Aaloo Paratha (potato paratha)

Extremely popular with North Indians, these are best eaten with chilled yogurt and your favourite pickle or chutney. Want to be naughty? Aaloo parathas taste delicious with fresh, thick cream or a knob of unsalted, home-made butter! Prep Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes Ingredients: 5 medium-sized boiled, peeled and well mashed potatoes 2 tsps coriander powder 1 tsp cumin powder 1/2 tsp cumin seeds 1/2 tsp turmeric 1...

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Hara Bhara Kabab

A tasty alternative for those who love kababs but are vegetarian, Hara Bhara kabab gets its name and green colour from the healthy spinach in it. Ingredients: 300 gms potatoes boiled till soft 150 gms peas boiled till soft 150 gms spinach boiled 1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves 2" piece of ginger grated 1 tbsp chaat masala Salt to taste Vegetable/ canola/ sunflower cooking oil to shallow fry the kababs Cashews to garnish (1/2 cashew per kabab) Preparation: Mix...

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Lehsuni Daal (garlic flavored lentils)

Made with masoor daal (orange lentils) this dish is simple and very tasty. It is in fact almost a staple in most homes. It makes a great accompaniment for plain boiled rice and a vegetable or meat dish. The recipe makes enough for 2-3 servings and is best made in a pressure cooker - it gets done faster this way. Ingredients: 1 cup masoor daal 3 cups water 2 tbsps vegetable/sunflower/canola cooking oil Salt to taste 1 onion chopped fine 1 tomato...

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Naan (leavened Indian flatbread)

Naans are traditionally cooked in a Tandoor or earthern oven but can also be made in your oven at home. Serve this delicious bread hot, with popular dishes like Tandoori Chicken or kebabs of different kinds. The dough for Naans needs to be made in advance so factor that into the preparation time. Prep Time: 2 hours Total Time: 2 hours Ingredients: 1 1/2 tsps dry yeast 1 cup warm water 1 1/2 tsps sugar 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste) 6 tbsps ghee (clarified butter) 3 tbsps yoghurt 3 teaspoons onion seeds Preparation: Add...

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Chaat - Tikki Ki Chaat - Ragda Pattice

This has to be the most popular North-Indian snack! Vendors literally crowd the streets selling all kinds of delicious variations of chaat in this part of the country. Chaat parties are also popular and a great alternative to a sit-down dinner. Tikki Ki Chaat is another North Indian name for this dish. In western India, the same dish is called Ragda Pattice. Ingredients: 6 large potatoes boiled, peeled and mashed 1 tsp red chilli powder 1 tsp coriander powder 1 tsp cumin powder 1 tsp raw mango powder 1/2 cup finely chopped coriander 2 onions...

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Kaali Daal (black lentils) - Daal Makkhani

Another popular North Indian dish, Kaali Daal is also known as Ma Ki Daal (mom's lentils) since it is wholesome and delicious! Another popular name for it is Daal Makkhani. Serve Kaali Daal/ Daal Makkhani with a vegetable side dish and Naans (tandoor baked flatbread) or Butter Chicken and Naans. Ingredients: 1 cup split urad daal (black lentils) 2 large onions sliced thin 2 green chillies slit Salt to taste A pinchof asafetida 2 large tomatoes chopped into cubes 2" piece of ginger jullienned 1 tbsp garlic minced 2 tsps coriander powder 1 tsp...

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Palak Paneer (spinach and cottage cheese)

Another hot favorite North Indian dish! This mildly flavored dish is super healthy too. If Paneer is not on hand or you want a dairy-free option you can also use tofu or veggies like cauliflower or potato. Ingredients: 500 gms Paneer (look below for recipe to make your own Paneer) 2 medium-sized bunches of fresh spinach (approximately 1 lb or 500 gms) 1/2 bunch fresh fenugreek leaves (approximately 1/4 lb or 125 gms) 4 tbsps vegetable/ canola/ sunflower cooking oil 1 large onion chopped fine 1 large tomato diced 2 tsps garlic paste 1 tsp ginger...

