a montage of old Indian cookbooks

recipes

There is something here for everyone, even if you think you do not like Indian food. Our Indian recipes range from simple family fare to exotic and complex festive dishes. There are vegetarian dishes, meat, poultry, fish and seafood dishes. There are breakfasts and desserts, drinks and snacks.

There are recipes here that might surprise you, as they may not be what you usually think of as Indian cuisine.

Just starting? Try our essentials for simple, but inspirational dishes.

Our signature recipes are in the featured section. These are high rotation family dinners, or special occasion dishes.

a bowl of cooked basmati rice, with some yellow rice decoration

the essentials

Basic recipes that you need to be able to do regularly and consistently. If you are new to this cuisine, then this is a good place to start.

leg of lamb, lucknow style, shank in, on serving platter

featured

Our family favourite recipes. They contain common everyday dishes and festive dishes. If we entertain, then almost certainly something on this list will be included.

original page from recipe notes

the most popular

These are the most viewed recipes on our site.

recipes by type

a bowl of mussels, cooked in recheado masala, with a portuguese dinner roll

starters

Snacks or starters are often bought from street vendors, but many of these can be easily made at home. These recipes are some of the common, and not so common, dishes used to precede a meal, or as a snack, or even a light meal.

a bowl of mulligatawny soup

soups

These soups are a traditional part of a family meal or a more elaborate festive celebration.

a bowl of south indian mixed vegetables with coconut

vegetables

Indian cuisine has arguably the most sophisticated approach to using vegetables in the world. These are some of our favourites and are mostly dishes from southern India.

a bowl of Hyderabadi mixed dal on a platter with roti

dal

Dal - the quintessential Indian dish.

egg and coconut milk curry

eggs

There is an egg dish here for everyone and at any time. <em>Egg chaat</em> is not to be missed, nor is <em>akoori</em>, scrambled eggs done the Parsi way.

malabari prawns

fish and seafood

Fish and seafood dishes, featuring recipes from the coastal and riverine regions of India.

a bowl of lamb rogan josh

meat and poultry

Not all Indians are vegetarian. These are some of our favourite non-vegetarian dishes.

a bowl of kashmiri pulao

rice, pulao and biryani

Rice dishes are a cornerstone of Indian cuisine. Simple rice dishes, through wonderful pulaos, to majestic biryanis.

a stack of naan on a wooden platter

breads

From naan to roti, here are some popular bread recipes.

a platter of corn salad

salads

Salads can be simple accompaniments or side dishes, such as kachumber, a simple chopped vegetable salad, or can be sophisticated main courses, often highlighting fresh seafood.

A jar of apple, peach and apricot chutney

accompaniments

Accompaniments are one of the great parts of Indian cuisine. These are recipes for chutneys and pickles and other small dishes.

a bowl of carrot halwa

desserts

Some family favourite desserts in here include halwa and kheer. Specialist dessert vendors sell desserts and reflect generations-old approaches.

a glass of masala lemonade

drinks

There are some expected recipes, and some unusual recipes in here, all of which deserve at least one try.

a portuguese layer cake, with a single serve in forground

baking

The Portuguese and Raj influences have inspired some wonderful dishes. The resulting baking tradition does not rely on wheat, making many of the dishes suitable for gluten-free diets.

a bowl, with Parsi scrambled eggs and a roti

breakfasts

A breakfast might be some idli with sambar. Or it might be eggs or even kedgeree, that wonderful innovation of the Raj.

three samosas on a serving plate

snacks

Snacks or starters are often bought from street vendors, but many of these can be easily made at home. These recipes are some of the common, and not so common, dishes used to precede a meal, or as a snack, or even a light meal.

a mound of panch phoran

basics

Basic preparations and spice mixes.