White Chicken Korma is a thick hearty curry that is perfect with naan or rice especially on special occasions.

White Chicken Korma is a great special occasion dish that is so rich, hearty and filling! Tender chicken covered in an absolutely yummy white korma curry. Nuts, fried onions, coconut milk and warm spices like cardamom, nutmeg, make for rich curry to impress your special guests. 

Although it may seem like lots of ingredients, it actually not too hard to make. Cook the chicken, blend the gravy ingredients and then cook together; with step by step guidance. Be sure to check out the tips section for a huge time savor trick for the chicken!

Get ready to impress your loved ones with this recipe, its easier than you think! You can do it, so lets get started.

Makes: 4-5 servings

Time: 60 mins 

Ingredients for Chicken:

• A HUGE tip to speed up this recipe is to use Rotisserie chicken!  Remove the skin, cut it up and add to gravy, its ready to go. 
• To make it easier, I like to use fried onions although it makes the gravy a little brown not white.  If you want it whiter, you can use fresh raw white onion instead.
• To prep ahead you can bake the chicken one day prior and store it and complete the dish on the day of the event.
• IF you have any leftovers, you can freeze in an air tight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, and reheat on the stove really well till the gravy comes together again. When it thaws, the gravy will look curdled, but not to worry it is fine, Just reheat really well before serving.
• For other vegetarian and non-vegetarian curry ideas, check out more recipes in the Curry Section.

Sarson Saag (mustard greens) enjoyed with Makki (corn meal) roti is a traditional Panjabi meal that is so filling!

Traditional Panjabi Sarson Saag enjoyed with Makki roti is such a filling meal! This is a traditional humble and hearty meal hard working farmers enjoy in the Indian subcontinent. Sarson is made with mustard leaves and is very nutritious. A crusty corn meal roti is served with it.  Both are topped with butter for added flavor and richness. Its a yummy meal.

While it may seem difficult and deter many, its surprisingly not that difficult to make. For years I devoured it when my Panjabi father in law made it, but was too afraid to try it myself. But when I finally learned I realized it was actually not too bad. I have simplified the recipe and broken it down step by step below.

Mustard greens are readily available in most supermarkets, but also available at Asian grocery stores and some Indian stores as well. I prefer to use the fresh, I don’t recommend the canned ones.

Be sure to check out the Makki Roti recipe as well to go along with it.

Lets give it a try!

Makes: 4-6 servings

Time: 40 mins 

Ingredients:

• Some people also like to add turnip (shalgum) to this. Peel and dice it and add it with the greens in step 2 above.
• Be sure to check out the Makki Roti recipe to serve alongside this delicious Sarson Saag.
• This is not something you make often, so go ahead and freeze the leftovers for next time. It freezes very well for 4 months.
• For other curry ideas, check out more recipes in the Curry Section.

Manchurian Pepper Fish is an Indio-Chinese fusion dish made with bell peppers, black pepper, chili pepper – a treat for those who love spicy foods. You can easily substitute chicken, shrimp, paneer, cauliflower, or potatoes instead for a different variation.

Manchurian Pepper Fish is a fusion Indo-Chinese dish is a treat for those who love spicy flavors.  It is made with various types of peppers like bell peppers, black pepper corn, green chili, red chili powder, chili sauce; however it is easy to adjust the level of spiciness to your liking.  In the last few decades Indo-Chinese has become very popular as Chinese dishes have been given an Indian twist.

What I love about this dish is how versatile it is with the main ingredient.  You can use fish, white meat chicken, shrimp, cauliflower florets, potato wedges and easily make a new variations.  A beginners tip: buy ready made cooked chicken nuggets and use those and avoid the entire first step of frying the meat.  For vegetarians, its an easy switch out to cauliflower or potato wedges.

While the recipe and ingredient list looks long, its really not that bad to make.  First marinate the fish and then fry it. Then make the gravy and serve the 2 together.  If you follow the step by step instructions below, its not hard.  Impress your family and friends, it is totally doable!

The best way to enjoy this dish is with simple plain white Basmati or Jasmine rice or if you prefer fried rice. Add a simple soup and spring roll and you have a complete meal!

Check it out!

