Cardamom Chicken

75 Min

GF

NF

Madras Chicken Wings

This recipe has been in slow development for almost 10 years and we are still tweaking it for perfection. There are two layers of masala for the marinade to get to well seasoned crispy wings!

45 Min

GF

Safed Maas

An ancient Rajasthani delicacy, safed maas is a white curry usually made with red meat. It is also the only curry that is traditionally mild in flavor with no chiles added. We have made this curry with dark meat chicken and a touch of rosemary, which complements the creamy rich sauce. And just like most curries, this one is best a few hours later or the next day.

GF

NF

Sesame Chicken

Tastes good warm, room temperature or served cold. It’s lovely sliced in a salad or on a sandwich.

80 Min

GF

Tamarind Turkey Kebabs

You can make the turkey kebabs ahead of time and finish in the oven when ready to eat. Here is a tamarind glaze that will not only be delicious on grilled vegetables like butternut squash or zucchini but also on meats like chicken or lamb. The glaze will keep in the refrigerator for up to a month.

120 Min

GF

NF

Turkey Leg Roast

Roasting turkey legs with onions and yogurt long and slow infuses the flavor of ginger and rosemary down to the bone.

10 Min

GF

NF

Cardamom Chai

This is an afternoon tea staple in India. Nothing can make a kitchen smell warm and delicious like fresh pot of chai can.

30 Min

GF

Cardamom Roasted Broccolini

More so than other vegetables, broccoli or broccolini needs to be cooked just right to be served at its best. For example, okra or green beans may not look pretty when overcooked but tastes just fine. Broccoli is better slightly undercooked than overcooked because the later can result in a soggy dish devoid of flavor, which is why roasting or grilling it guarantees good results. It took me a few tries to realize that it was the strong brassica smell of the broccoli that my taste buds subconsciously objected to. Now, I always cook broccoli with something fragrant, least of all garlic but usually an aromatic spice like cardamom, nutmeg, or mace. A quick little grating of nutmeg at the end, or the spears tossed with cardamom, black pepper and olive oil can transform broccoli. A squeeze of lemon or orange juice at the end can add even more fragrance and a smear of yogurt on the bottom can add a creamy luxurious finish.

140 Min

DF

GF

NF

Winter Chicken Soup

Crushing spices helps incorporate their flavor into the broth and black pepper and cloves have been a home remedy for sore throats for millennia in India. Dairy can often make congestion worse, so I used coconut milk instead – it’s also easier to digest. The soup has more vegetables than chicken, which makes it even more nourishing.

25 Min

DF

GF

NF

Amchur Chicken

Amchur, a little-known spice, is simply sun-dried green mango powder and makes a great sprinkling spice.

60 Min

Bangla Chicken Roast

With a tropical monsoon climate, the cuisine of Bangladesh has been shaped by its history and the river-line geography. Very similar to the cuisine of West Bengal, India, Bangladesh has rich, aromatic dishes with liberal uses of ghee and was also influenced by the Mughal occupation of India. This chicken roast recipe is inspired by a dish made by a lovely young intern by the name of Ayesha who spent a few months with us at Pondicheri. If you do not have the Indian apricots, use about half the quantity of regular dried apricots but make sure they are not sweetened. It is rich, aromatic and can be eaten just with a side of a pilaf, rotis or warm crusty bread.

120 Min

GF

Black Bean Chicken Pilaf

We love meals that involve one pot and letting the heat do the rest. The aroma will have everyone wondering what’s cooking.

90 Min

GF

NF

Black Pepper Chicken Curry

Hundreds of years ago black pepper was worth its weight in gold, inspiring hundreds of seamen, including Christopher Columbus, to risk their lives looking for India, the land of spices. Over time, black pepper’s magic has been forgotten and it has been relegated to a table or sprinkling spice. But when used singularly in copious amounts, black pepper has a gentle bite with a sweet fragrance. I don’t use cream very often in my curries but this one rounds off the sharp bite of the black pepper and makes for an aromatic rich dish. Like most curries, this one tastes even better the next day when the flavors have mellowed.

60 Min

GF

NF

Black Pepper Chicken Roast

Fresh from a recent trip to Kerala, India, the birthplace of black peppercorns where I got to enjoy them in their tender green state all the way to dried, black pepper is often used as a central flavor. This oven roasted chicken amplifies the sweetness as well as the pungency of black peppercorns.

