Recipes « Quick Indian Cooking

It’s unbelievable how cruel life can be.
Here I am, jumping in the back of a black cab for the Christmas lights on party at a high-end shopping arcade. As I meet friends and drink pumpkin soup, I moan about the delayed celebrity guest of honour. The shortage of macaroons. And then slip off with them [...]

A festive party accesory

A creamy whole roasted cabbage or Bandh Gobhi Massallam to kick off festive partying

Grand finale for the festive season

You can count on Kerala Chicken Curry to impress when it really matters

Perfect papad

How to make a perfect papad

More news with a winter warmer

Mughlai sweet and spicy Indian soup served with some exciting news

Jubilant dal

Lasuni Dal Palak or garlicky spinach lentils for a high-octane evening

Balancing effort and reward

Low effort potatoes in a soft yogurt curry that will definitely hit the spot

October 2008

Diwali… a little late

Sweet little microwaved cardamom and cheese cakes for festive feasting

Kadai chicken for kitchen dramas

Simple moist stir fried chicken for an Indian meal no matter what

Peacetime Patra-Ni-Macchi

Coconut, coriander and mint steamed fish in banana leaves for wild nights in

Some news and a stiff drink

My mother’s Vodka Chilli Cocktail is a sure fire way to kill any cravings

Taking no chances

Bengali Puja special rice and lentil Khichuri with spicy fried aubergine Beguni

Eid Mubarak!

Embrace the end of Ramadan with an Eid-inspired Seafood Biryani

September 2008

Dhansak for despair

Cheer up with a bowl of sweet and spicy Vegetable Dhansak

Just cause for celebration

Vanilla and Rose Firni is your perfect desert for a new beginning

Finding comfort at home

A North Indian vegetable rice Taheri is guaranteed to see you through any ordeal

Comfort Eating

Super healthy North Indian Taheri or vegetable pulao with a dollop of my crazy friend Boobie’s Anda Raita

Finding ways to be better

Tangy Baingan Broad Bean Sabzi is something new for the beginning of your better diet

Curry with risotto anyone?

Cooking curry in the middle of Italian countryside

The simplest dal ever?

Use only three ingredients to make my friend’s sublime simplest dal ever

Methi Murgh – A welcome distraction

North Indian Dhaba style chicken curry with fresh tomatoes and fenugreek

August 2008

The true star of the show

Healthy Hariyali Tikkis with pea, spinach and potatoes for the perfect picnic

The big escape with Tandoori Chicken

Soft, juicy and full of flavour these chicken kebabs are worth every minute

Seekh kebabs for best-laid plans

Soft and buttery ground lamb kebabs to share or simply eat all by yourself

A Fool saves the day

A Mango Fool is the perfect antidote to an unintentionally spicy curry

Stuffed parathas for rainy days

Carrot and Radish flatbreads just like my granny or nani made them

Nariyal bhindi supermarket sweep

Stir fried coconut with okra that might just bring a smile to your face

Communal chicken and rice

Roasted cumin chicken kebabs and fluffy lentil rice for a last minute BBQ feast

Summery salad for balancing excesses

Mother’s three-bean salad is the perfect way to be good

July 2008

Fish fillets and feeling complete

These healthy, battered fish fillets are worth the kitchen assembly line

Saag Paneer on the road to perfection

Soft paneer chunks in an improved creamy spinach base

An old habit dies hard

Spicy lamb in black pepper or Gosht Kali Mirch straight from a dusty cookbook

Cold comfort for fiery fiends

South Indian curd rice is the cooling treat you need when all’s not right

A thigh for your conscience

Herbed, light and summary Hariyali Murgh for a guilt-free chicken meal

Planting, eating with the seasons

Delicious Tomato chutney and Pudina (mint) chutney for summer seasonal nibbling

If the spice is right

Did I mention I was going to Morocco?
I needed to get away from frantic deadlines, the summer social scene, grumpy people and smelly trains.
So I chose blinding heat, crazy traffic, tribal witch doctors, snake charmers and endless souks.
It was all going remarkably well until the fancy rooftop restaurant. Just as I finished tucking into half [...]

