5 best Indian dishes

 1)Butter chicken

Murg Makhani (butter chicken) is one of the top orders at any Indian restaurant in the West and for good reason—it is delicious. This sultry poultry dish tastes great with kaali daal (black lentils), naan, and a green salad.

If you have a well-stocked spice drawer, the only ingredient you may need is kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves). Otherwise, this recipe calls for common ingredients like olive oil, onion, garlic, ginger, butter, chicken stock, and tomato puree. The chicken is marinated twice, once in a dry rub and then in a yogurt mixture. This makes the chicken moist and flavorful, adding to the richness of the dish.

2)Instant pot Butter chicken

If you love murg makhani but don't have a lot of time to marinate the chicken, make Instant Pot butter chicken. It has all the delicious flavors of butter, cream, tomatoes, garlic, and spices like garam masala, cumin, ginger, and coriander without the need for marinating.

3) Rogan Josh (Red lamb)

The literal translation for Rogan Josh, the name of this dish from Kashmir is "red lamb." The color comes from Kashmiri dry red chilies. While the name may sound fiery, the heat of the dish is toned down by the cream that is added at the end.

The list of spices called for in this recipe may seem long, but a trip to your local international food market should set you up nicely. Spices such as cardamom, cumin, turmeric, and garam masala are often sold in small bulk quantities, so they'll last for quite a long time.

4)Malai kofta

Malai kofta (vegetable "meatballs" in a thick sauce) is the vegetarian alternative to meatballs. The koftas are made with a mix of potatoes, carrots, beans, peas, and sweet corn, which are cooked and mashed before mixing with spices and paneer, that essential blocked "cheese" that is similar to tofu in texture and a great addition to any vegetarian meal. It's rather easy to find if you don't want to make it, especially if you shop at a natural foods market. Malai kofta goes very well with naan or jeera rice.

5) Chole(chickpea curry)

A classic and easy chole chickpea curry, is a favorite in Northern India and has become a worldwide sensation. It's perfect for a crowd, especially if you serve it hot along with fried Indian leavened bread like poori or bhatura.

The ingredient list looks more intimidating than the recipe is in reality. Once you have the chickpeas, onions, and tomatoes, along with garlic and ginger pastes, all you need are those common Indian spices that make this cuisine unique.