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Delicious Indian Takeout Recipes

Delicious Indian Takeout Recipes

Vegetable Fritters (Bajji/Pakora/Pakoda)

Serves: 3-4 | Preparation Time: 10 minutes | Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 cups vegetables of choice (broccoli or cauliflower florets, potato, onion, etc.)
  • ½ cup water
  • Oil for frying
  • For bajji flour
  • 2 cups gram flour
  • 2 tablespoons rice flour
  • 1 teaspoon red chili powder
  • ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Directions

  1. Cut the vegetables into small pieces or thin slices. Pat dry with paper towels, if needed.
  2. In a bowl, combine the bajji flour ingredients.
  3. Make a well in the center and gradually add water, a few tablespoons at a time, while stirring and pressing out any lumps with the back of a ladle or spoon.
  4. Heat the oil in a kadai or wok over medium-high heat. The oil should be about 2 inches deep.
  5. Drop small amounts of the vegetables at a time into the batter and coat evenly.
  6. Drop into the hot oil and fry evenly until golden brown.
  7. Remove from oil and drain over paper towels.
  8. Best served hot, with chutney or ketchup.

 

 

Indian Flatbread (Naan)

Serves: 4-6 | Preparation Time: 2 hours (includes resting and proofing of dough) | Cooking Time: 30 Minutes 

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon instant yeast
  • 1 cup water or as required
  • 3 cups wheat flour (atta), divided
  • 3-4 tablespoons yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons butter, softened or ghee
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • Sesame seeds or nigella seeds/onion seeds (kalonji), optional

Directions

  1. In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, yeast, and water. Stir.
  2. Add 1 cup of the wheat flour and stir to make a dough.
  3. Cover and let rest for 40-45 minutes.
  4. Add the remaining flour, yogurt, butter and salt.
  5. Knead into a smooth dough. Adjust the consistency by adding a little flour (if too sticky) or water (if too dry).
  6. Place it in a bowl, cover, and let it rise for 25 to 30 minutes.
  7. Divide the dough evenly (about 12-14 pieces) and roll it into balls. At this point, you may sprinkle some sesame or nigella seeds into the dough while rolling.
  8. Cover and allow to it rise or proof for 15-20 minutes.
  9. Roll into small circles, about ⅛- to ¼-inch thick. Cover with a towel.
  10. Heat up a tawa or flat pan.

Without the traditional tandoori oven, you can cook the naan over the stovetop in two ways:

First Method

  1. Place a circle of dough on the tawa. When it begins to bubble, flip it over.
  2. When the other side is cooked, pick up the naan with a pair of tongs and hold it directly over the flame (set the tawa aside for a while). Flip over when the naan puffs up. The naan should have brown spots all over.
  3. Spread with some butter or ghee. Serve immediately or place in a casserole dish to keep warm and moist before serving.

Second Method (For this, DO NOT use a nonstick tawa)

  1. Moisten the top of a circle of dough with about a teaspoon or two of water. This will make it stick to the tawa, so you can turn the pan without having the bread fall off.
  2. Place the naan circle wet side down, on the tawa.
  3. When the top or visible side begins to darken slightly, that means the other side is cooked.
  4. Hold the handle of the tawa and flip the whole pan over so that the top side of the naan is directly over the flame. Position the pan in such a way that the naan can be reached by the flame and, at the same time, you can still see it cooking (pan should be slightly slanted over the flame). When the side exposed to the flame begins to bubble and is covered with brown spots, the naan is cooked.
  5. Spread with some butter or ghee. Serve immediately or place in a casserole to keep warm and moist before serving.

 

 

Lamb Vindaloo

Serves: 8 | Preparation Time: 15 minutes | Cooking Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients

For spice paste:

  • 6 tablespoons grainy mustard
  • 4 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 4 teaspoons turmeric powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoons cayenne pepper, or according to taste
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

For lamb:

  • 4 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 1 ½–inch cubes
  • 4 tablespoons mustard or vegetable oil, divided
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 large sweet onion, diced
  • 12 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 cups coconut milk
  • 1 cup water

For garnish:

  • Fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions

  1. Combine the spice paste ingredients and set it aside to allow the flavors to meld.
  2. Rub lamb chunks with 2 tablespoons of oil. Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Heat a large pot to medium-high heat and sear the lamb cubes in batches, until well-browned. Remove from pot and set aside.
  4. Add the remaining oil to the same pot.
  5. Cook the onion until tender (about 5 minutes).
  6. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant (about 1 minute).
  7. Add the spice paste and sauté for another minute.
  8. Pour in the coconut milk and water, and return the lamb to the pot. Add more water, if needed, to cover the lamb.
  9. Bring it to a simmer and reduce the heat to medium-low.
  10. Continue simmering until the meat is tender (about 1 ½ hours).
  11. Garnish with cilantro and serve with rice.

