• KatieK1 on May 19, 2025

  A kindle edition is available for this book in the US as well.

• stef on January 27, 2020

  A great curry. Can't believed I didn't note it. It's repeated often

• ellabee on November 05, 2017

  Food52 members' favorite 10 recipes: Cilantro chutney (Lilli chatni), Green beans with mustard seeds and ginger (Fansi nu saak), Cauliflower, cashew, pea, and coconut curry (Phool kobi kaju anna mattar nu shaak), The perfect basmati rice, Naan, Worker’s curry (Chana masala), Chaat salad, Chili paneer, The perfect masala chai, Roasted cauliflower with cumin, turmeric, and lemon (Masala phool kobi).

Notes about Recipes in this book

• Pastry-encased cinnamon-spiced pea (Pea kachori)

  • Yildiz100 on August 21, 2017

    We made the filling to stuff into some leftover empanada dough, so we haven't tested the pastry. Peas are surprisingly difficult to mash with a potato masher so it is worth getting out the food processor. We didn't have access to ours (moving) so I had to use a masher and it was hard work and we still ended up with lots of whole peas in the mix. The mix was a bit dry and I ended up adding a bit of water to pull it together. I suspect this might not be necessary if the mixture is fully pureed in a food processor. It was a little heavy on the cinnamon so I reduced it from 1.25 tsp to 1, and I can't decide if it was just right or still too much. Maybe increase the garam masala by .25 next time and see if that is the right balance. (This may depend on the freshness of the cinnamon. Ours was brand new.) I will say the cinnamon scent attracted my 5 year old and she devoured 2, even though they were quite spicy! 4.5 star filling but not giving it a rating since we didn't try the pastry.

  • Yildiz100 on December 17, 2018

    Made again, this time, the full recipe. Like her momo's recipe, her math is off when it comes filling the dumplings. She says to use a tsp, but even a heaping tsp weighs only 6 grams. The full filling weighed almost 600 grams so if you followed her instructions, you would have enough filling for nearly 100 kachori. (Note the recipe is only supposed to make 25 kachori.) I tried to fit as much as I could, and I rolled the dough thin to get a few extra dumplings, and I still had filling leftover. Baked for about 26 minutes. The kachori had no color on the top, but the bottoms were browned. I had put the thicker, pinched together side on the bottom, so those browned thick bits were a bit too tough. Tops were fine, not super attractive though. I think these just aren't great baked, as much as we want them to be. Might try again and fry them.

  • Logan92995 on May 01, 2023

    This was really tasty and easy to put together! The pea mixture with all of the spices combined came together to become really flavorful. However, I must say that I didn't particularly enjoy the accompanying chutney -- much too sweet for my preferences. Bit of a disclaimer as well -- feel free to be pretty liberal with your dollops of stuffing. The book recommends a heaping teaspoon, but for many of the kachori, I was able to use a full tablespoon. If I were to make this again, I'd also reduce the red chili powder a bit. It was spicy!

• Chilli paneer

  • cedarmakesthings on February 10, 2016

    This was so delicious, though I slightly overcooked a few sides on my first batch of paneer, I had an easier time getting it well colored when it was closer to medium heat. The flavor was perfect, I might try it without the chili next time (and maybe just a small sprinkling of chili flakes) so that the kids will be able to enjoy it as well.

  • Lepa on July 29, 2018

    This is delicious! Like the other reviewer, I burned the first batch of paneer but it was still good (just a bit crunchy). I only used 1/3 of a jalapeno (seeded) instead of a chili, hoping it would be mild enough for my kids to eat and it wasn't hot at all. Next time I am tempted to add a bit more tomato paste so there is more sauce, because it was so delicious.

  • Rutabaga on August 27, 2019

    This paneer is delicious, and easy to make. It did stick to the pan a little, so next time I would probably use either a non-stick or cast iron skillet.

  • TrishaCP on November 23, 2019

    I’m another fan of this recipe. I think the chile is really welcome here with all of the dairy.