Makes 3-4 servings 

 

Time: 45 mins

Ingredients for the Fish:

• 3 filets (no skin, no bones) of any white flaky fish.
• Tilapia works best. Cut into large pieces.
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper powder
• 1/2 tsp Red chili powder
• 1 tsp Soy sauce
• 1 large egg white only
• 3 tbsp corn flour
• Oil for Frying

 

Ingredients for the Gravy:

• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste or fresh small diced
• fresh small diced
• 1/2 cup onion cut into large
• pieces
• 1 C Bell Pepper cut into large
• pieces (red, green, orange, yellow to make it colorful)
• 1 green chili (dice them for more spiciness)
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 2 tsp Soy sauce
• 1-2 tbsp Chili Sauce (Sambal is great for this)
• 3 tbsp Ketchup
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper powder
• 1/4 cup green onion sliced (green and white portions)
• 1/4 cups water
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves for garnish

Method to Make the Fish:

1. In a bowl, mix together all the fish ingredients and then add the fish and coat each piece on all sides.  
2. Set it aside to let it marinate for 15 mins
3. In a frying pan heat up oil on Medium. Fill it only halfway up the sides. 
4. Gently add the fish till lightly golden about 4 mins on each side. Because of the egg, when frying there will be bubbles forming on top of the oil, so be sure the pan is deep and oil is not filled to the top. 
5.  Remove on paper towel to drain excess oil.

 

Method to Make the Gravy:

1. In a large wok or pan on high heat, add oil, onion, pepper, chili, ginger garlic and stir fry for 5 mins. You should get some browning on the edges of the vegetables but do not overcook as the veggies should be left slightly crunchy.
2. Add  the rest of the ingredients and bring to boil.

 

 

To Serve:

1. Using a wide serving dish, layer some gravy at the bottom, gently lay a layer of fish pieces and cover the rest of the gravy on top. Because the fish is very delicate, try not to mix all together as the fish pieces can break.
2. Garnish with chopped cilantro or green onion and serve hot with rice immediately. Enjoy!

 

 Tips:

• You can easily change out the fish for boneless chicken breast, shrimp, cauliflower, or use lightly fried Paneer or potato cubes. A shortcut: Use ready made white meat chicken nuggets!
• You can easily adjust the consistency of the gravy by adding more or less water.
• If you want the gravy thicker, add a slurry of 1 tbsp corn starch mixed into 1/4 cup cold water and bring to a boil to thicken up the gravy.
• Find many other vegetarian and non-vegetarian recipes in the Curry Section.
•  

Lauki Dal is a curry made of Bottle Gourd and Chana Dal.  The vegetable and lentil combination together is really great and perfect for a vegetarian weeknight meal!

Lauki Dal is becoming a popular dal variation! It combines lauki (Bottle Gourd) with Chana Dal for a perfect vegetable and lentil combination. The soft chunks of lauki wrapped with channa dal is a satisfying curry perfect with roti or rice.  Especially for vegetarians, this is a great option to upgrade your plain dal for any weeknight meal.

You have probably made dal, you have probably made lauki, but have you tried them together? This is a really nice combination that goes well together. The Lauki is cooked to a soft stage and the dal is also cooked but stays whole not mashed.  The perfect match for a satisfying simple healthy vegetarian curry with rice and roti you have a complete weeknight meal.

You can make this in the pressure cooker if you like, but can easily be made in a regular non stick pot on the stove top. The pressure cooker will cook faster, but not required.

Makes 2-3 servings 

Time: 15 mins with pressure cooker, 40 mins without on stove top

•  You can use any other dals or mix them if you like for a different variation.
• If you like your dal more softer, cook longer until you like the consistency.
• Find many other vegetarian and non-vegetarian recipes in the Curry Section.

Kofta Kabob Curry is a thick, rich, creamy curry with flavorful meatballs in it.  Learn a trick to ensure your meatballs do not break apart while cooking in the curry!

Kofta Kabobs are a famous Mediterranean dish made with flavorful meatballs. In this case, we will add meatballs into a curry gravy to make it rich and perfect to enjoy with Homemade Naan, roti, or Peas Pulao or even simple basmati white rice. 