A question of balance

A fresh, healthy and blindingly simple brunch of Paneer Bhujia and home made rotis

June 2008

Saving aubergines in the height of summer

Hyderabad-style Baingain is a tangy summer feast in a frying pan

Decadent sweets for unconventional people

Decadent gram flour and sugar bites or Besan Ladoos for adults only

Finding pleasure in old treasure

Sweet and spicy garden peas or Masala Mattar to complete your meal

Yellow is for friendships

Yellow vegetable khichuri is India’s answer to Risotto and a giant hug in a pot

Divine Pistachio & Cardamom Brownies

Something wonderfully chocolatey to get over whatever discomfort you’re feeling

A minor setback and unspectacular quirks

My six unspectacular kitchen quirks as the food photographer recovers

Cheese rolls to food rescue

Say no to food wastage with granny’s special tea time chilli cheese n bread snacks

May 2008

New look aubergine

A classic Baingan Bharta gets a City slicker makeover with this oven-friendly twist

No stress to impress

My menu for a simple dinner party is no daddy’s little darling

Safe and simple semolina

Hassle free South Indian semolina staple Upma in under 20 minutes

Pav Bhaji: After a fashion

Feel worthy as you bite into this Mumbai classic of buttered rolls and vegetable curry

Greenfinger licking mango dal

Welcome summer with this refreshing, light Tauk Dal with raw mangoes

A right royal buffet

International fame (almost) and my tips for spotting a good Indian restaurant buffet

April 2008

Dying to eat Bhuna Gosht

Celebrate life with this juicy, thick and tender lamb curry that melts away in the mouth

Perfect Naan: The winning ticket

Soft and delicious home made naan made with only three main ingredients and no yeast

Good morning and goodbye

Crispy egg-soaked bread with an Indian twist for early mornings or late nights

With a little help…

Pepper rasam fix from an Angel of Mercy

Talking chicken curry

A perfect large pot of simple chicken curry for busy or misery bees everywhere

Operation Rasam

A potent, spicy and sour South Indian soup for emergency cold relief

Introduction To My World

Yogurt: My perfect ingredient

Zafrani gosht is a delicate and fragrant goat meat curry with my favourite ingredient – yogurt

March 2008

Dodgy curries and saviour sabzis

No dodgy ingredients in this vegetable sabzi that makes perfect use of your leftover vegetables

Love Songs and celebrations

Try this low fat, roasted aubergine dip when you want to party with a conscience

Good impressions with Murgh Hara Tikka

Make an impression with soft and creamy chicken kebabs served with a coriander mint chutney

Seeing clearly with fish curry

Spicy, sweet and sour Doi Maach – Bengali must-have fish curry

Bengali cheesecake for the soul

Spoil yourself or your friends with a steamed yogurt Bhapa doi that’ll awaken your soul

Aloo makha: Mid-week mustardy mash

Cool stomachs and tempers with Bengali potato mash spiced with mustard oil, chillies and onions

A brand new beginning

Fiery sour Achari Gosht for a spicy new beginning

Cooking Dal with Louise

Cheating: A real possibility

Convenience vs. health? Say yes to both with this healthy and super quick black-eyed bean curry

Homemade naan: A sticky decision

Kneading dough for homemade naan can be hard work

February 2008

One bowl of happiness

Khao Sawy is a Burmese coconut noodle soup topped with fresh herbs and spices

An unholy position

Bothersome interference in blog posts

A rice crisis

Fresh green pepper, spring onions and healthy wholesome brown rice and you’re ready for any Basmati rice crisis!

Zen chicken

Get into Zen zone with a lazy but highly-satisfying Chicken Bharta

December 2007

Home and away

Luscious coconut rice spiced with curry leaves and channa lentils

Masala, minimalism and me

When fancy masalas are in short supply, this pork with spinach curry is a spice-minimalist feast

Tikka look – Menu for Hope

A Christmas fundraiser from food bloggers everywhere

Desperate times call for…

When the going gets tough with festivities make dal on a few brain cells

November 2007

Curry flavour chips anyone?