  • potatooryam on November 24, 2020

    This is so good, one of my favorite recipes in the book. Perfectly balanced flavors and a nice amount of heat.

  • Neodymia on March 19, 2021

    This is an excellent “dry curry” which is easy to make and hard not to eat it all at once without sharing.

  • jsguaium on November 12, 2022

    I love this recipe! I have also made it using firm tofu and that works quite well too- I cut and fried it first too, just like the paneer.

  • Meags on January 07, 2023

    This was fantastic! I made it with extra firm tofu. Delicious! Tasted just like the paneer burgers on the Ave in Seattle!

  • bernalgirl on June 11, 2025

    This is delicious and so easy! I added a bunch of asparagus that was languishing in the veg drawer and liked the combination. I love the heat of the chile (with seeds) and bumped the sugar to balance it out. Notes: Fry paneer in cast iron pan. Mince the garlic. Turn down heat before adding spices

  • Idril on October 21, 2025

    This was very simple and tasty. I just ground everything into pestle and mortar together. Add enough water to let it simmer a bit and not dry up. Would make again as so simple.

  • Deja1 on November 22, 2025

    Very easy to make, and really tasty, so ideal as a vegetarian side dish.

  • lholtzman on December 30, 2025

    I’m obsessed with this dish. It’s soooo good. The paneer is crispy on the outside and warm and gooey on the inside. The outside spice is amazing. I’d cut back on the salt next time (I used 1 tsp Morton’s kosher) or use a different brand. I highly recommend frying the cheese in a cast iron skillet. I find the paneer sticks to any other skillet.

  • peacheater on February 10, 2026

    Adding to the raves here! Made more or less exactly as written with the exception of using an air fryer to fry to paneer pieces at first - highly recommended as a mess free method. Just toss with a bit of oil and bung in there for a few min (I did 6 min total at 380 F, tossing once in the middle).

• Corn on the cob with chilli garlic butter (Sekeli makai anna marchu)

  • Melanie on April 04, 2016

    This was delicious, I loved the garlic butter. I simply cooked the corn in a dry fry pan - less effort and worked well enough

  • clcorbi on July 10, 2017

    SO delicious. And easy! I went ahead and did the technique of charring the cobs over a stove burner, which was pretty fun. I wrapped each ear in foil and drizzled the butter into the foil package, which kept if from spilling everywhere and helped evenly coat the corn. The chile garlic butter is delicious, and the sprinkle of salt and lime juice really take these over the top. Also, the flavors aren't overtly Indian; you could serve these with anything.

  • ALawson25 on August 09, 2021

    Cooked these on a bbq, they worked well and the butter was delicious.

• Semolina bread with spiced vegetables (Ondwa)

  • patioweather on August 02, 2019

    The consistency of this batter is unlike others that I'm used to. I was concerned that I had messed up the recipe and it wouldn't come together. I kept on going though and in the end it all worked. This is a great snack because it has the mouth feel of a treat--carby and luscious--but it is actually mostly vegetable.

  • FionaC on April 30, 2024

    This will cook very thin in the tin size required in the recipe. If you want something more than 1cm thick choose a smaller pan and adjust cook time to suit. I only used 60ml water and this was enough.

• Oven-roasted chicken tikka (Murgh na tikka)

  • clcorbi on July 25, 2017

    This recipe is a favorite of ours--I've made it three or four times and it's delicious every time. The chicken stays really moist from the yogurt marinade, and the spice combo is just delicious. I think it's better than Madhur Jaffrey's version in Indian Cooking, and it's also easier--a win-win!

  • FJT on September 13, 2017

    Really tasty, easy recipe. I'll be making this again and again.

  • Rutabaga on February 28, 2018

    The flavor combination is delicious - flavorful, but not too spicy. I let the chicken marinate all day, so it was also beautifully tender. You could probably cook it a little faster by increasing the heat in the oven or cooking it under the broiler, which also would give it a nice bit of char. We enjoyed it with naan, mint chutney, and salad.

