15 Easy Homemade Indian Food (You Need to Try)
15 Easy Homemade Indian Food You Need to Try
I believe the first Indian food I ever had [and the first easy homemade Indian food I ever made] was butter chicken. To be honest… the sound in and of itself didn’t sound too appealing to me AT FIRST.
I was visiting my sister, who had recently moved to the greater Chicago area. We were visiting the city of Chicago and had taken the Metra train from the suburbs (great experience).
We were on our way back to the suburbs but had some time before the next train arrived. So, naturally, we decided to eat some food!
There weren’t too many choices from which to choose at the train station. All we saw were the typical fast-food chains anyone would see at a typical mall.
However, what caught our attention was the fact that there was a random Indian restaurant off to the side!
My family loves trying new food (it’s not just me… I grew up this way). So, naturally, my brother, sister, and I were drawn to this place.
We told the person at the counter that we had never had Indian food before and asked about what food they had recommended for beginners like us.
He very quickly said “butter chicken”.
My brother, sister, and I thought, “Huh?”
He told us to trust him; we’ll like it.
Sure enough… they brought us our plates and to our great surprise, it smelled so divine!
It sure didn’t smell like butter and chicken, I’ll tell you that much! This Indian butter chicken was soooo much better.
I had no clue what kind of spices and sauces they had put in it, but it was magical!
The good thing for you and me is that butter chicken is one of those homemade Indian food recipes that are so easy to make [and delicious, too]!
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Is Homemade Indian Food Healthy?
People who cook meals at home more frequently tend to be healthier individuals (Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future).
The reason for this is that people tend to eat fewer carbohydrates and fats when they cook their food at home.
When you cook at home, for example, you can control the number of fats and sugars you use.
Thus, you are also eating fewer calories!
Also, YOU CHOOSE what kind of fat to use.
For example, you can choose healthier fats such as olive oil and canola oil (you can take a look at this guide for reference) in place of lard.
ALSO, you CAN CHOOSE how to cook your food! Fried Vs Baked!!
For example, the other day I bought a box of frozen samosas. The directions said to fry them in hot oil. Since I didn’t want to do that, I sprayed them with some olive oil and baked them in the oven. I mean, samosas are not the healthiest Indian foods or snacks, but I tried my best to prepare a healthier alternative.
This leads me to say that Indian food COULD be healthier depending on what you choose to eat.
For example, you can skip food that calls for heavy creamers, such as Chicken Tikka Masala, and go for tomato-based recipes like the Tomato Shorba recipe by Dassana’s Veg Recipes.
Interestingly, although many people may think that because so many Indian dishes are vegetarian, the fact is that India was declared the diabetes capital of the world (India Today)!
One good, and healthy, thing about Indian food is the variety of spices that they use in their dishes which contribute to positive outcomes for your body.
Healthy Spices List
Here is a list of some health benefits of some spices you may find in Indian food [though some spices may not be as popular as others].
These findings are provided by Johns Hopkins Medicine:
- Cinnamon: reduces triglycerides levels and high blood cholesterol
- Turmeric: reduces inflammation (Even in the brain! I did not know this before, but inflammation in the brain may lead to alzheimers and depression)!
- Ginger: reduces nausea and upset stomach
- Garlic: good for heart health (keeps blood vessels flexible)
- Cayenne: provides pain relief
Typical Indian Diet
The typical Indian meal consists of a whole-wheat flatbread called roti, dal (lentils) and rice, and a lentil-based stew. These are normally accompanied by meat, vegetables, chutneys, and other condiments (USA Today).
Healthwise, this in and of itself doesn’t sound too bad. The problem comes when you eat too many yummy fried Indian snacks and other fried foods (like samosas …. I know, but they’re sooo good!!!)
Also, unfortunately, in today’s age, many people in India do not consume enough proteins, vegetables, and fruits (BMC Public Health).
Easy Homemade Indian Food Recipe List
So, I think we can all agree that homemade Indian food is probably the best option for optimal health.
Although these may not be the HEALTHIEST options, here is a list of some EASY homemade Indian food recipes that you can, of course, adjust to your liking for whatever purposes you wish to fulfill.
1. Tandoori Chicken by Spice Cravings
So, tandoori chicken is chicken that has been cooked in a clay oven called a tandoor. Check it out for yourself:
Here is a traditional tandoor oven in action:
What I love about this chicken tandoori recipe is that the creator of this recipe offers SO many ways to make this chicken! You can use an air fryer, oven, outdoor grill, or the Instant Pot [my favorite].
My personal opinion is that the air fryer and the Instant Pot are the easiest, but maybe you might think the oven is the easiest method.
Do what works best for you 🙂
Go ahead and look for yourself!
2. Baked (or Air-Fried) Samosas by Urban Farmie
Ok, so samosas, as you may or may not know, are deep-fried fritters. This recipe is a healthier alternative that still tastes yummy!
And these samosas, in my very humble opinion, may be easier to cook because you don’t have to worry about the grease hitting your face or clothes (that might just be me).
Anyway, what also makes this recipe so easy is that it requires only 6 main ingredients! AND, you can make it in an hour.
Can it get any easier than that?
Check it out for yourself!