Little black chick peas with a spicy masala coating – perfect for your next masala kick

Modern prawns for Christmas snacking

King prawns with a soft, tamarind glaze. The perfect plateful of lick-your-plate-clean snacks

Post Diwali persistent potatoes

Cubes of new potatoes cooked in a light, tempered gram flour curry or Aloo kadhi

Happy Diwali

Pre-Diwali nerves and planning for the big night

Say hello to my little friend

A new spice grinder, and home-made South Indian Sambhar dal

October 2007

Kitchen wars: Lamb curry with apricots

Rich and spicy Parsi lamb shanks cooked with apricots – an instant love affair

And the winner is… chicken pulao

Centre yourself before crashing out with a big pot of aromatic chicken pulao

Butter chicken: Pretty damn good?

Butter chicken. The mother of all chicken tikka masalas. For that special occasion only

Shubho Bijoya Dashami

It’s the last day of Durga Puja, a celebration of good winning over evil and highlight of the Bengali religious calendar.
I made it to the pandal (marquee) on Friday, only to be told to leave within an hour thanks to a queue of 400 people outside waiting to get in.
Thankfully, I’d made it to [...]

Pretty perfect lentil bites

Be the heart and soul of a party with bite-sized lentil and vegetable cakes

Little nibbles for lovely people

Murgh malai kebabs and aloo dum. Inspired treats for party people

Macher paturi on the couch

Parcels of mustard-coated fish steamed in banana leaves for a perfect evening

Healing power of saag paneer

Survive a long day’s shopping with the healing power of Saag Paneer

September 2007

Life, death, vegetable dal

Single bloke or gal friendly vegetable dal that’s high on taste and low on heady aroma

Fighting fit spicy chicken curry

Hearty, spicy chicken curry to get you fighting fit in no time at all

One year on…

Forget weight obsessing and savour this Halwa or semolina desert on a special occasion

Party vs. Payesh (Rice pudding)

Creamy, spiced Payesh – rice pudding – for sugar cravings

Catching the monkey with spinach bhaji

Simple Spinach Bhaji to mark the beginning of my new kitchen adventure

Masala fish: Real, real life cooking

Really simple grilled masala coated fish for really busy people

Jeera aloo for a bunch of nutters

Cumin flavoured stir-fried potatoes – the perfect side dish to your quick Indian meal

August 2007

A model wife

Set an example with this coconut chicken curry cooked with curry leaves

My place in the sun

Back from the world of high-street botox, designer dogs and leapord-print everything that is Cannes, I am basking in a warm glow that is a fabulous sun tan.
But until recently, I was more likely to carry a Victorian parasol in the sun for fear of catching colour than bake on a beach for hours a [...]

Image: A fishy business

Whole rainbow trout with a herb marinade for when recovery is of the essence

Strange summer and shashliks

Tandoori paneer skewers are a real hit with family for an outdoor summer lunch

Chicken tikka in fresh air

These tender spicy kebabs can be the lovely juicy wonder for your next BBQ

Staying cool with aubergine raita

Sliced aubergines soaked in ice-cold spiced yogurt

Indian in heat

Aloo posto with masoorir dal – the perfect, cooling, vegetarian summer meal

The right Indian exit

I said goodbye to mother this week with a heavy heart and a full belly.
The boozy Saturday night in before she left, we decided to have a mid-week party. My two Indian girlfriends would bring a dish each, mother would cook two dishes and hubby and his French best mate would eat for England.
Theoretically the easiest [...]

July 2007

Simply spicy Gujarati aloo

A mid-week wedding and vice-free Gujarati aloo curry

The good news is…

I am now a member of the Foodie Blogroll, a fantastic initiative by Jenn of Leftover Queen designed to bring foood blogs together the world over.
If, like me, you are always the last one to wake up to good things – sign up now!
The bad news is that my email mallika@quickindiancooking.com isn’t working. It’s down [...]