  • TrishaCP on October 25, 2018

    This is a great dish. The flavors are great, and the chicken was so moist it almost appeared undercooked. (Spoiler- it wasn't!)

  • twoyolks on December 05, 2019

    Great flavor on the chicken even after a quick marinade. The only issue I had was that the chicken barely browned in the oven.

  • Zosia on February 27, 2020

    I used boneless chicken breasts and marinated them for 8 hours. They were tender and full of flavour.

  • clkandel on August 02, 2020

    I used boneless chicken breasts, which worked great.

  • ALawson25 on May 22, 2021

    I served this with the salad and chutney as suggested, and it was a delicious meal. Lots of fresh flavours and slight kick of spice. Really easy and quick to make too, will make again for sure! Turned the oven up a little to get a bit more of a charred effect on the outside, I would do that again.

  • bernalgirl on September 13, 2021

    Update 3/2025: this was perfect made with frozen minced garlic. | This sounded and smelled absolutely incredible but the pieces were fully cooked and still tasted of raw garlic. I’d consider using a high quality garlic powder next time, such as Burlap & Barrel.

  • Yildiz100 on September 13, 2021

    Delicious! I didn't have a problem with a raw garlic taste like a previous reviewer. Mine was chopped very fine in food processor, so that may have helped. I wouldn't change anything about this recipe.

  • catmummery on December 31, 2021

    Delicious and easy. Really tender chicken, the mint chutney with it is terrific and gives some chilli warmth as well as cooling yoghurt. Agree to turn up oven high to get char and less time in oven

  • hirsheys on March 28, 2022

    This was delicious and very easy. I did not bother with a mortar and pestle for the garlic/ginger, so just crushed the garlic, then grated the ginger. I also grated in a little jalapeno rather than a whole chili, since I was cooking for a toddler - though I probably could have used more. I also used ground cumin, rather than grinding seeds. Otherwise, I followed the recipe and it came out delicious. The only change I'd make is to stop the cooking a bit early next time and run the chicken under the broiler to get some char. Served with the chaat salad, mint chutney, and rice.

  • SKidd on August 21, 2023

    Used the grill, and had it with corianderchutney and the salad from the garlic chicken from the same book. Oh and the grilled veggie salad from East! It’s all very good!

  • fbcd on June 30, 2024

    This was delicious, tangy chicken tikka. Due to dairy allergies, I had to use a soy-based yoghurt that missed the tang of real yoghurt, so I compensated with the juice of a lime. Marinated for 7 hours, baked on skewers for 10 minutes, under the grill for 5 minutes. Served with a mint raita, Naan bread, and Cauliflower and Pomegranite Chaat from Fresh India. Wonderful meal.

  • hashi on June 02, 2025

    Great spices with a little heat, definitely not spicy. Crisped it up in a pan after cooking and think it would be great on the grill.

• Pan-fried chicken livers in cumin butter masala (Jeeru wari kalegi)

  • bernalgirl on November 25, 2023

    I made this with the turkey livers from Thanksgiving and liked it very much, although the cooking directions would overcook even these larger livers. I added a bit of avocado oil so the butter would brown and not burn, seared them for ~1.5 minutes each side, turned down the heat and added the seasonings, stirring till the garlic and became fragrant, about another 1.5 minutes. Delicious on toast with homemade jalapeño jam.

  • Silver.bird22 on September 09, 2025

    I love chicken livers and will regularly fry some up in butter for a snack. I loved the addition of cumin seeds here and will definitely do that often in the future. This was a lot of fun with all the various pickles in my fridge. Note: used whitefish livers instead of chicken livers this time; so good!

• Spicy roasted chickpeas (Chana ka chips)

  • Jviney on September 27, 2020

    I made this for four adults and five children. Gone in 60 seconds, and they wanted more, adults down to the three-year-old. So so good. I used two quarter sheet pans and didn’t think the chickpeas were crowded, but about 75% of them were not crisped at 30 minutes, so will leave them longer next time. Highly recommend this recipe.

