"I've mentioned some great indian food recipes below that are most commonly used in everyday life in India in almost every kitchen in every home."

ALOO MUTTER RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup green peas
2 medium potatoes, chopped
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 garlic pod
1/2 cup coriander leaves
2 green chilies
1 small onion, chopped
Salt to taste
Pinch of turmeric
Cooking oil

Directions:

Start by grinding the garlic, coriander, tomatoes, green chilies, onion, salt, and turmeric together.

Next, heat oil in a heavy saucepan and then add the ground mixture. Cook until the oil
separates. Add this mixture to a pressure cooker. Then add the potatoes and green peas and mix well. Add some water to the cooker and cook until potatoes are tender.

Serve with chapaties, Paratha or naan.

ALOO GOBI RECIPE

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons ghee or vegetable oil
½ tablespoon cumin seeds
1 onion, chopped
½ teaspoon turmeric
1 green chili, seeded and chopped
1 lb cauliflower, cut into small pieces
1 lb potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
½ teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon garam masala
¼ teaspoon salt
1-2 tablespoons water

Directions:

Start by heating the oil in a large skillet over a medium high heat. Add in the cumin seeds and stir into the oil. Next stir in the chopped onion, turmeric, and green chili. Continue stirring for about 5-7 minutes until the onion turns golden.

Stir in the cauliflower and potatoes, then add the coriander, garam masala, and salt. Stir for a minute and then cover and reduce the heat. Simmer the mixture over the low heat and stir occasionally for 20-30 minutes. Add a tablespoon of water to the cauliflower mixture if starting to stick to the bottom of the pan. Cook until the vegetables are tender when pierced with a knife. Serve warm.

VEGETARIAN SAMOSAS RECIPE

Ingredients for outside dough shell:
1 ¾ cups all purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons ghee or melted butter
½ tablespoon lemon juice
⅓ - ½ cup cold water

Ingredients for the filling:
4 tablespoons ghee or vegetable oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed and chopped
1 potato, finely diced
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 teaspoons curry powder, hot if you prefer
1 ½ teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 fresh green chili, seeded and finely chopped, optional
1 teaspoon salt
1 ¼ cups water
1 cup peas, frozen

Start by making the filling first. Melt the ghee or if using vegetable oil, add to a large skillet or wok over a medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and the garlic and sauté for around 6-8 minutes or until soft. Do not let them turn brown.

Add the carrots and the potatoes to the onion mixture and continue to sauté, stirring occasionally. Cook this mixture for another 5 minutes. Now stir in the curry powder, coriander, turmeric, chili, and salt. Next add the water to the mixture and bring it to a boil. After reaching a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes uncovered. Add the frozen peas now and continue to simmer until all the vegetables are tender and most of the liquid evaporates. Remove from the heat and set aside while preparing the dough.

To start the dough for the outer shell of the samosas, sift the flour and the salt together into a bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour, and add the ghee (or melted butter) and the lemon juice into the well. Using your fingertips, work the liquids into the flour. Add small amounts of water to the mixture now until the mixture forms a soft dough.

Remove the dough from the bowl and knead it on the counter for about 10 minutes. Shape it into a ball and cover it with a damp dish towel and leave to rest for about 15 minutes.

After letting the dough rest, divide it into about 7 equal pieces. You will only be able to work with one piece at a time, so keep the rest of the dough covered with a dish towel. Roll the dough into a circle about 8 inches and then cut the circle in ½ to make 2 equal semi-circles. Continue shaping the dough until you have all 14 semi-circles made.

Now only using one semi-circle at a time, wet the outside edges with water and place 2 teaspoons of the prepared filling on the dough. Now fold one side into the center, covering the filling. Next fold the other side in the opposite direction so that you overlap the first fold. The outside should look like a cone shape. Wet the exposed edge with water again and press to seal it closed. Continue to assemble the rest, but keep the others covered with a damp dish towel until all are finished.

Heat oil in a wok, deep fryer, or heavy bottom skillet until it reaches 350˚F. Cook the samosas a few at a time for 2-4 minutes and then flipping them over and cooking again on the other side until a golden brown color. Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels and continue cooking until all the samosas are finished. Serve warm with your favorite choice of chutney.

DUM ALOO RECIPE

Ingredients:

10 small potatoes
3 medium sized onions, chopped
2-3 tablespoons shredded coconut
small piece of ginger
4-5 green chilies
2-3 cardamom pods
1/2 cup yogurt
1 teaspoon garam masala powder
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
2 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon red chili powder
1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons cooking oil or ghee
Oil for deep frying the potatoes

Directions:

Start by boiling the small potatoes. After removing them from the water, peel them and prick the potatoes with a fork. Next, fry the potatoes in hot oil till they turn slightly brown, then remove them and drain and set aside for later.

Next, heat the 2 tablespoons of cooking oil or ghee in a shallow pan and fry the chopped onions until a light brown. Now, in a food processor, grind the coconut, poppy seeds, cardamom pods, ginger and green chilies to a thick paste. After making the paste, add it to the fried onions in the pan. Fry till the oil separates. Next, add the chili powder, cumin powder and coriander powder and stir for the next 5 minutes while in the pan.

Now, add the yogurt, salt and the fried potatoes to the onion mixture. Add enough water to cover the potatoes and simmer till the gravy is thick, which will be around 10 minutes. Next, add the garam masala powder and mix well. Garnish with the chopped coriander leaves.

Serve with chapathis or naans.

CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA RECIPE

4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into strips
(may use skinless, boneless chicken breasts)

Making the Tikka Paste

2/3 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon garlic and ginger paste
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 teaspoons Garam Masala
2 black cardamom pods ( seeds only)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
salt

4 wooden or 4 metal skewers
*If using wooden skewers, you will need to soak the skewers in water for at least 20 minutes to keep them from burning during the cooking process. Not necessary if using metal skewers.

1.
First start out by making the paste for the chicken, mix the yogurt, lemon juice, garlic and ginger paste, garama masala, tomato paste. cardamom seeds, cumin, coriander, paprika, chili powder and salt to your taste in a bowl. Add the chicken pieces to the bowl and mix until all the chicken is covered by the paste. Cover and chill so the mixture can marinate up to 24 hours but if you don't have that much time then you can marinate at room temperature for 35 to 40 minutes.

2.
Remove the chicken from the refrigerator if using the 24 hour method. Let sit at room
temperature for about 15 minutes before starting the broiling process. Preheat the broiler. Thread the marinated chicken pieces onto the skewers. Lightly spray the broiler pan with non-stick cooking spray and add the skewers to the pan.

3.
Broil the chicken for 13-15 minutes turning the chicken skewers over at least once. You may also use any left over marinade to baste the chicken while turning if there is any remaining. You want to cook the chicken until the juices run clear and there is lightly charred marks on the chicken.

4.
You can serve this in different ways. You may serve this with a side of chutney and naans (Indian Bread) or you may serve this over a bed of flavored rice for a complete meal.

I'll be updating this post so please do come back for more information on how Indian food is made.