Being true: The easy option

Th truth about real Indian food with a traditional Bengali Bhaja Moonger Dal or fried red lentil dal

Cabbage and prawn

Finding love for cabbage with mother’s cabbage and prawn stir fry – Badha Kophir Dalna

Top marks for paneer butter masala

Low-fat Paneer Butter Masala to celebrate with a clear conscience

Mutton ishtew with mother dear

A sublime meat and vegetable stew that can soothe the stomach on difficult days

Tangri kebabs to tube users

Enjoy summertime madness with grilled chicken drumsticks steeped in fresh mint and coriander

Burning baingan bharta

A roasted aubergine mash with a smokey spicy flavour for when you fancy setting something on fire

June 2007

Comedy value for chickpea salad

A fresh and healthy salad of chickpeas for self respecting Indian cooks and hungry people

Cool kadhi and nutty khichdi

A cooling, lightly cooked Indian vegetarian meal to complete your kitchen in summer

10-minute chicken curry?

A simply explained video recipe for quick chicken curry made with my low fat twist

Indian feast

This aromatic Paneer and Corn Pulao has no English Indian ambitions

Alka Seltzer and mango lassi

Low in calories and a highly-effective digestive aid, mangoes are the perfect exotic hit for recovery

May 2007

Singledom with ajwain parathas

Fried Indian flatbreads with a slightly pungent kick straight from my bossy maternal gran

Cooking pork vindaloo

A real pork vindaloo in fond remembrance

Off to Peru

There is sad news from Peru and I will be gone for two weeks. More recipes to follow…

Photography and prawn patia

Prawn Patia, a popular hot and sweet Parsi prawn curry

Aloo methi curry

Things may change but this simple bittersweet combination is a constant

Baked achari baingan – pickled aubergine

Bikini season’s low-fat twist on this classic Madhur Jaffrey recipe

Lamb dhansak – no Indian miracle

A healthy and delicious Parsi meat and lentil curry that’s even better cooked at home

April 2007

Ravishing rotis

Second time lucky soft and fluffy home made rotis

Roti write-off

Rotis or chappatis are eaten as an alternative to rice around India, especially in the North of India. Not to be confused with paranthas or naan, these are cooked with whole wheat flour or atta (pictured) without any oil on a tawa or flat griddle pan.
The simplest version of a roti is called a phulka, [...]

Cholar dal

A rich and complex Bengali dal to help you stand out from the crowd

Quick and easy egg curry

A simple curry that his the spot and takes no time to make

Happy Bengali New Year – Shubho Nobo Barsha

Moreish fresh coconut and jaggery bites to welcome Bengali New Year

Friday the 13th dinner party

It’s Friday the 13th. Call me superstitious, but I have already had a bust up at work, a tough client meeting and slipped on my trendy winklepickers and grazed my knee.
I now have a dinner party for 10 to look forward to, for which I have cooked an entirely Bengali meal of kosha mangsho, aloo [...]

Not too fishy – Kerala fish curry

A delicate fish curry in coconut milk for even those who don’t like fish too much

Lesson about lentils

An introduction to lentils cooked the Indian way known as dal

Lesson II: Ground masalas

An introduction to Indian spices and a home made garam masala

March 2007

(Almost) All about whole masalas

An introduction into whole Indian spices and a warning before you use them

What’s in a name?

I am reading a fabulous book – “Is it just me or is everything shit” – by Steve Lowe & Alan McArthur.
It just about sums up my views about life, love and everything in between as I chuckle on public transport deemed unsuitable for cattle transportation by the European Union.
If truth be told I bought [...]