  • stef on September 08, 2021

    Good. Took 50 minutes to come to a crunch

• Chilli-roasted cashews (Masala wara kaju)

  • AdamTheAmateur on February 17, 2021

    I did 2 tsp salt, 2 tsp chili powder and 3 tsp sumac and it was amazing! So easy and satisfying - eat your heart out, Trader Joe's :P

• Royal Bengal fish fingers

  • urmami on October 24, 2016

    Oh, these are tasty. S, who is sloooowly warming up to fish, said "you know, this batter would also be great with chicken"...as he helped himself to thirds. The recipe says to bake for 12-15 minutes but mine were done after 9 so do carefully check especially if you have some smaller fish pieces in the mix. Beautiful flavor, reasonably easy, and store surprisingly well. Can I tell you something kind of trashy, but great? We made these with the spring cabbage recipe in the book and had planned to also do the Gujarati pancakes, but then got lazy and realized we had corn tortillas in the fridge. So we whipped up a quick yogurt sauce, chopped up a little cilantro, busted out the hot sauce, and made deshi tacos instead. I packed some up for the next day and honestly, "not-sad desk lunch" doesn't even do it justice; "fucken lit desk lunch" is more like it. My coworkers were so jealous. And curious: Meera Sodha sold at least three more copies of her book today, and damn, did she earn it.

  • Zosia on November 16, 2016

    Not everyone was a fan of the spice blend but this method produced a crisp breading without frying. I'll definitely make it again but with modifications to the spice mixture.

  • Frogcake on November 20, 2016

    I agree with Zosia that this recipe has potential. We thought there is some tweaking needed on the spice balance, but it wasn't bad. I used cod and served it with masala fries as suggested. We liked the crispy coating on the fish. Also wasn't convinced that the lemon rind contributed substantially to the taste. I served the fingers with mango chutney which worked well and a side of sprouted greens with poppyseed honey dressing and roasted almonds.

  • fbcd on August 13, 2022

    I really like this recipe. It is fast, easy, and flavourful. The recipe was published in The Times newspaper. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/royal-bengal-fish-fingers-wlskkg6mvp9

• Spiced potato tikki (Aloo tikki)

  • Frenchfoodie on April 15, 2017

    Easy to make and tasty though absorbed a lot of oil on frying. Delish with mint and yoghurt sauce from the same book and some grated carrot with ginger.

  • imaluckyducky on May 21, 2017

    Deeply flavored and extremely satisfying. Served with the date and tamarind chutney (Serious Eats' tamarind chutney is also quite good with this, if you don't have dates on hand). I didn't have any problems with them absorbing much oil.

  • clcorbi on March 19, 2018

    Agree that these are delicious (although they are definitely best when fresh and don't reheat very well). We enjoyed them with a storebought spicy mango chutney, but I'd love to try them with the date and tamarind chutney from the book next time.

  • wcassity on July 23, 2022

    We loved these! Not an everyday meal given the oil, but tasty. Served with mint Serrano yogurt sauce, cilantro chutney and the date and tamarind chutney.

  • lholtzman on December 30, 2025

    These take time, but they’re so flavorful and delightfully delicate. I would make for Chanukah, maybe as part of a latke bar. I didn’t find these spicy at all, but my eight year old did. I had deseeded the chili, but he can’t take much spice. I recommend frying in a cast iron skillet.

• Scallops with tamarind (Ambli wara scallops)

  • KZielke on May 29, 2016

    Delicious, simple way to prepare scallops. Nice flavor that still allows the sweetness of the scallops to shine.

  • lkgrover on August 03, 2017

    This is a great appetizer: sweet with a hint of spice. I shared with an Indonesian friend, and we both loved it.

  • joneshayley on January 13, 2019

    Outstanding recipe. I had worried that the tamarind and garlic would overpower the scallops- not at all, instead they compliment the delicate flavour of the scallops and bring out the best of it. I’ll make this again and again.