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Chole (chickpea curry)

There are few foods more North Indian than Chole or Chickpea Curry and there are probably as many recipes for making Chole as there are households in North India! This is the recipe my Mother has always used, that I now swear by. In this recipe, I've used canned chickpeas (who doesn't like a shortcut?), but you can also use dried chickpeas, available from most supermarkets and speciality Indian groceries. If you do so, factor in the time required...

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Malai Kofta (vege-balls in a thick sauce)

A dish for special occassions, Malai Kofta is the vegetarian alternative to meatballs. It goes very well with naans (tandoor-baked flatbread) or Jeera Rice. Ingredients: For the koftas: 2 cups peeled and diced boiled potatoes 1 cup mixed vegetables (carrots, beans, peas, sweet corn) boiled 1 cup paneer cubes 2 tbsps of thickened/ heavy/ double cream 1 tsp cumin powder 1 tsp coriander powder 1/2 tsp red chilli powder 1/2 cup chopped nuts (almonds, walnuts and cashewnuts) 1/4 raisins chopped fine Salt to taste Vegetable/ canola/ sunflower cooking...

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Rogan Josh

The lovely color of Rogan Josh comes from the Kashmiri dry red chillies used to prepare it. When you read the recipe, it may seem like you will end up with a fiery dish but do not fear, these chillies have 'more bark than bite'! There are versions and versions of Rogan Josh and this one is mine, tried and tested several times to great success. Enjoy! Ingredients: 1 kg lamb cubed 1/2 cup yogurt 2 bay leaves 8-10 cloves 1 tsp peppercorns 2" piece of cinnamon 5-6 cardamom pods 2 tsps coriander powder 1 tsp cumin powder 1/4 tsp turmeric powder 2...

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Chicken Tikka Masala

The word Tikka means pieces or bits. Chicken Tikka Masala is a delicious dish in which pre-marinated pieces of chicken are grilled and then added to a thick creamy gravy. The result is a lovely smokey flavor. Serve Chicken Tikka Masala with hot Naans (leavened Tandoor-baked flatbread). Prep Time: 12 hours Total Time: 12 hours Ingredients: For marinade: 1 cup fresh yogurt (should not be sour) 1 cup finely chopped fresh coriander leaves 2 tbsps...

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Tandoori Chicken - Tandoori Murgh

Among the most famous Indian foods, Tandoori Chicken is loved by people the world over. The nicest thing about this dish though, is that it's really easy to make! Once you've got the basic recipe for Tandoori Masala, prepare and store it so you can cook Tandoori Chicken anytime you feel the urge to eat some. Prep Time: 18 hours Cook Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 18 hours, 15 minutes Ingredients: 1 kg chicken pieces of your choice with skin...

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Butter Chicken - Murg Makhani

Butter Chicken is among the best known Indian foods all over the world. Its gravy can be made as hot or mild as you like so it suits most palates. Also commonly known as Murg Makhani, Butter Chicken tastes great with Kaali Daal (black lentils), Naans and a green salad. This is my recipe for Butter Chicken and it is the real deal! It has been tried and tested numerous times and is loved by everybody that has eaten it. I hope you will like it...

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The 25 Foods Everybody Wants to Cook

Recipes are so much more than just formulas that we blindly follow. Although for some they might be just a set of instructions, for many others recipes are transportive, whether to an exotic locale with a set of new, exciting ingredients or back to the kitchen with renewed enthusiasm for the same old ingredients they’ve used time and again. For many home cooks, recipes are also a portal into the past, helping to recreate a dish that lingers in...

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The most popular food-related seach term fires up Google

Despite the onset of shorter days and signs of fall lurking in the Northern hemisphere, the most popular food-related product search on Google over the last week is the culinary equivalent of summer - the grill. According to Google Insights, as of August 16 at 1:30 p.m. GMT,  the most common search term in the Food and Drinks category worldwide for the past seven days was "grill," followed by the terms "wine," "food," "coffee" and "juicer." Topping...

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