Quick and Easy Indian Recipes

Quick and Easy Recipes

Vegetable Kachori

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon carom seeds
  • 3 tablespoons ghee
  • 1 cup mixed vegetables (potatoes, peas, carrots, etc.)
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder
  • Salt and chili powder to taste
  • Oil for frying

Instructions:

  1. Mix flour, salt, carom seeds, and ghee to make a crumbly dough. Add water and knead into a smooth dough.
  2. Boil vegetables and mash them. Sauté with cumin seeds and spices.
  3. Roll dough into small discs, place filling, and seal.
  4. Deep-fry the kachoris until golden brown. Serve with chutney.

Tawa Paneer

Ingredients:

  • 250 grams paneer (cubed)
  • 1 onion (sliced)
  • 1 capsicum (sliced)
  • 2 tomatoes (chopped)
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • Salt to taste
  • 3 tablespoons oil

Instructions:

  1. Heat oil in a tawa or pan, add cumin seeds, and sauté onions and capsicum.
  2. Add ginger-garlic paste and cook for 2 minutes.
  3. Add tomatoes, turmeric, salt, and garam masala. Cook until tomatoes soften.
  4. Add paneer cubes and sauté for a few minutes until they absorb the flavors.
  5. Serve hot with roti or naan.

Chole Bhature

Ingredients for Chole (Chickpeas Curry):

  • 1 cup chickpeas (soaked overnight)
  • 2 onions (chopped)
  • 2 tomatoes (chopped)
  • 2 teaspoons ginger-garlic paste
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 tablespoon chole masala
  • Salt to taste
  • 3 tablespoons oil

Instructions:

  1. Pressure cook soaked chickpeas with salt until soft.
  2. Heat oil, add cumin seeds. Add chopped onions and sauté until golden.
  3. Add ginger-garlic paste, cook for 1 minute, then add chopped tomatoes.
  4. Add all the spices and cook until the oil separates.
  5. Add cooked chickpeas and simmer for 15 minutes. Garnish with cilantro.

Ingredients for Bhature:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup yogurt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • Salt to taste
  • Water for kneading

Instructions:

  1. Mix flour, yogurt, salt, and baking soda. Knead into a smooth dough.
  2. Cover the dough and let it rest for 1 hour.
  3. Roll the dough into small discs and deep-fry until golden and puffed.

Aloo ka Paratha

A stuffed flatbread made with spiced mashed potatoes.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups whole wheat flour
  • 2 potatoes, boiled and mashed
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 green chili, chopped
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp coriander powder
  • 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
  • Salt to taste
  • Ghee or oil for frying

Instructions:

  1. Knead a dough with flour, water, and salt.
  2. Mix mashed potatoes, cumin seeds, green chili, garam masala, coriander powder, and salt.
  3. Divide the dough and stuffing into equal portions.
  4. Roll a dough ball into a small disc, place the stuffing in the center, and fold the edges.
  5. Roll out into a paratha and cook on a hot tawa with ghee or oil until golden brown on both sides.
  6. Serve with yogurt or pickle.

Paneer Bhurji

A flavorful scrambled paneer dish that’s a popular North Indian breakfast or dinner option.

Ingredients:

  • 200 g paneer (Indian cottage cheese), crumbled
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 tomato, chopped
  • 1 green chili, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
  • Salt to taste
  • Fresh cilantro for garnish
  • 2 tablespoons oil

Instructions:

  1. Heat Oil: In a pan, heat the oil and add cumin seeds. Let them splutter.
  2. Sauté Vegetables: Add chopped onions and green chilies, and sauté until golden. Add tomatoes and cook until soft.
  3. Add Spices: Add turmeric powder, garam masala, and salt.
  4. Add Paneer: Stir in crumbled paneer and cook for 2-3 minutes.
  5. Garnish: Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with parathas or roti.

Aloo Jeera

A simple stir-fry of potatoes with cumin seeds, a perfect side dish for any meal.

Ingredients:

  • 3 medium potatoes, boiled and diced
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • Salt to taste
  • Fresh cilantro for garnish

Instructions:

  1. Heat Oil: In a pan, heat the oil and add cumin seeds. Let them crackle.
  2. Add Potatoes: Add the boiled, diced potatoes and stir.
  3. Add Spices: Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, and salt. Stir and cook for 5-7 minutes until potatoes are slightly crispy.
  4. Garnish: Garnish with cilantro and serve with chapati or puri.

Egg Bhurji

A spicy and flavorful scrambled egg dish, great for breakfast or a quick meal.

Ingredients:

  • 4 eggs
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 tomato, chopped
  • 1 green chili, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
  • Salt to taste
  • Fresh cilantro for garnish
  • 2 tablespoons oil

Instructions:

  1. Heat Oil: In a pan, heat the oil and add onions and green chili. Sauté until golden.
  2. Add Tomatoes: Add tomatoes and cook until soft.
  3. Add Spices: Add turmeric, garam masala, and salt.
  4. Scramble Eggs: Beat the eggs and pour into the pan. Stir and scramble until fully cooked.
  5. Garnish: Garnish with cilantro and serve with toast or parathas.

Lemon Rice

A South Indian tangy and flavorful rice dish that’s perfect for using leftover rice.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups cooked rice
  • 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
  • 1 tablespoon urad dal
  • 1 tablespoon chana dal
  • 1 dried red chili
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • Salt to taste
  • Fresh curry leaves

Instructions:

  1. Heat Oil: In a pan, heat the oil and add mustard seeds, urad dal, chana dal, dried red chili, and curry leaves. Sauté for a minute.
  2. Add Rice: Add turmeric powder and cooked rice. Stir well.
  3. Add Lemon Juice: Add lemon juice and salt. Mix thoroughly and cook for 2 minutes.
  4. Serve: Serve hot with papad or yogurt.

Poha

A light and healthy flattened rice dish that’s ideal for breakfast or a snack.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups poha (flattened rice), rinsed
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 green chili, chopped
  • 1/4 cup peanuts
  • 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • Salt to taste
  • Fresh curry leaves

Instructions:

  1. Heat Oil: In a pan, heat the oil and add mustard seeds. Let them splutter.
  2. Add Peanuts and Onion: Add peanuts, onions, and green chili. Sauté until onions are soft.
  3. Add Poha: Add rinsed poha, turmeric, salt, and curry leaves. Stir well and cook for 2-3 minutes.
  4. Add Lemon Juice: Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice.
  5. Serve: Serve hot with sev or fresh cilantro as garnish.

Matar Pulao

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup basmati rice
  • 1/2 cup green peas
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 cups water

Instructions:

  1. Rinse the rice and soak for 15 minutes. Drain.
  2. Heat oil in a pot, add cumin seeds and bay leaf, and let them crackle.
  3. Add green peas and sauté for 2 minutes.
  4. Add soaked rice, water, and salt. Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.
  5. Serve hot with raita or curry.