The meatballs can be made with any ground meat you like: chicken, turkey, goat, lamb, or beef.  You flavor it with amazing Seekh Kabab spices. Enveloped around a hearty, rich, and creamy gravy! Yummmm, this is a filling curry for meat lovers.

Read below for a trick that helps keep the meatball together and remove excess fat from the meat.  If you add the raw koftas and try to cook it in the curry, by the time they cook and your stir so it does not stick…the koftas have broken apart and now you have a khima curry not kofta! Some people pan fry the meatballs and brown them first, you can do that too if you like. A little precoooking brings the meat together so it holds up better when cooking in the gravy. 

This is nice dish to serve your family or when entertaining your friends who are meat lovers. Try it out today.

Makes 4 servings 

Time: Marinate 1 hour, 20 mins cooking time

Tips:

• To make this ahead, go ahead make the meatballs then put them in an airtight container in a single layer and freeze them. When ready to use, thaw them out fully and then follow the rest of the steps.
• This is a great curry to add large pieces of potatoes and or green peas along with the meatballs.  Do not freeze leftovers if it has potatoes in it, the potato texture changes and crystalizes and they loose the creaminess.
• If you have leftovers, throw in some cooked pasta for a desi fusion twist of Spaghetti & Meatballs!
• Some dried Kasuri Methi has lots of woody stalks in it. I grind it up in the spice mixer into a powder and store it in the freezer to make it last longer.  It is very common to get bugs in them, so storing in freezer helps avoid that too.
• Find many other vegetarian and non-vegetarian recipes in the Curry Section.

Smoked Baingan Bharta is a hearty vegetarian roasted eggplant mash flavored with spices and smoked! Perfect with naan or roti.

If you like Eggplant, this dish is for you. If you don’t like eggplant, this dish is for you as well!  The smoky roasted eggplant mash flavored with simple spices is a treat for vegetarians.  Its hearty, and has such a unique flavor even your meat lovers with like this variation.

Bharta is traditionally made from eggplant which is roasted and then mashed and cooked into a curry. In this dish onion and tomatoes give it the base and cumin coriander and Garam masala is enough to take it to a whole new level. The eggplant is actually double smoked once as it roasts and a second when with the dhungar smoking step.

My goal is to bring you simple beginner recipes. While the dhungar or smoking process is not a beginner process, I think THIS is the recipe worth learning it for. Dhungar is a popular way to really add great flavor to meat dishes as well.  Although if you are not ready for it, you can certainly skip this step.

This is a must try for vegetarians!

Makes 3-4 servings 

Time: 35 mins

Ingredients:

• Alternatively, you can add a whole onion, 3 tomatoes, and green chili to roast along with the eggplant. Same process to roast, peel and dice into the mash. Follow the rest of the process the same way.
• If you like eggplant, try another variation of Bharta but this time as a salad/raita. Click here for the recipe.

Green Beans Poriyal is a South Indian style stir fried dish that is a perfect vegetarian side dish for any meal!

Poriyal is a simple South Indian style stir fried vegetable side dish. It can be made with green beans, carrots, shredded cabbage, shredded beetroot amongst other vegetables.  It is typically served as part of a South Indian thaali complete meal with rice, Sambar and other delicious dishes. 

This is a perfect beginners recipe as it takes few ingredients, very little time to cook and does not have to be spicy! It can be a great fusion dish and can become a side dish to any western meal as well.  Softened onions, and topped with grated sweet coconut, this is a quick fix yummy dish.

The worst mistake you can make is overcook green beans, no one likes mushy green beans. Cook it just enough to soften it and still retain a little bit of crunch. Remember you can eat raw green beans, so better to leave them slightly undercooked than overcooked.

I had this dish for the first time at a friend, Akshata’s house. Of all the yummy dishes her mom had made, this is the one I remember the most.  Since then it has become a common side dish to Indian or western meals alongside grilled chicken, baked fish or even steak. It always amazes me how great it turns out considering how fuss free and simple it is to make!

Makes:  3-4 servings

Time: 15 mins

Ingredients for the chicken:

• For this dish use only fresh ingredients, frozen or canned will not work.  To have the crunchy texture, fresh green beans work the best.
• You can also add 1/8 cup of chopped peanuts to give it another dimension of flavor and crunch.
• The same recipe can be used for shredded cabbage and carrots which is another great vegetarian variation.