• Beetroot and feta samosas

  • Pigeoncottagekitchen on March 20, 2015

    This is one of my favourite recipes - I have made it many times.

  • eliza on July 17, 2016

    I have wanted to try this recipe for a while since the filling looked interesting and it uses filo pastry which I had not used for samosas. The beet filling was easy to make and very tasty. I tried a few at the size recommended (she has you cut the filo 4 inches wide) but I just found that too big. For me the filling to pastry ratio was off so I made mine quite a bit smaller and that resulted in a better product I thought. I'm glad I made a few test samosas since I found that they lose their crispness quite quickly. To make them for guests I froze them overnight and cooked from frozen as directed. Everyone liked them. They are quite fiddly to make so be sure to have a good block of time available to make these. I will probably make again since I've got lots of filo left over.

  • eliza on December 04, 2016

    As an update to my previous note, I would add that I did freeze the leftover filling in small servings. Later, just heated with no pastry, the beets and feta mixture makes a tasty veg side dish or lunch dish. Will probably just do the filling again since it's so good.

  • joneshayley on September 02, 2017

    Beautiful recipe- I'll make this again and again.

  • Jviney on September 21, 2020

    My husband dislikes beets, onions, cilantro, and is iffy on feta. He devoured the test samosa that I made. Loved it. Like Eliza, I ended up making mine smaller than the author suggested and they turned out perfectly.

  • clkandel on January 17, 2021

    Full disclosure, I made several changes but believe it would be delicious as written too. Since I didn't have filo pastry, I decided to use the filing to and make a tart using puff pastry. I diced and roasted the beets, and made a filing by mixing them with all the other ingredients. I served this with the Date Tamarind Chutney from the Made In India book.

  • ALawson25 on May 25, 2021

    Love this recipe, recipe only made 10 as directed with 270g filo pastry. Used 50g butter to crisp, forgot to add nigella seeds

• Chicken and coriander samosas

  • clcorbi on November 18, 2016

    When I first tasted this filling, I thought the flavor was too harsh. But I have to say, once it is wrapped up into a samosa, it's perfect! The butter filo wrapping contrasts the spicy acidity of this filling perfectly. What a win. We ended up with a little extra filling which my boyfriend ate over rice for lunch, and he said that was delicious as well.

  • Zosia on January 28, 2017

    Fantastic flavour, though not very spicy (hot) because of the chili powder and pepper I used. They were particularly good with the sweet and hot tomato chutney.

• Lamb and mint samosas

  • clcorbi on July 26, 2017

    I decided to make this filling to serve over rice, rather than in samosa form. The flavor is really nice! It wasn't quite strongly flavored enough to stand being mixed up with rice, but that's my fault, not the recipe's. I'm sure it would be lovely in a samosa, with some sort of flavorful chutney to set it off.

  • puddlemere on February 02, 2019

    These turned into kind of a mess trying to fill the phyllo, but that's my fault for trying to use some super old phyllo that I had in my freezer. I also wasn't totally clear what she meant by "making a cone" to stuff the lamb into. In any event, these had good flavor and probably would have been even better with a nice chutney or some kind of dipping sauce. Would probably try them again with some new phyllo.

• Pistachio and yoghurt chicken curry (Pista nu murghi)

  • lilham on March 15, 2015

    Lovely korma. Not spicy so it's good for young children.

  • Pigeoncottagekitchen on March 20, 2015

    I thought this was a little bland. The are nicer chicken curries in this book - Mum's is my favourite.

  • babyfork on March 18, 2016

    Made this on St Patrick's Day. Well, the pistachios are green, I guess! Anyway, we all thought this was a keeper. Sammy really liked the chicken, although she didn't eat all of the onions in the sauce, but that's just her. I did take the time to get them nice and deeply caramelized. As the other reviewers mentioned, it's not spicy, but I don't think it was bland. This is a good curry for kids or the unadventurous eater, but that doesn't mean it's boring. Paired with coconut rice. Will make again.

  • IvyManning on March 10, 2026

    Like most recipes in this book, I found it just meh. Not worth the effort for flavor payoff.