 

 

Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhan)

Serves: 6 | Preparation Time: 15 minutes | Cooking Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter, divided
  • 1 onion, minced
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized chunks
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons tandoori masala
  • 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 3 cups heavy cream
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  2. Take about 2 tablespoons of the butter and melt it in a karahi (or any skillet) over medium heat.
  3. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the onion becomes dark brown in color.
  4. In a bowl, combine the chicken with the oil and toss to coat. Add the tandoori masala and mix well.
  5. Arrange the chicken pieces in one layer on a baking sheet.
  6. Bake for about 12 minutes, or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked.
  7. In another pan, melt the rest of the butter over medium-high heat.
  8. Stir in the tomato sauce, cream, salt, cayenne, and garam masala.
  9. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes.
  10. Add the caramelized onion and the baked chicken, and simmer for 5 minutes.

 

 

Spiced Cauliflower & Potatoes (Aloo Gobi)

Serves: 8-10 | Preparation Time: 10 minutes | Cooking Time: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 cups cauliflower, broken into florets
  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
  • ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 5 curry leaves
  • 1 green chili, finely chopped
  • ½ onion, finely diced
  • ½ teaspoon ginger garlic paste
  • 1 medium tomato, diced
  • 2 medium potatoes, cut into cubes
  • 1 celery stalk, diced
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • ¼ teaspoon coriander powder
  • ½ teaspoon green mango powder (amchoor)
  • 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
  • ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder
  • Salt, to taste
  • Cilantro leaves, for garnish

Directions

  1. Soak the cauliflower florets in hot salted water. Drain, and pat dry with towels.
  2. Heat the oil in a nonstick pan. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and curry leaves until they crackle.
  3. Add the chopped green chilies, celery, and onion and stir-fry until the onions turn golden brown.
  4. Stir in the ginger garlic paste and tomato, and sauté until fragrant.
  5. Add potatoes, turmeric, red chili powder, coriander powder, green mango powder, fenugreek seeds, garam masala, and salt. Stir and cover. Simmer over low heat, about 3 minutes.
  6. When the potatoes are half cooked, add the cauliflower.
  7. Cover and cook for another 3-5 minutes. Sprinkle with water, if needed, to prevent the mixture from drying out.
  8. Garnish with cilantro leaves. Serve with rice, poori, or curry.

 

 

Chickpeas in Tomato Sauce (Chana/Chole Masala)

Serves: 4 | Preparation Time: 20 minutes | Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced
  • 1 green Serrano pepper, minced and seeded
  • 1 ½ teaspoons garam masala
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground coriander
  • ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • ¾ teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, undrained
  • 2 (14-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • Lemon wedges, for garnish
  • Fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
  • 1 lemon, cut in wedges

Directions

  1. Heat a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. If a drop of water sizzles when it hits the pan, the temperature is just right.
  2. Add the oil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and add the cumin seeds. Oil that is too hot will burn the seeds.
  3. Stir the seeds until they turn golden and fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
  4. Adjust the heat to medium.
  5. Add the onion, garlic, ginger and Serrano pepper. Stir-fry for 5 minutes.
  6. Add the garam masala, coriander, turmeric, salt, and cayenne (optional), and cook for 2 more minutes.
  7. Add the tomato with its liquid. As you stir, break the tomato into smaller pieces with the spoon.
  8. Adjust the heat to medium-high and add the chickpeas.
  9. Bring the pot to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
  10. Adjust the flavor with salt and spices, according to taste.
  11. Garnish with cilantro.
  12. Serve with steamed rice and lemon wedges.

 

 

 

***These recipes and more are found in Lina Chang’s Indian Takeout Cookbook: Favorite Indian Food Takeout Recipes to Make at Home. To get your copy, click on the cover below or click here.

To download a copy of the featured recipes, click here.

Delicious Japanese Takeout Recipes

Delicious Japanese Takeout Recipes

Flavorful, healthy, and easy to prepare! Check out these delicious Japanese takeout recipes you can make at home!

