popular indian dishes

1-Murg Makhani (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-Tandoori Chicken:

It's hard to find anyone who doesn't fall in love with tandoori chicken, that famous Indian barbecue chicken recipe. Although traditionally cooked in a clay oven, you can prepare the yogurt-marinated chicken on a grill or in the oven. You do need to plan ahead, as the coated chicken should sit in the refrigerator for 12 to 14 hours.

The signature flavor comes from the tandoor masala, a spice mixture including coriander seeds, ginger, and turmeric to name just a few. You can make your own or use store-bought. Serve tandoori chicken over basmati rice with lemon wedges on the side.