  • TrishaCP on April 02, 2018

    We loved this curry. I did freshly grind my cardamom seeds- I'm not sure if that made a difference in flavor. I also didn't serve it the day I made it but two days later, which usually improves the flavor. Since caramelizing onions is the step that takes the longest for this otherwise fairly easy curry, I just started that right away as the first step and got the onions going while I took care of the ginger/garlic paste and pulling together the other ingredients. I used gochugaru as the chili powder and it was a good level of heat for this type of dish.

  • peacheater on December 20, 2025

    This is one of my favorites and I often make it for parties. It works well doubled. The recipe seems to call for more liquid than it needs so I would add about half what it calls for and only add more if you need it.

  • bernalgirl on February 16, 2023

    This is a mild but complex curry that my family absolutely loved. I halved the cinnamon per family preference but otherwise followed the recipe. The ground pistachios in combination with chicken broth and a bit of yogurt resulted in flavorful chicken with more and lighter gravy than the photograph suggests. I liked this finished with a squeeze of lemon and chopped pistachios, would consider pomegranate arils next time.

  • meggan on April 15, 2019

    We did not think this bland either. Used labneh instead of greek yogurt to good effect. Upped the garlic a tad.

  • mondraussie on October 25, 2021

    Lovely curry, couldn't get chicken thighs so had to use breasts, which as ever turned out dry and a bit flavourless. Next time, will make sure to use chicken thighs..

  • SKidd on January 22, 2026

    Had pistachios we didn’t use at Christmas time for once, so gave this a try. Delicious. We were a little short on chicken so added some paneer, which was excellent. (Paneer/chickpea might be a good veg version)

  • etcjm on June 12, 2021

    Adding this note and seeing all of the previous notes it seems I'm late to the party, again. Used fillet as that's what I had. Really good balanced curry with layering of unusual flavour. I was lazy and didn't get the electric grinder for the cardamom, I will next time. I also halved the cinnamon as I'm not a fan. Creamy, tasty will do again. I was reluctant to do a recipe out of this book as a couple of others recipes were just meh, so time for me to give it another chance. I agree with the note about trying it vegan, it's rich before you add any dairy and would work.

  • Totallywired on November 14, 2018

    Phenomenal. Rich and balanced, great consistency to the sauce. Needs loads more salt then the recipe calls for, but easily corrected before serving.

  • katy1729 on August 29, 2019

    29/08/2019. Served with Caramelized onions & jeera rice. Used 1/2 the stated amount of chicken and added 3 red peppers with the onions. May add more other vegetables next time. Used tinned tomatoes and 0% fat yogurt. Very tasty - would definitely make again.

  • Lepa on May 16, 2023

    We didn't love this. The effort to result ratio didn't work for me and the spice profile also wasn't great. Not a repeat for us.

  • e_ballad on April 23, 2020

    I was less enthused with this curry than the other reviewers. It’s quite a gentle curry & very child friendly, with minimal flavour from the pistachios. Our end product differed significantly from the recipe’s photograph, with ours being a much more ‘wet’ curry. All in all, this is ok, but it is unlikely to make a repeat performance.

  • Frogcake on October 27, 2016

    We loved this curry and combination of spices. I may have added more ginger than directed as it had a lovely tang (not bland as someone else experienced). I used pork tenderloin in place of chicken and green tomatoes from my garden. We will have this one again!

  • Rutabaga on March 11, 2018

    The pistachios lent this curry a nice richness without any cream. It would be a good vegan dish if made with vegetables in place of chicken; jackfruit might be nice. I liked the warm, rich spices that gave it a more subtle flavor than some curries. My six-year-old usually won't eat curry, but he ate some of this one without complaint. Personally, I didn't find it bland. In fact, I think the flavors are fairly sophisticated, but you may want to increase the spice amounts if you like more oomph or if your spices are old. Since it's wintertime, I used a can of whole Cento tomatoes, together with their sauce, in place of fresh ones. I had doubled the recipe, and a 28 ounce can of tomatoes was perfect. Instead of cubing the chicken prior to cooking, I added the whole boneless skinless thighs to the pan, then shredded it after it was fully cooked.

