10 Most Popular Indian Dishes: Recipes and Ingredients

 

10 Most Popular Indian Dishes with Easy Recipes

India is famous for its rich culture, traditions, and delicious food. Every region of India has its own special dishes. Indian food is popular for its wonderful flavours, colourful spices, and different cooking styles.

Some dishes are enjoyed across the country, while others are especially popular in particular regions. In this article, we will learn about ten popular Indian dishes and their simple recipes. These recipes are easy to understand and can be prepared at home with common ingredients.

1. Biryani

Biryani is one of India's most popular rice dishes. It is prepared with rice, spices, vegetables, chicken, or other meat. Vegetable biryani and chicken biryani are both widely enjoyed. It is often served with raita.

Ingredients

• 2 cups basmati rice
• 1 cup mixed vegetables or 500 g chicken
• 2 onions, finely sliced
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 2 tablespoons oil or ghee
• 1/2 cup plain yoghurt
• 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon biryani masala
• Salt to taste
• Fresh coriander and mint leaves
• Whole spices such as bay leaf, cloves, and cinnamon
• Water as required

Method

1. Wash the rice and soak it for about 20 minutes.
2. Heat oil or ghee in a pot and fry the sliced onions until golden.
3. Add ginger-garlic paste, tomato, turmeric, biryani masala, and salt.
4. Add the vegetables or chicken. Mix well and cook until nearly done.
5. Add yoghurt, coriander, and mint leaves.
6. Cook the rice separately until it is about three-quarters done.
7. Layer the rice over the vegetable or chicken mixture.
8. Cover the pot and cook on low heat until the rice and filling are fully cooked.
9. Serve hot with raita.

Tip: If you use chicken, cook it thoroughly before serving.

2. Masala Dosa

Masala dosa is a popular South Indian dish. It is a thin, crispy pancake made from fermented rice and lentil batter. It is filled with a spicy potato mixture and usually served with coconut chutney and sambar.

Ingredients

• 2 cups dosa batter
• 3 medium potatoes
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 green chilli, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• A few curry leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 tablespoon oil
• Salt to taste
• Water as required

Method

1. Boil the potatoes, peel them, and mash them roughly.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds.
3. Add curry leaves, onion, and green chilli. Cook until the onion becomes soft.
4. Add turmeric, salt, and mashed potatoes. Mix well.
5. Add a little water and cook for two minutes.
6. Heat a flat pan and spread a ladleful of dosa batter into a thin circle.
7. Add a little oil around the edges and cook until the dosa becomes golden and crispy.
8. Place the potato mixture in the centre and fold the dosa.
9. Serve hot with coconut chutney and sambar.

Tip: Ready-made dosa batter makes this recipe easier.

3. Chole Bhature

Chole bhature is a popular North Indian dish. Chole is a spicy chickpea curry, while bhature are soft, deep-fried breads. This dish is often eaten for breakfast, lunch, or brunch.

Ingredients for Chole

• 2 cups boiled chickpeas
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon chole masala
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 2 tablespoons oil
• Salt to taste
• Fresh coriander leaves
• Water as required

Ingredients for Bhature

• 2 cups plain flour
• 1/2 cup plain yoghurt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• A pinch of salt
• Water as required
• Oil for frying

Method

1. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds.
2. Add chopped onions and cook until golden.
3. Add ginger-garlic paste and tomatoes. Cook until soft.
4. Add turmeric, chilli powder, chole masala, and salt.
5. Add boiled chickpeas and a little water.
6. Cook for 10–15 minutes until the gravy thickens.
7. To make bhature, mix flour, yoghurt, baking powder, and salt.
8. Add water as needed and knead into a soft dough.
9. Cover the dough and rest it for about 30–60 minutes.
10. Divide the dough into small balls and roll them into circles.
11. Deep-fry each circle in hot oil until it puffs up and turns golden.
12. Serve hot bhature with chole.

Tip: You can serve chole with chapati or rice instead of bhature for a lighter meal.

4. Pav Bhaji

Pav bhaji is a famous street food from Maharashtra, especially Mumbai. It consists of a spicy vegetable mixture called bhaji, served with soft buttered bread rolls called pav.

