian cuisine give far-flung flavors to these kebabs. Naan and a summer-fruit chutney cool the spicy dish.

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    1 of 20
    2 of 20 Chicken with Roasted Coriander in Coconut-Curry Sauce
    3 of 20 Sauteed Okra with Coconut and Indian Spices
    4 of 20 Shrimp Tikka Masala
    5 of 20 Stewed Lentils with Yogurt, Cucumbers, and Green Chiles
    6 of 20 Tandoori-Marinated Chicken with Cucumber, Lime, and Chiles
    7 of 20 Tomato Rice
    8 of 20 Lamb Curry
    9 of 20 Quick Chicken Curry with Spinach and Peas
    10 of 20 Tandoori Chicken Wings
    11 of 20 Masala-Spiced Rib-Eye Steaks with Tomato-Okra Relish
    12 of 20 Northern Indian Lamb Meatballs
    13 of 20 Tandoori Fried Chicken
    14 of 20 Chicken-and-Squash Curry
    15 of 20 Curried Shrimp and Cauliflower
    16 of 20 Spicy Indian Chicken Soup
    17 of 20 Shrimp Masala
    18 of 20 Tandoori-Style Chicken Burgers
    19 of 20 Salmon with Indian Spices
    20 of 20 Chicken and Pork Seekh Kebabs

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