  • lkgrover on April 13, 2019

    This is surprising Indian curry in that it is not spicy-hot, but still flavorful.

  • shelbstirr on April 24, 2026

    I really like this! As others have said, there are a lot of subtle but richly layered flavors, the pistachios make the gravy really yummy. I actually preferred serving this without the additional yogurt. I did use 1.5t salt + a pinch on the onions while they were caramelizing. I also reduced the liquid by a half cup.

• Aubergine and cherry tomato curry (Ringra tametar nu shaak)

  • Pigeoncottagekitchen on March 20, 2015

    This is nice but the best Aubergine curry is the Lake Palace Hotel recipe in the first Madhur Jaffrey' book.

  • joneshayley on May 03, 2015

    Lovely curry- fast, flavourful and easy.

  • Tealismyname on March 08, 2016

    I enjoyed it but found it a bit too heavy on the coriander.

  • lilham on April 27, 2016

    Another lovely curry. I served it with turmeric fish from Bill Granger's Everyday Asian and rice.

  • Melanie on June 22, 2020

    I really enjoyed this curry, but it wasn’t a hit with the rest of the family (non eggplant fans).

  • Rutabaga on October 05, 2019

    This was quite rich in flavor, even though I left out the onion to accommodate a friend who doesn't like onions. I used smaller Japanese eggplants, and it basically cooked down to mush, but was quite delicious spread on a chapati, especially with the yogurt to balance it. It was too spicy for the kids, however. I served it with the garlic prawn recipe from the same book, which was a good pairing. Indian tacos, as my friend called them!

  • pistachiopeas on October 20, 2016

    We loved this.

  • hsteel on March 08, 2017

    I really liked this curry. It reminded me of an Indian ratatouille. Easy to pull together. Definitely will make again.

  • Frogcake on November 19, 2016

    Quite a delicious vegetarian curry that comes together in a pinch. Great way to use all those scraps in your vegetable bin. I also add cubed tofu or chick peas and sometimes spinach.

  • Smokeydoke on January 18, 2017

    My first Indian curry! The recipe made good use of my leftover aubergine, onions and tomatoes. I'm not a fan of cumin or turmeric, which plays a huge role here, so I can't say I'll make this dish again. But I love the idea of reducing the aubergine, onions and tomatoes till it's almost a stew.

  • JanetNL on December 29, 2025

    This is my go-to eggplant curry. Simple and delicious.I make a big batch, freeze it in cubes and vacuum pack it. When I want to make another Indian meal, it's ready.

  • Meags on September 04, 2023

    Fantastic! I added more cherry tomatoes. I'd go with 12-16 oz instead of 10-11oz. I used one small Italian eggplant and that was plenty. Served over rice, but I think it would be okay without rice too. I just happened to have some leftover. I cut the salt to 1 t. I topped mine with cilantro. Will definitely make again! (Added: made again but with mushrooms instead of eggplant - even better! I used garden Sungolds - perfection!)

  • Margret on January 08, 2023

    It‘s very Taste, we like it very much. I make it often, also with other spices.

  • SKidd on July 12, 2023

    Have made this a couple of times, fast and good. This time I used half summer squash as I only had a small eggplant, and added chickpeas. Would be fine with regular tomatoes too.

  • alinutzamica on August 28, 2025

    So good! I made it in instant pot. I added a 100 ml of water instead of 140 ml. I also added cooked beans. I cooked the dish on high pressure for 5 mins, natural release. I served it with lime juice and coriander.

  • shelbstirr on October 04, 2025

    Really delicious. I’m trying to eat more protein so I added a pound of chicken at the same time as the eggplant.

