Indian

[DeadHeadHorn]

Every year my family and I cook a big meal for Christmas, focusing on one particular cuisine. We've done Japanese, Italian, Mexican, etc. This year we're going to do Indian.

I don't have much experience making Indian food, though I love to eat it. I've made a few curries, but that's about it.

Can anyone recommend a few recipes and/or links for me? Anything from appetizers to entrees to desserts.

It's much appreciated.

 

[Dogbert]

I love Lamb Tikka Masala over Basmati rice. This recipe looks very close to what I have had.
The Link

Fresh Naan would help the meal a lot. Hard to make, may be easier to buy. Pacharanga Achar is also a good mixed pickle and is not for the faint of heart.

 

[K-Man]

I love your family's idea. Maybe try tandoori salmon, chicken, lamb, etc.

I love saag paneer too.

 

[Fanny McLonghorn]

I would really like to know how to make spicy daal lentils. I get it at the clay pit, and it's one of my favorite things ever. I want it right now. I'd roll it up in a huge piece of naan and have a burrito.

 

[Anastasis]

I love Indian food, but have absolutely no idea how the prep goes. I am interested to see what recipes come up on this thread.

 

[jimmyjazz]

I have yet to meet someone who doesn't love the Vindaloo at the Clay Pit. I usually get Chicken Vindaloo. It's basically a stew featuring a meat, potatoes, and spices. I would think it would be very easy.

 

[hornian]

It's Native American, you insensitive jerk!

 

[Ankf00]

Vindaloo is as Indian as sauce on pork is Texan, sure it's 'cue but... Yes, I just wanted to be a jackass

It's Portugese fusion from the southern port of Goa. Most curries are Porto/Dutch/Anglo-based from Colonial times, actually.

Anastasis' HF recipe collection has my recipe for making fresh paneer (cheese), which is the key part to saag paneer. Fresh baked naan and lamb tikka go w/ saag paneer. Most any North Indian non-curry meat dish, beef, chicken, whatever. Daal (lentil) soup works here too. Basmati. I like this hot mango soup too, despite her British status, Madhur Jaffrey's recipes are pretty solid:The Link. And Poori is this small larger than bite-size fried flatbread, my fav (perfect for dipping in fresh mango pulp) that goes great w/ mango stuff, and other stuff too.

You can also go south indian with Idli, which are steamed rice cakes, which you serve in a bowl of Sambar soup with a bit of green chutney. Plus Sambar goes with Dosas, which are very thin rice-based crepes. Can dip the Dosas into the Sambar or chutney, like a tortilla, or you roll the Dosas with a spiced potato saag mixture kind of enchilada style sans sauce (my fav).

Pakoras, Bhajis, Samosas, Papari's for apps. More fried more better. Can get various bottles of spicy pickled mango, small bite-size cubes (Athanu wiki:The Link) at an Indian market, goes with the Papari and Poori, can be a small side.. Lamb/Chicken Biryani, or Pulao (rice w/ green peas and small soft carrot slivers) or any random saag (Anastasis' HF collection has a basic outline to start with, look up other recipes too, eggplant & stuffed potato, or stuffed okra, or cauliflower, or green beens, etc...) for sides. Chana/Chole, which are chickpeas cooked in an onion base, goes with flatbread. Raita, yogurt & cucumber sauce which contrasts w/ the spicy stuff.

Jalebi are tasty sweets, not sure how they're made though, Kulfi's like an ice cream w/ cardamom, Ras Malai is a milky sauce with some bread-like rounds, Gulab Jamun/Jambu are cooked bread'ish spheres in syrup, love those. Shrikund is like a thick pudding, popular, not overly sweet. Karanji a fried bite-size desert dealie. And I think Laddu/Laddo are solid too, but I could be mistaken, bite-size spheres.

I have a recipe for quick easy chicken "tikka" skewers i do for parties somewhere, everyone loves 'em. App.

 

[DeadHeadHorn]

Thanks for the ideas.

I think we're gonna do a lamb tandoori (even though we don't have a tandoor...about $800 for the cheapest one I found), definitely naan, some saag paneer, and then I'm going to do a trio of mango for dessert - mango lassi, mango halwa, and a fried mango fritter of sorts.

Yes, I've been watching too much Iron Chef.

 

[Ankf00]

halwa's what I was forgetting, couldn't remember the damn name. great choice

 

[pakistani horn]

The Link

 

[LdyLnghrn]

I realize that I will probably get flamed, or at the very least some rolling eyes for what I'm about to say, but here goes....I recently had to cook some Indian dishes for a pot luck that a group of friends had. After much searching on the internet for recipes, and seeing the number of spices that are involved in Indian cooking, I was very intimidated. To say the least. Anyway, a friend of mine suggested that I go to this Indian grocery that was a few miles from my office. Once there, I found a very good selection of "mixes" that you prepared with chicken (for the most part) and water. Sort of the Indian version of Hamburger Helper.

I realize that I was cheating by taking this route, but the dishes turned out very good. At least to my inexperienced palate (for Indian food).