Try this herby delicious chicken in a creamy green gravy with sweet corn, enjoy as an appetizer or with naan!

There are endless chicken curry variations! With onion, tomato, nuts, creams, yogurt and various spices which are all so delicious. Green Chicken is a unique variation that has minimal spices to let the green herby flavor be prominent.  Spinach, green bell pepper, cilantro (coriander) leaves, mint leaves give it the bright green color. Coconut milk and cream which are optional give it a nice creamy finish. Try this delicious, Green Chicken with sweet corn variation.  

You can serve this as an appetizer with a thicker gravy or with naan as a curry!  Either way it will be a nice change for your next dinner party.  Check out the tips section for easy time saving tricks to make this in a hurry with premade store bought ingredients, a perfectly fine cheat for beginners and when you are in a hurry!

I like to add corn just to give it another color dimension, buts that’s completely optional. Either way, try it today, your family will love the change and the kids will never know there was spinach in there….shhhh!

Makes: 5-6 servings

Time: 1 hour

Ingredients for the chicken:

• Be sure not to boil the green gravy too long, as it will lose its bright green color the longer it cooks and become more brown. Remember, everything in the green mixture can be eaten raw, so cook just enough to bring it all together, do not boil more than 15 mins.
• If you are short of time, here are some substitutions of premade store bought ingredients that will speed things up:

1. Use fully cooked store bought rotisserie chicken, take skin off and cut up to smaller pieces. Then follow the recipe with the green gravy portion.
2. Use store bought jar of alfredo sauce if you don’t have coconut milk, this will give it a great creaminess
3. If you gravy is too thin, you can thicken it up by adding potato flakes – yes the ones you use for instant mashed potatoes!

• If you have leftovers and need to repurpose it, add in some boiled pasta and you have a yummy new dish!
• Or you can easily freeze the leftovers for next time, will stay good for 3 months in the freezer.
• For other simple dessert ideas, check out more recipes in the Sweets Section.

Stir fried Karela (Bitter Melon) is a dry curry.  While it’s quintessential bitterness is an acquired taste; its health benefits are numerous!

Lets face it, most of us don’t like Karela, it is not a crowd pleaser!  While Karela, or Bitter Melon is an acquired taste, many eat it for its numerous health benefits rather than its taste.  It originated in India but quickly spread to China and other tropical areas due to its medicinal value. Many drink its juice or add to tea to help with diabetes, stomach ailments amongst other things.  In India it is popular in the south prepared in various forms.  Many cook it in as a dry stir fry, some stuff them, and others dip it in a curry gravy. 

Typically Karela is soaked in salt water for sometime then drained. The large seeds from the middle are also removed. This helps reduce some of the bitterness. You can also add some gud to the dish to add some sweetness to balance the bitterness. Some add lemon juice, Amchur (dried Mango powder) or Anar Dana( pomegranate seeds powder) to give some tart taste for balance.

If you would like to try Karela, below you will find an easy dry stir fry version. Enjoy it with roti.  

Makes 2-3 servings 

Time: 20 mins

Ingredients for Dry Karela Stir Fry:

• If the finished dish is still too bitter, melt some gur in water and add to give more sweetness
• If you like the taste of Karela, instead of discarding the water it was soaking in, you can drink it. It has lots of nutrients. Add less salt if you going to drink it.
• Be sure to completely squeeze out all the water after soaking. You can use a Kitchen towel

Need a simple vegetarian curry – how about a quick 20 mins Paneer bhurji!

Paneer Bhurji is a classic simple Indian curry made with onions, tomatoes and bell peppers base with crumbled paneer.  It is a popular North Indian breakfast meal enjoyed with Parathas.

Paneer is a popular Indian cheese. It does not melt and maintains its shape when cooking therefore preferred in vegetarian curries. 

Because this is for beginners, this is easy and fast. Paneer does not take much cooking, its a fast stir fry dish. When you feel like paneer but not making a long preparation, this will do the trick.

Makes 3-4 servings 

Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

• Use food processor to quickly grate the block of paneer
• Use colorful peppers to add color to the dish and make it more appealing.
• Fill inside roti and roll like a Kathi roll for lunch.