Happy half-birthday to me…

How to get started with quick Indian cooking and why

Aloo phulkophir dalna

A subtle Bengali version of the world famous Aloo Gobi

Aloo gobi – no introduction needed

The original world famous aloo gobi immortalised by an unreasonable aunty

Kali dal under pressure

Black lentil dal from the Mughal days given a modern outlook with a pressure cooker

I’m ill

I’ve been irritable all week. The first two days were spent almost entirely in the office preparing for the big mid-week meeting. Then came the meeting. It went fine and we all relaxed into our train seats, ready to tuck into whatever cold, stale food Virgin had to offer and head home.
The menu was incomprehensible. [...]

Punjabi dhal… so last week

Wholesome vegetable dal from my mother’s home in Delhi

Cod vs. Kosha Mangsho (Dry Bengali lamb)

A lick-your-plate-clean lamb curry from a cookbook from my home

February 2007

Saving our students

A perfect chicken curry for students with three masalas only!

Almost cooking like a chef

Wedged between a smelly armpit and a raving lunatic on the underground this morning, my eyes nearly popped out when I read news of the Best of Brit Blog 2007 awards.
An award? For Blogs? In Britain? How fantastic.
Not like I bet money on winning anything. I grew up winning consolation prizes for failing to win [...]

Boredom and Bollywood cooking

Free time to entertain yourself with a recipe from a Bollywood cookbook

Bhindi Masala – Pan fried okra

Here’s to the dramatic entrance of Indian vegetables in my local supermarket

Back in action

I’ve arrived back in the UK from Peru. While I’ve been gone, Shilpa Shetty has published her very own chicken curry recipe featuring tomato ketchup and a gunman’s been loose in South London, near where I live.
On the bright side, it’s not snowing and I haven’t lost my job… yet! My colleagues have clearly missed me, [...]

Bollywood and Indian cooking in the Andes

I can´t believe my holiday is almost coming to an end. I´ve been at my in-laws´place in Huancayo, a town nestling in the Mantaro valley of the Andes (pictured) for the best part of two weeks. And spreading the word here about real Indian cooking has been easier than I thought.
For a start, Bollywood is as [...]

January 2007

Hola from Lima de Peru

In the usual manic run up to a holiday, I didn´t get around to telling you that I´m in Peru for three weeks visiting my in-laws.
We arrived in Lima on 27th January and I kicked off our break tucking into a giganormous plate of barbequed cow´s hearts. There goes my award for Hindu of the year.
We are off to Huancayo [...]

Pepper chicken curry

Get stuck into a delicious chicken curry cooked with fenugreek and black pepper

Channa dhal with paneer – Lentils with Indian cheese

Wholesome, economic and fancy dal for entertaining party guests

Ingorance is not bliss on national TV

The Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty has been unfortunate enough to become a victim of bullying and accused racism in one of the UK’s most vapid reality TV shows – Celebrity Big Brother. Read all about it here.
This has blown up into one of the most criticised TV programmes over here in recent times, with [...]

Narkel Dim – Coconut eggs

A simple but sumptuous side of fresh coconut, mustard and boiled eggs

A matter of age

I am about to have a birthday soon. Normally, I would invite everyone I know, plan my own surprise party and buy a whole new outfit.
But this year, it’s different.
I am edging closer to 30 by turning 29 and as far as I’m concerned, it ain’t no cause for celebration.
While I’m going all coy on [...]

Third time lucky Rajmah – Kidney Beans Curry

No need to put your patience to the test with this tried and tested Rajmah recipe

Keeping a resolution with Dhal Palak

A nutritious, everyday spinach and lentil treat for thick bread or pork chops

Meme, myself and I

I’ve been tagged. I did get very worried when I read this. Tagged? What exactly does this mean? Am I going to be followed, persecuted or simply watched closely on the blogosphere (this didn’t sound too awful).
I looked this up urgently and it appears I really don’t have anything to worry about.
This is my chance, [...]

Confession and a New Years’ resolution

I did a despicable, unforgiveable and truly stomach-churning thing last week. I ate an Indian takeaway.
Yes siree. An authentic inauthentic Indian meal, glowing with oil and food colouring and resplendent in its own mediocrity.
I know I must not try to justify myself, but we returned to an empty fridge from Christmas weekend only to find all [...]