55 Min

DF

GF

Black Sesame Chicken

While the state of Assam is well known for its tea plantations, the cuisine of Assam has an interesting combination of many indigenous flavors. Black sesame seeds are used abundantly. When Pondicheri was in New York for a few years, a young Assamese chef, Daisy, came to work for us. One day, I asked her to make us something traditional from her home and she made us a wonderful black sesame chicken curry. I still remember the unusual flavor of that curry, mostly from the black sesame seeds – this curry is an ode to Daisy and a delicious departure from the usual curries.

45 Min

GF

NF

Butter Chicken

Every curry house sells their own version. It’s a combination of tandoori or oven baked spiced chicken in a creamy tomato sauce.

120 Min

GF

NF

Chicken Bean Stew

Curried beans with meat or chicken makes one of the most satisfying comfort dishes…perfect with rice or good crusty bread and some plain yogurt on the side.

120 Min

GF

Chicken Biryani

Biryani is the decadent aromatic rice dish that was created during the Mughal era of India – it is a mashing of the Persian pilaf and khichri, a traditional Indian lentil and rice stew. In a biryani, all elements are cooked separately and then brought together, allowed to rest for about 30 minutes to an hour before serving. In this biryani, since we are using white meat which tends to dry out very quickly, the chicken is roasted in the oven separately and then added to the rice just at the end. The onion masala adds depth to the flavor of the biryani so caramelize the onions long and slow.

30 min

GF

Chicken Chaat Salad

Back in 2001, we opened Indika with this salad, and it was an instant success. To satisfy my chaat cravings, I ate it for lunch for three weeks straight. The sweet, spicy, tangy flavors paired with greens made it a satisfying, substantial salad. We served it at Pondicheri in New York City; our landlord would come in for it regularly and declared it the best chicken salad in the city.

60 Min

GF

NF

Chicken Chettinad

There are many iterations of this curry. It highlights black peppercorns, a signature spice of the region, which have originated from the south of India.

75 Min

GF

NF

Chicken Chettinad Kebabs

Here is a simple oven roasted kebab recipe heavy in aromatic black pepper and other warm spices. The kebabs can be eaten as an appetizer or as a main course with a simple salad on the side or the more traditional pairing with rice and beans or a vegetable curry

45 Min

DF

GF

NF

Chicken Dalcha

Dalcha is a north Indian stew with lentils and meats - the variations are endless.

45 Min

GF

NF

Chicken Harvest Curry

This is a classic curry recipe – we always prefer using chicken on the bone for best results but can be substituted for boneless meat. To make a richer curry, replace the yogurt with heavy cream or coconut milk.

145 min

Chicken Korma

Here is a recipe for chicken korma that is sure to be a crowd pleaser. It’s creamy and delicate yet packs a serious punch with aromatic spices.

30 Min

GF

NF

Chicken Mince Kebabs

Making little sliders or kebabs from minced meats is one of the most delicious and easy ways to pull off a crowd pleaser.

30 Min

GF

Chicken Pakora with Mint Chutney

Pakoras are the quintessential fritters of India, and after a long day of fasting make for a substantial and delicious starter.

120 Min

NF

Chicken Paratha Pie

A potpie is a crowd pleaser kind of food, especially for children. And while most of the time the crust is made with pie dough, this recipe calls for a paratha, a popular laminated bread from India.

130 Min

Dum Chicken Pulao

Pulao, which usually refers to meat and rice cooked together in a pot can be even more delicious especially when made in the ‘dum’ (cooking under steam) style. It is a one-pot-wonder, aromatic yet not too spicy and the Chai masala, which is slow cooked with the chicken and rice, suffuses the rice with its heady aroma. This is a big recipe but do note that the pulao tastes even better the next day.

30 Min

GF

Green Masala Chicken

Usually a combination of cilantro, mint, fenugreek, ginger, scallions and serrano chile, green masala curries are fragrant and bright in color and flavor. Here we add chunks of carrot and ground cloves to offset the savory notes and add a touch of sweetness.