Ingredients

• 3 medium potatoes
• 1 cup cauliflower florets
• 1/2 cup green peas
• 1 capsicum, chopped
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
• 2 teaspoons pav bhaji masala
• 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 2 tablespoons butter or oil
• Salt to taste
• Fresh coriander leaves
• Lemon wedges
• Pav bread rolls

Method

1. Boil the potatoes, cauliflower, and peas until soft.
2. Mash the cooked vegetables.
3. Heat butter or oil in a pan.
4. Add the chopped onion and cook until soft.
5. Add ginger-garlic paste, capsicum, and tomatoes.
6. Cook until the tomatoes become soft.
7. Add pav bhaji masala, chilli powder, and salt.
8. Add the mashed vegetables and mix well.
9. Add a little water and mash everything together while cooking.
10. Cook for 8–10 minutes until the bhaji becomes thick and flavourful.
11. Slice the pav rolls and toast them with a little butter on a pan.
12. Serve the hot bhaji with toasted pav, chopped onion, coriander, and lemon.

Tip: Add more vegetables if you want to make the bhaji more nutritious.

5. Idli and Sambar

Idli is a soft, steamed South Indian food made from fermented rice and lentil batter. Sambar is a lentil-based vegetable curry. Together, they make a popular breakfast or light meal.

Ingredients for Idli

• 2 cups ready-made idli batter
• Oil for greasing the moulds
• Water for steaming

Ingredients for Sambar

• 1 cup toor dal
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1 cup mixed vegetables
• 1 tablespoon sambar powder
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• A few curry leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 tablespoon tamarind pulp
• Salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon oil
• Water as required

Method

1. Wash the toor dal and cook it with water and turmeric until soft.
2. Add the chopped vegetables, onion, and tomato to a pot with water.
3. Cook until the vegetables become tender.
4. Add the cooked dal, sambar powder, tamarind pulp, and salt.
5. Simmer for 10–15 minutes.
6. Heat oil in a small pan and add mustard seeds and curry leaves.
7. Pour this seasoning into the sambar and mix well.
8. Grease the idli moulds lightly and pour in the idli batter.
9. Steam for about 10–15 minutes, or until the idlis are cooked.
10. Allow them to cool slightly before removing them from the moulds.
11. Serve hot idlis with sambar and coconut chutney.

Tip: You can use ready-made idli batter to save time.

6. Butter Chicken

Butter chicken is a popular North Indian dish known for its creamy tomato gravy and rich flavour. It is usually served with naan, roti, or rice.

Ingredients

• 500 g boneless chicken
• 1 cup tomato puree
• 1/2 cup plain yoghurt
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1/4 cup fresh cream
• Salt to taste
• Fresh coriander leaves

Method

1. Mix the chicken with yoghurt, half the ginger-garlic paste, chilli powder, turmeric, and salt.
2. Leave it to marinate for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
3. Heat oil in a pan and cook the chicken until thoroughly cooked. Set it aside.
4. Melt butter in another pan and add the remaining ginger-garlic paste.
5. Add the tomato puree, cumin powder, and garam masala.
6. Cook until the tomato mixture thickens.
7. Add a little water if the gravy is too thick.
8. Add the cooked chicken and simmer for 5–10 minutes.
9. Stir in the cream and cook gently for another two minutes.
10. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Tip: Use cream in moderation if you prefer a lighter version.

7. Rajma Chawal

Rajma chawal is a much-loved North Indian meal. It consists of red kidney beans cooked in a spicy gravy and served with steamed rice. It is a filling meal that provides protein and fibre.

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried red kidney beans
• 1 cup rice
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
• 2 tablespoons oil
• Salt to taste
• Fresh coriander leaves
• Water as required

Method

1. Soak the kidney beans overnight in plenty of water.
2. Drain them and pressure-cook in fresh water until completely soft.
3. Wash the rice and cook it separately.
4. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds.
5. Add the onions and cook until golden.
6. Add ginger-garlic paste and tomatoes. Cook until soft.
7. Add turmeric, coriander powder, chilli powder, and salt.
8. Add the cooked kidney beans and some of their cooking liquid.
9. Simmer for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
10. Add garam masala and coriander leaves.
11. Serve the hot rajma with steamed rice.

