Biryani and Butter chicken, India is well-known for its rich culinary heritage, with a blend of flavors and regional specialties that tempt the taste buds.
From the vibrant spices of North India to the coconut-imbued curries of South India. Indian cuisine offers a cluster of dishes that appeal to all the senses.
Indian spices such as coriander, cumin, cardamom, turmeric, and garam masala are the backbone of cooking, presenting to the food’s depth and complexity.
Curries are a major part of Indian cuisine, with variations across regions. For example, paneer butter masala is made from Indian cottage cheese stewed in a buttery, spiced gravy.
Dosa, a south Indian dish is served with thin, crispy crepes made from fermented rice and lentil batter and usually served with sambar.
Let us look at the top 2 best Indian dishes and recipes, each portraying a different aspect of this diverse cuisine.
1. Biryani
Biryani is a favorite dish across India which is specially made with basmati rice in various types such as chicken, mutton, and paneer.
Some popular Indian biryani are Hyderabadi Biryani, Lucknowi Biryani, and Kolkata Biryani.
Recipe:
- Cook extra-long grain basmati rice with spices like cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves.
- Add ground species like Kashmiri red chili powder, turmeric, and garam masala.
- Add homemade ghee instead of oil for taste.
- Now prepare the marinade by mixing chicken, yogurt, and the above spices with salt, mint leaves, and lemon juice.
- Keep the mixture in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. The longer you store the better the flavour will be.
- Now add rice to the boiling water on high heat and wait until 90% of the rice is cooked
- Cook the marinated chicken on medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Now add the chicken over the cooked rice cover the pot with aluminum foil and set the low heat for 20 minutes which gives dum to the biryani.
- Have your biryani with cucumber raita or beet raita.
Butter Chicken (Murg Makhani)
A creamy and extravagant dish, murgh makhani is a staple of Indian cuisine. Chicken is cooked in buttery tomato sauce with cream and a mix of redolent spices like coriander, cumin, and kasuri methi.
Butter chicken is often consumed with naan or jeera rice.
Recipe:
- Boneless Chicken
- ½ cup yogurt
- 1tsp lemon juice, 1tsp ginger garlic paste.
- 1tsp ground turmeric, 1tsp ground cumin and coriander
- ½ ground turmeric, ½ tsp chilli powder, ½ cup heavy cream
- 1tsp garam masala, 1tsp sugar, 1tsp dried Kasuri methi
- 1cup tomato puree
Process:
- Marinate the chicken along with yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice, turmeric, cumin, coriander, chili powder, oil, and salt
- Store the mixture in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours
- Heat the butter and vegetable oil at medium flame for Butter chicken sauce.
- Now add chopped onion and saute to it and wait for 2 to 3 minutes until it turns brown.
- Add ginger-garlic paste and cook it for another 1 minute.
- Add the redolent spices and tomato puree to it.
- Cook the mixture for about 12-15 minutes until the gravy thickens.
Finalizing
Stir the gravy in heavy cream and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes on low flame until the gravy is smooth and creamy.
Little or more water or cream can be added if required.
Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves and have it with nan or jeera rice.