GF

NF

Green Masala Chicken Kebabs

Chicken pairs beautifully with the flavors of bright green herbs — so as to maintain the deep green color be careful not overcook the chicken. Leftover are great in a salad or sandwich.

90 Min

GF

NF

Homestyle Butter Chicken

The word “tikka” has its origins in Persian and simply means bits or pieces. Chicken tikka refers to spiced and roasted boneless chunks of chicken. Masala, which technically means a spice or herb blend, refers to the fenugreek-laden, aromatic thick creamy sauce that accompanies the tikkas.

90 Min

GF

NF

Homestyle Chicken Curry

This is one of the simplest curries to make at home. While it is good the day you make it, it is even tastier the next day.

40 Min

Cardamom Cake

To this day, it is one of my favorite food memories — and when I make cake at home in Houston, I like it small, buttery and fragrant with cardamom. This recipe goes a step further and is made with ghee, which gives it a nuttier aroma.

30 Min

GF

NF

Hot & Sweet Chicken

‘Hot and Sweet’ ketchup is one of my favorite condiments and one that always lives in my fridge.

80 Min

GF

Kadhai Chicken

With Ramadan in full swing, Kadhai Chicken is a classic dish that is often enjoyed after iftar, the post sundown evening meal when the day long fast is broken. Kadhai is like a Chinese wok except that it often has a flat bottom and just like a wok, it helps cook food rapidly and evenly, particularly over a high flame.

60 Min

DF

Kukul Mas

Cultural influence on Sri Lanka ranges from Indians, Arabs, Malays, Moors, Portuguese, Dutch and the British. The new ingredients that they brought in like tomatoes, potatoes and chiles have been adapted to local preparations. The Sri-Lankans roast their spices to a much darker finish than the Indians do, which characterizes their food as different. This traditional spicy chicken curry of Sri Lanka that is most locals crave when they leave the country. It's rustic and best made with chicken legs on the bone.

70 Min

Lamprais

Lamprais (pronounced lamp-rice), is to Sri Lanka what biryani is to India, a decadent meat and rice dish. The name is derived from lomprijst (meaning rice packet) and it is truly a feast of rice, curries, pickles and sambals and more wrapped up in a tidy banana leaf package. You can go as elaborate as you like.

75 Min

GF

NF

Madras Chicken Wings

This recipe has been in slow development for almost 10 years and we are still tweaking it for perfection. There are two layers of masala for the marinade to get to well seasoned crispy wings!

45 Min

GF

Safed Maas

An ancient Rajasthani delicacy, safed maas is a white curry usually made with red meat. It is also the only curry that is traditionally mild in flavor with no chiles added. We have made this curry with dark meat chicken and a touch of rosemary, which complements the creamy rich sauce. And just like most curries, this one is best a few hours later or the next day.

GF

NF

Sesame Chicken

Tastes good warm, room temperature or served cold. It’s lovely sliced in a salad or on a sandwich.

80 Min

GF

Tamarind Turkey Kebabs

You can make the turkey kebabs ahead of time and finish in the oven when ready to eat. Here is a tamarind glaze that will not only be delicious on grilled vegetables like butternut squash or zucchini but also on meats like chicken or lamb. The glaze will keep in the refrigerator for up to a month.

120 Min

GF

NF

Turkey Leg Roast

Roasting turkey legs with onions and yogurt long and slow infuses the flavor of ginger and rosemary down to the bone.

10 Min

GF

NF

Cardamom Chai

This is an afternoon tea staple in India. Nothing can make a kitchen smell warm and delicious like fresh pot of chai can.

30 Min

GF

Cardamom Roasted Broccolini

More so than other vegetables, broccoli or broccolini needs to be cooked just right to be served at its best. For example, okra or green beans may not look pretty when overcooked but tastes just fine. Broccoli is better slightly undercooked than overcooked because the later can result in a soggy dish devoid of flavor, which is why roasting or grilling it guarantees good results. It took me a few tries to realize that it was the strong brassica smell of the broccoli that my taste buds subconsciously objected to. Now, I always cook broccoli with something fragrant, least of all garlic but usually an aromatic spice like cardamom, nutmeg, or mace. A quick little grating of nutmeg at the end, or the spears tossed with cardamom, black pepper and olive oil can transform broccoli. A squeeze of lemon or orange juice at the end can add even more fragrance and a smear of yogurt on the bottom can add a creamy luxurious finish.