Tip: Kidney beans must be thoroughly cooked. Do not eat raw or undercooked kidney beans.

8. Samosa

Samosa is a popular Indian snack with a crispy outer covering and a spicy potato filling. It is often served with mint chutney or tamarind chutney.

Ingredients for the Covering

• 2 cups plain flour
• 4 tablespoons oil
• A pinch of salt
• Water as required

Ingredients for the Filling

• 3 medium potatoes
• 1/2 cup green peas
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 1 tablespoon oil
• Salt to taste
• Fresh coriander leaves

Method

1. Boil the potatoes, peel them, and mash them roughly.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds.
3. Add green peas and cook for a few minutes.
4. Add the potatoes, coriander powder, garam masala, chilli powder, and salt.
5. Mix well and add coriander leaves. Allow the filling to cool.
6. Mix flour, oil, and salt in a bowl.
7. Add water gradually and knead into a firm dough.
8. Cover the dough and let it rest for 20 minutes.
9. Divide the dough into small balls and roll each into an oval shape.
10. Cut each oval in half and shape each half into a cone.
11. Fill the cone with the potato mixture and seal the edges with water.
12. Deep-fry the samosas over medium-low heat until crisp and golden.
13. Serve with mint or tamarind chutney.

Tip: You can bake or air-fry samosas for an alternative to deep-frying, although the texture may differ.

9. Pani Puri

Pani puri is a popular Indian street food known by different names in different regions. It consists of small, crispy puris filled with potatoes, chickpeas, and spicy, tangy flavoured water.

Ingredients

• 20 ready-made puris
• 2 boiled potatoes
• 1/2 cup boiled chickpeas
• 1/2 teaspoon roasted cumin powder
• Salt to taste

Ingredients for the Flavoured Water

• 1 cup fresh mint leaves
• 1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves
• 2 green chillies
• 1 tablespoon tamarind pulp
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon roasted cumin powder
• 1/2 teaspoon chaat masala
• Salt to taste
• 3–4 cups clean, drinking water

Method

1. Wash the mint and coriander leaves thoroughly.
2. Blend them with green chillies, tamarind pulp, and a little water.
3. Pour the mixture into a bowl.
4. Add lemon juice, cumin powder, chaat masala, salt, and the remaining water.
5. Mix well and refrigerate until chilled.
6. Mash the boiled potatoes and mix them with the chickpeas, cumin powder, and salt.
7. Make a small hole in the top of each puri.
8. Fill each puri with the potato and chickpea mixture.
9. Pour in the flavoured water just before eating.
10. Enjoy immediately while the puris are crispy.

Tip: Use clean drinking water and fresh ingredients when preparing pani puri at home.

10. Poha

Poha is a popular breakfast dish, especially in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. It is made from flattened rice and cooked with onions, peanuts, and mild spices. It is quick to prepare and easy to digest for many people.

Ingredients

• 2 cups thick poha (flattened rice)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 green chilli, chopped
• 2 tablespoons peanuts
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• A few curry leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 tablespoon oil
• Salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• Fresh coriander leaves
• A little sugar, optional

Method

1. Place the poha in a sieve and rinse it gently with water.
2. Let it rest for a few minutes until soft but not mushy.
3. Heat oil in a pan and fry the peanuts until crisp. Remove and set aside.
4. Add mustard seeds to the same pan.
5. Add curry leaves, green chilli, and chopped onion.
6. Cook until the onion becomes soft.
7. Add turmeric powder and salt.
8. Add the softened poha and mix gently.
9. Cover and cook on low heat for 3–5 minutes.
10. Add the peanuts and lemon juice.
11. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Tip: You can add peas or grated carrots to increase the vegetable content.

Conclusion

Indian cuisine offers a wonderful variety of dishes, from crispy snacks and steamed breakfasts to rich curries and delicious rice meals. Biryani, masala dosa, chole bhature, pav bhaji, idli, butter chicken, rajma chawal, samosa, pani puri, and poha are popular examples of India's diverse food culture.

You do not need to be an expert cook to prepare these dishes. By following simple instructions and using fresh ingredients, you can make delicious Indian food at home.

Which Indian dish do you like the most? Try one of these recipes and share your favourite dish with your family and friends!