Dumplings (Gyoza)

Serves 10 | Prep. time 30 minutes | Cooking time 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 (10-ounce) package wonton wrappers
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • ¼ cup water

For filling

  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 2 cups cabbage, chopped
  • ½ small onion, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, chopped
  • ¼ cup carrot, chopped
  • 1 cup minced pork (minced chicken, beef, or seafood may also be used)
  • 1 egg, beaten

Directions

  1. In a large skillet, heat the sesame oil over medium-high heat.
  2. In the sesame oil, sauté the cabbage, onion, garlic, and carrot until the cabbage is tender and translucent.
  3. Add the pork and egg, stirring constantly. Cook until the pork is browned. Remove from the heat and let it cool slightly.
  4. To make the dumplings, place about a tablespoon of filling on the center of each wrapper and fold it in half to enclose the filling. Moisten the inner edges and pinch to seal.
  5. In a large skillet, preheat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat.
  6. Fry the gyoza until lightly browned (about 1 minute per side).
  7. Add the water and cover the skillet. Let the dumplings steam until almost all the liquid has evaporated.
  8. Serve with soy dipping sauce or spicy soy dipping sauce.

 

 

California Maki

Serves 8-10 | Prep. time 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 5 sheets nori
  • 1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, cut lengthwise into long strips
  • 2-3 avocados, halved, pitted and cut into thin strips
  • Freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • Imitation crab sticks, cut lengthwise
  • Wasabi
  • Sesame seeds, if desired

Directions

  1. Sprinkle the avocado with lemon juice to prevent browning.
  2. Follow the steps for making sushi for an inside-out roll, up to step 3.
  3. For filling, arrange the strips of avocado and cucumber along the center of the rice, and top with crab meat.
  4. Proceed with succeeding steps up to step 5 (do not cut yet)
  5. Wrap the plastic wrap around the roll and set aside until ready to cut. Refrigerate for longer storage. Repeat with remaining nori sheets to make additional rolls.
  6. Roll in sesame seeds if desired. Cut into 6-8 rolls as desired.
  7. Serve with wasabi, soy sauce, and sushi ginger.

 

 

Mixed Vegetable Tempura

Serves 3-4 | Prep. time 20 minutes | Cooking time 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 pound assorted vegetables such as:
  • Broccoli, cauliflower, or green beans, cut in 3-inch lengths
  • Sweet potatoes, sliced ¼-inch thick
  • Zucchini or eggplant, cut into 3-inch strips
  • Carrots, sliced ¼-inch thick
  • Others: onions, bell pepper, squash, lotus root, mushrooms
  • Basic tempura batter
  • 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
  • Oil for frying
  • Tempura sauce or mentsuyu for dipping

Basic tempura batter

  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder (optional)
  • ½ teaspoon white pepper (optional)
  • 1 cup ice-cold water

Tempura sauce

  • 1 cup Dashi stock
  • ¼ cup mirin
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • ½ tablespoon sugar
  • ¼ cup daikon radish, peeled and grated

Directions

  1. Whisk ingredients for the batter in a bowl and keep it refrigerated until use (cold batter contributes to getting crispier results).
  2. To make the tempura sauce, mix the ingredients, except the daikon, together in a saucepan. Bring it to a boil. Remove it from heat and let it cool down. Add grated the daikon and set aside.
  3. Place the breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl.
  4. Dip the vegetables in the cool batter.
  5. Next, dip them in breadcrumbs, making sure to pack them well.
  6. Heat up the oil in a wok or fryer, at least 2 inches deep.
  7. While heating the oil, dip the vegetables in the batter and breadcrumbs a second time.
  8. Drop the vegetables into the hot oil one by one. Do not crowd.
  9. Cook until golden brown (about 2-3 minutes), and drain on paper towels.
  10. Serve with tempura sauce or mentsuyu for dipping.

 

 

Hotpot Beef with Noodles and Vegetables (Sukiyaki)

Serves 4 | Prep. time 10 minutes | Cooking time 3-5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 pound beef tenderloin or sirloin, very thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons beef suet, oil, or butter
  • 1 package shirataki (konjac yam) or cellophane noodles, washed, drained, and cut into 3-inch pieces
  • 8 shiitake mushrooms, destemmed
  • 1 enoki mushroom, trimmed
  • 1 leek, cut into 2-inch pieces
  • ½ head Chinese cabbage, cut into 2-inch pieces, stalks separated from leaves
  • 1 bunch chrysanthemum leaves (shungiku); or other leafy greens; torn from stalk
  • 1 grilled tofu, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 4 pasteurized eggs (fresh and preferably free-range)

Sukiyaki sauce

  • ⅓ cup soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons sake
  • 5 tablespoons sugar
  • ¾ cup water

