Do you have any favorite meals you can order at any Indian restaurant? The good thing about Indian cuisine is that you can also prepare them at home by following simple cooking procedures included in their recipes. From palak paneer to lemon rice to idlis, these recipes are quite easy as long as you have your kitchen stocked using the right amount of ingredients.

Indian Food Recipes

Palak Paneer

One of the top Indian food recipes, palak paneer, is by far the most popular and healthy meal you can ever enjoy. This is nothing more than spinach and cottage cheese. Palak paneer is a mildly flavored but super healthy meal. You may remember it as the “green dish” from one of the Indian restaurants thanks to the significant portions of fenugreek leaves and spinach included in the recipe. This dish is incredible with cubed paneer and is fantastic when served with flatbread.  

Idli and Sambhar

This amazing steamed rice pancake offers numerous health benefits. Idli has found its way across many Indian generations, emerging as one of the most preferred healthy dishes of all times. It is about 2 to 3 inch wide, and can be consumed as snack, breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Idli can be eaten along with a hot bowl of sambar and some well-ground coconut chutney.

Lemon Rice (Chitrannam)

Turn your leftover rice into one of the most delicious and healthy Indian recipes. Since refrigerated rice overnight becomes dry, it’s better suited to absorb different kinds of flavors without getting mushy or sticky. When preparing Chintrannam, you can use shelf-stable precooked or frozen basmati rice. Roasted chana dal and Urad dal add some authenticity and texture to your rice. The two dal can be found online or in the Indian markets.

Cashew Butter Chicken Masala

Heavy cream or butter often gives butter chicken the rich, fulfilling quality. In this healthy recipe for butter chicken, cashew butter is used to create a luxurious texture. The sauce is thickened using chickpea flour, but this is optional if you don’t have it. Marinate the chicken earlier for weeknight speed and you’ll have the meal ready on the table in about thirty minutes. Serve your cashew butter chicken masala with basmati rice and steamed spinach.

Slow-Cooker Dal Makhani

It is advisable to use a slow cooker for this meal. The lentils are to be cooked until they are tender and perfectly cooked. To obtain the creamiest results, it is advisable to use a whole urad dal which you can get at the Indian markets or online. This bean disintegrates beautifully resulting in a rich, creamy texture. Serve your meal over rice along with a side of plain yogurt and Indian-style green chutney.

Indian food may look intimidating to cook, but the above recipes are prepared with busy households in mind. What’s the secret to success? Shop and stock your shelf with the right amount of ingredient and do not hesitate to use them when a need arises. Spices often add flavor to meals which cannot be simmered all day. Plan, shop and prepare on the weekends and be sure to use appliances which make your life easier such as the freezer, food processor, and the slow cooker.