3. Chickpea Potato Curry by Well Plated
This recipe is easy because it only asks for 8 main ingredients! These ingredients include:
- Potatoes
- Chickpeas
- Diced tomatoes
- Coconut milk
- Sugar
- Lemon juice
- Pease
- Spices (oh but of course) 🙂
The blend of spices gives this dish so much flavor! Just take a look at the reviews in the comments!
4. Palak Pulao (Spinach rice) by Instant Pot Eats
This recipe is easy because it is an Instant Pot recipe.
[I’m telling you! Having an Instant Pot has made my life SO MANY TIMES easier! I honestly don’t know a single person who regrets purchasing one –although of course there maybe a couple of people in this world].
This is a great, easy Indian side dish [to enjoy with the other easy recipes you find here :)].
5. Aloo Gobi: Potato & Cauliflower Curry by Yellow Thyme
So, this is another Instant Pot recipe, but there is a stovetop component, too!
(Instant Pot recipes are so easy because you generally only have one pot to cook out of and clean)!
Also, there are different variations of this recipe that are listed in the post. Check it out for yourself!
6. Easy 20 Minute Butter Chicken by Gimme Delicious
This butter chicken recipe is so easy because it only takes 20 minutes! Plus, most of the ingredients you may already have on hand (maybe minus the garam masala … that’s easily accessible on Amazon if you can’t find it at your local grocery store).
As I said before… if you’re unfamiliar with this recipe… I promise you it doesn’t taste like butter. It’s called butter chicken because it’s got a butter and tomato base. It’s got SO many flavors… you’ll love it!
7. Chana Masala by Minimalist Baker
Chana Masala is chickpea (AKA: garbanzo bean) stew. This recipe is so easy because it’s a one-pot meal and it only takes about 30 minutes to make!
ALSO, you can use canned chickpeas, so you won’t have to soak them overnight and then cook them (It’s already done for you)!
Here’s another thing: it’s not a recipe that asks for heavy cream. It’s one of those tomato-based recipes like I had mentioned before! So, it’s slightly healthier.
[Of course, to make it even MORE healthy, you can use fresh ingredients instead of canned. That’s the beauty of homemade recipes].
8. Chicken Tikka Masala by Bowl of Delicious
I would say this is probably one of the more popular Indian dishes. It’s always on the menu no matter what Indian restaurant I visit!
And there’s a reason for this, too. It’s because it’s so good!!!
You want to know something interesting?
The last time I went to an Indian restaurant we had a SUPER nice person waiting on us. That’s not the interesting part. What he said was interesting (to me).
He informed me that tikka is not the sauce that many people assume. He explained that tikka is an Indian dish with small pieces of meat or vegetables.
[Masala is a type of spice mixture]
Another example of a tikka dish is paneer tikka. This dish uses small pieces of paneer, which is an Indian cheese.
Now it all makes sense, haha!
Anyway, what makes this chicken tikka masala recipe so simple is the fact that it is a one-pot (or one-pan) meal.
Also, although this may not be authentic, you can use store-bought rotisserie chicken in this recipe.
9. Chicken Biryani Recipe by Piping Hot Curry
Biryani is a meat and rice dish (with some vegetables and spices).
This recipe provides a one-pot Instant Pot variation.
And get this: it takes less than one hour to make!
10. Jeera Rice by Indian Healthy Recipes
If you did not already know, jeera is cumin in English.
What makes this recipe so easy is that there’s a good chance that you’ll already have all (or most) of these ingredients in your kitchen cupboard or pantry.
Also, this recipe provides you with 2 ways to make this delicious rice. Pick whichever you prefer!
11. Chicken Curry by Cooking Classy
This recipe does require a lot of seasonings (most you will have in your pantry), but don’t let that fool you into thinking that this recipe is not easy! It totally is (in my opinion)!
One added bonus about this recipe is that it provides you with all of the nutritional facts you need in an easy-to-read nutritional label format.
12. Chicken Curry by Yellow Thyme
Ok, so I’m giving you another chicken curry recipe. What makes this one different is that it uses an Instant Pot and it incorporates different ingredients, too.
Check it out for yourself!
13. Chicken Saag by Mission Food Adventure
Ok, who LOVES spinach!? So, I admit I do not love spinach, but I do like it (especially when it’s cooked).
Here’s an easy chicken saag recipe that’s quick and easy to make!
[It’s got good flavor, too]
14. Daal Palak by Indian Healthy Recipes
Yay for another healthy dish! Daal palak is a spinach lentil soup.
Each household makes daal palak differently and this recipe provides more than one way to make it!
Also, there’s a recipe card for the Instant Pot! How great is that!?
15. Jeera Aloo by Dassana’s Veg Recipes
As we learned before, jeera means cumin in English.
Now, the word aloo means potatoes! If you didn’t know before, now you know!
So, this recipe is for cumin potatoes 😀
What makes this recipe so easy? Well, it takes less than an hour to make!
According to the recipe card, it only takes 20 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook. That’s a total of only 30 minutes!
Final Thoughts on Simple Indian Recipes You Can Make at Home
Overall, making homemade Indian food is a great option if you want to live a healthier lifestyle. The reason for this is because you can choose the amount of fat and sugar you put in your food. Of course, it all depends on what you choose to make, too!
Even if you’re not looking to eat Indian food for health reasons, these recipes are all super easy and so flavorful, too!