Happy New Year!

O.M.G! Is it 2007 already? Huge wishes for the New Year.
Hubby and I decided to start this New Year with a clear head and fresh air. So we took off to the countryside in our ageing mean machine.
Our two bedroom cottage was on a farm near an aptly-named village called Nomansland. We had no mobile phone coverage and no cash [...]

December 2006

Jeera chicken – Cumin chicken

Moist chicken made with two clever techniques straight from the Basu kitchen in Kolkata

Quail curry and a very Merry Christmas

A special game meat curry for Christmas as an alternative to a classic roast

Whole Mung (Moong) Dhal

A thick, warming and high protein dal for cold winters

Shami kebabs for Christmas snacking

Luxurious Mughlai mincemeat kebabs for your decadent party

The right ingredients

If you’re not sure where to buy spices from here are some tips

Goan prawn masala

Fiery hot Goan shrimp curry adjusted to normal palates for the rest of us

The sun has set…

… on my wonderful trip back home to Kolkata, India. I did very little, but still managed to stay terribly busy throughout flitting between hair/beauty appointments, lunch/dinner invitations and my sister’s engagement. My photographer hubby also dragged me along to all sorts of bizarre photographic adventures, involving trips to weird places at the wee hours of [...]

November 2006

The Land of Curry

I am off home tomorrow to Kolkata (Calcutta) in India for a two-week holiday. Once there, I promise to try and use my mother’s relic of a computer, complete with window 3.1, to log into wordpress and write posts about all the wonderful food I’ll be eating.
But it may not happen. The last time my [...]

Alcohol with Indian Food

Tips on what to drink with your Indian meal

Success! And Chicken Korma

Impress your colleagues and anyone else with this authentic chicken korma

Ready Steady Cook

How to throw an Indian dinner party the quick and easy way

Khichdi – Rice with lentils

A traditional rice and lentil dish to comfort you whatever the reason

Work in Progress

Since my cook curry, drink wine experiment went horribly wrong on Monday, I’m working on a list of what alcohol best accompanies Indian food.
I had the grand unveiling planned for today, but the combination of irrate client, stressed out boss and looming deadline have derailed my plans.
In India we never drink alcohol during the meal. [...]

Char Dhal ka Dalcha – My Own Lentil Soup

Dal of four lentils and aromatic spices to drink as a soup or eat with rice

Mixing Red Wine, Chit chat and Curry

Sweet and spicy Prawn and Coconut Curry that’s eaten on special occasions in Bengal

Getting Gujarati Food

I’m taking a break from recipes today to go back to the Indian regional food lessons so you know your kali dhal from your sambhar in no time.
This time, we’re talking Gujarati food with a little help from Trupti. Trupti is what this blog is all about – she has her hands full with two [...]

Malai Gobi – Creamy Cauliflower

This creamy cauliflower dish proves Indian food isn’t 100% searingly hot

Saag Aloo – Spinach with Potatoes

A special request for this curry house favourite cooked he QIC way

From the Olympics to Frying Onions

What “brown the onions” really means in Indian cooking

The BBC’s Food No Show

A couple of weeks ago I spotted signs on the London Underground advertising the BBC Good Food Show.
A Food Show? In London? What better way for a new born food blogger to spend a whole day?
Excited at the prospect of seeing the UK’s top celebrity Indian chefs in action and sampling the treats on show, [...]

Ceylon Chicken – Chicken with Coconut Milk

A chicken curry that can be mild and subtle for the anti-spice brigade

The Ultimate Curry Companion

Now I’ve heard it all. Tilda, the bastions of basmati rice, have published a nifty guide to the additive-ridden sludge served in curry houses across Britain.
If you’ve ever wondered, there are 90,000 curry houses in the UK that dish out 23 million chicken tikka masala portions each year. The guide is also a tribute to, [...]