Directions

  1. Follow the packaging instructions for the noodles. Some may need to be parboiled to remove an offensive odor. Submerge them in cold water in a pot and bring it to a boil. Immediately remove the noodles from the boiling water, drain and submerge in cool water. Drain again.
  2. To pasteurize your own eggs, submerge them in water at 140°F for 4 minutes (This is optional if you are sure that the eggs are fresh and you are used to eating raw egg). Remove them from the hot water.
  3. Combine the sukiyaki sauce ingredients in a bowl. Set it aside.
  4. Preheat an electric pan or skillet on the table for cooking ingredients. The meal is served hot, served straight from the pan.
  5. Arrange all ingredients on a large serving platter beside the skillet.
  6. Add the suet, oil, or butter to the skillet and fry the beef just until it is no longer pink.
  7. Push the beef to one side and pour in 2-3 tablespoons of sukiyaki
  8. When the sauce begins to boil, add the other ingredients. Traditionally, these are arranged in the skillet in an orderly manner; bunching each type of ingredient in a section of the pan.
  9. Start adding the tofu, mushrooms, and cabbage stalks.
  10. Next, add the noodles, making sure to place them away from the beef as the shirataki can cause the beef to toughen. Add the leafy greens and onions last, and more sauce, if needed.
  11. Place a lid over the skillet and let it simmer for 3 to 5 minutes.
  12. Meanwhile, crack one egg per person in a bowl and beat.
  13. Sukiyaki is eaten by dipping ingredients from the hotpot in raw beaten egg.
  14. Make sure the liquid does not dry up. Add more sauce or hot water to the pan when needed.
  15. Leftover sukiyaki broth is traditionally saved to make udon.

 

 

Chicken Teriyaki

Serves 4 | Prep. time 5 minutes | Cooking time 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • 2 green onions, green and white parts, sliced

Teriyaki sauce

  • ¾ cup soy sauce
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon ginger, grated
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

For slurry (optional)

  • 2 teaspoons water
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch

Directions

  1. Mix the teriyaki sauce ingredients together in a bowl. Set it aside.
  2. Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board, smooth side facing up. Cover with plastic wrap and pound to flatten them to ½-inch thickness. Cut each piece in half. Season evenly with freshly ground pepper.
  3. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken until golden brown (about 3 to 4 minutes on each side).
  4. Pour the teriyaki sauce mixture over the chicken. Do not stir. Allow the chicken to absorb the sauce as it cooks. Flip the chicken pieces over, if needed. Ensure that the chicken is evenly cooked and that there are no pink areas, especially inside.
  5. Remove the chicken pieces with tongs and transfer them to a serving dish.
  6. Heat the sauce in the pan for 3 to 5 minutes longer for a thin sauce.
  7. For a thicker sauce, whisk together the slurry ingredients in a bowl. Whisk the sauce while pouring in the slurry. Keep mixing for about 30 seconds until thickened. Remove from the heat.
  8. Pour the sauce over the chicken.
  9. Best served with steamed rice.

 

 

Deep-Fried Breaded Pork Cutlet (Katsudon)

Serves 2 | Prep. time 5 minutes | Cooking time 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 2 servings steamed white rice, freshly cooked
  • Green onion, chopped, for garnish

For sauce

  • ½ cup dashi stock
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons mirin

Katsu or breaded cutlet 

  • 2 pieces boneless pork chops, pounded to ⅛-inch thickness (may be substituted with chicken breast or thigh, or beef)
  • Salt and pepper
  • Flour, for dusting
  • 1 egg, beaten (for coating)
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • Cooking oil, for frying

Directions

  1. Whisk together the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl. Set aside.

For breaded cutlets

  1. Place the egg and panko in separate shallow bowls.
  2. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper. Dust lightly with flour.
  3. Heat up a skillet or wok and add the oil. Test if the oil is hot enough by dropping in a pinch of panko. The panko should sizzle.
  4. Dip the pork in the egg, followed by the panko. Press down on the breadcrumbs to make sure they stick well to the pork.
  5. Fry the breaded pork until golden brown (about 5 minutes on both sides).
  6. Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels. Cut the pork into ½-inch strips, but not all the way to the other one edge, so you can still pick it up as a whole piece.

For sauce and to assemble Katsudon

  1. Heat up another wok or skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil that is used to fry the cutlets.
  2. Add the onions and sauté until slightly caramelized.
  3. Pour the sauce over the onions and bring it to a boil.
  4. Arrange the cutlets over the onions.
  5. Reduce the heat to low, and pour the eggs over the meat. Do not stir. At this point, fill 2 donburi bowls (or regular bowls) with hot rice and set them aside.
  6. When the egg has set, turn off the heat.
  7. Place the cutlets with sauce, onions, and egg over steamed rice and garnish with green onion.

 

 

***These recipes and more can be found in Lina Chang’s Japanese Takeout Cookbook Favorite Japanese Takeout Recipes to Make at Home: Sushi, Noodles, Rice, Salads, Miso Soups, Tempura, Teriyaki, and More. To get your copy, click on the cover below or click here.

To download a copy of the featured recipes, click here.