140 Min

DF

GF

NF

Winter Chicken Soup

Crushing spices helps incorporate their flavor into the broth and black pepper and cloves have been a home remedy for sore throats for millennia in India. Dairy can often make congestion worse, so I used coconut milk instead – it’s also easier to digest. The soup has more vegetables than chicken, which makes it even more nourishing.

25 Min

DF

GF

NF

Amchur Chicken

Amchur, a little-known spice, is simply sun-dried green mango powder and makes a great sprinkling spice.

60 Min

Bangla Chicken Roast

With a tropical monsoon climate, the cuisine of Bangladesh has been shaped by its history and the river-line geography. Very similar to the cuisine of West Bengal, India, Bangladesh has rich, aromatic dishes with liberal uses of ghee and was also influenced by the Mughal occupation of India. This chicken roast recipe is inspired by a dish made by a lovely young intern by the name of Ayesha who spent a few months with us at Pondicheri. If you do not have the Indian apricots, use about half the quantity of regular dried apricots but make sure they are not sweetened. It is rich, aromatic and can be eaten just with a side of a pilaf, rotis or warm crusty bread.

120 Min

GF

Black Bean Chicken Pilaf

We love meals that involve one pot and letting the heat do the rest. The aroma will have everyone wondering what’s cooking.

90 Min

GF

NF

Black Pepper Chicken Curry

Hundreds of years ago black pepper was worth its weight in gold, inspiring hundreds of seamen, including Christopher Columbus, to risk their lives looking for India, the land of spices. Over time, black pepper’s magic has been forgotten and it has been relegated to a table or sprinkling spice. But when used singularly in copious amounts, black pepper has a gentle bite with a sweet fragrance. I don’t use cream very often in my curries but this one rounds off the sharp bite of the black pepper and makes for an aromatic rich dish. Like most curries, this one tastes even better the next day when the flavors have mellowed.

60 Min

GF

NF

Black Pepper Chicken Roast

Fresh from a recent trip to Kerala, India, the birthplace of black peppercorns where I got to enjoy them in their tender green state all the way to dried, black pepper is often used as a central flavor. This oven roasted chicken amplifies the sweetness as well as the pungency of black peppercorns.

55 Min

DF

GF

Black Sesame Chicken

While the state of Assam is well known for its tea plantations, the cuisine of Assam has an interesting combination of many indigenous flavors. Black sesame seeds are used abundantly. When Pondicheri was in New York for a few years, a young Assamese chef, Daisy, came to work for us. One day, I asked her to make us something traditional from her home and she made us a wonderful black sesame chicken curry. I still remember the unusual flavor of that curry, mostly from the black sesame seeds – this curry is an ode to Daisy and a delicious departure from the usual curries.

45 Min

GF

NF

Butter Chicken

Every curry house sells their own version. It’s a combination of tandoori or oven baked spiced chicken in a creamy tomato sauce.

120 Min

GF

NF

Chicken Bean Stew

Curried beans with meat or chicken makes one of the most satisfying comfort dishes…perfect with rice or good crusty bread and some plain yogurt on the side.

Drinks

Drinks

Hot Drinks

Cold Drinks

Cocktails

Condiments

Condiments

Raita

Chutneys

Pickles

Masala

Grains

Grains

Buckwheat

Khichri

Millet

Noodles

Quinoa

Rice

Whole Grains

Dough

Dough

Roti

Paratha

Naan

Bread

Crackers

Pizza

Batter

Batter

Dosas

Pancakes

Crepes

Savory Baked

Savory Baked

Biscuits

Bread Pudding

Soups

Soups

Light Soup

Creamy Soup

Dal Soup

Stews

Cold Soup

Snacks

Snacks

Chaat

Spreads

Fried Snacks

Nosh

Legumes

Legumes

Dal

Beans

Salads

Salads

Veg Salads

Non-Veg Salads

Land & Sea

Land & Sea

Eggs

Birds

Meat

Fish

Shellfish

Paneer

Paneer

Paneer

Vegetables

Vegetables

Sabzi

Potatoes

Mushrooms

Eggplants

Cauliflower

Squashes

Root Vegetables

Vegetable Curries

Green Vegetables

Okra