  • CharlottePea on September 27, 2025

    I agree that this is very tasty - more so than it looked. I actually made the Lake Palace Hotel curry mentioned by the first reviewer at the same time (curiosity and a lot of aubergines fuelled that decision). I found them to be equally tasty and would make both again. I served them with some home made chapatis and the yogurt and it was a lovely meal. Even my hubby, who doesn't like aubergine much, said that he has to admit it makes a tasty dish. Oh and I did it in my pressure cooker too, following the advice of the previous review. I didn't alter the water though and it turned out just fine.

• Cauliflower, cashew, pea and coconut curry (Phool kobi kaju anna mattar nu shaak)

  • joneshayley on May 03, 2015

    Unexpectedly lovely- another decievingly simple but delicious recipe

  • Rutabaga on October 21, 2015

    This was good, but next time I will increase the amount of garlic and ginger, as I felt the flavors were a little mild. For our four-year-old's sake, I was happy it didn't turn out spicy (I used a seeded red chile), but all of us can handle a little more garlic and chile in our food. Salting the cauliflower when the coconut milk is added rather than later would also help, and I would make the cauliflower florets quite small for faster cooking. This would be a good curry to make in advance, just wait to add the peas when you are reheating it. It's not too saucy, and is one of the first curries my son has actually eaten of his own free will.

  • lilham on March 21, 2016

    I made it with frozen cauliflower and frozen peas, making this a easy store cupboard/freezer meal. I loved a similar curry from Prashad. But it is very spicy so I haven't cooked it since having children. I'm so glad this one is mild but yet still very flavourful.

  • L.Nightshade on May 16, 2016

    Mr. Nightshade came home with a seemingly large cauliflower, suggesting I cut it in half because it was too much for the recipe. However, once I trimmed off the green leaves, it weighed exactly 1 1/4 lb. Nothing much to add to the reports above, except that it took longer than described for the cauliflower to become tender. We enjoyed this quite a bit. Good thing, because we've certainly got leftovers! http://www.chowhound.com/post/2016-cotm-india-starters-snacks-vegetables-1035677?commentId=9847686

  • westminstr on October 31, 2016

    I liked this even though I had to make some changes (mostly reducing the spices, and also I was short on ginger and out of cilantro). My kids didn't like it at all. Also I followed directions to use two onions and I felt it was too oniony. One large American onion would have been enough. Still it was good and would have been better if made as written (though IMO with less onion).

  • peacheater on February 01, 2026

    Have made this many times and it’s always successful. Can use a whole can of coconut milk rather than the amount called for to avoid an awkward amount left over. Was a good dinner party dish - can be made well in advance, then reheated and garnished.

  • Melanie on November 01, 2016

    We also enjoyed this dish - served with rice for a tasty midweek dinner.

  • jenmacgregor18 on March 31, 2023

    Simple and very enjoyable. I doubled the peas and added extra ginger & garlic. I would add some extra hot pepper next time too.

  • meggan on January 24, 2018

    I made this and had to use chaat masala instead of garam masala and that made it taste a little sour. Otherwise, this dish is ok - I too would increase the ginger and garlic.

  • clkandel on January 23, 2018

    This dish is delicious. Flavors blend great, heat can be adjusted with amount of pepper & seeds. I added more peas and coconut milk.

  • stockholm28 on October 15, 2018

    I liked this curry a lot. The flavors are very subtle and its great to have another vegan curry to go to. I might try it with a little more ginger, garlic, and chili in the future. It makes 4 pretty big servings. With rice it is quite a filling dish.

  • Rinshin on January 24, 2018

    After reading clkandel's recent comments and needing to use up languishing cauliflower, I gave this vegan recipe a try. We liked it and I can see making this again, but with additions. I would add handfuls of spinach at the last minute for more color and taste and sprinkling of fried onions or fried garlic along with cashews, cilantro and lemon juice. I followed the recipe except I added some edamame as well. The taste is mild but this can be made hotter with more green chili. For us, the hotness was about right but I did think that overall taste was little muted so that squeeze of lemon right before serving is important. Served with basmati rice. Overall, very good recipe. Photo added.

  • kkmatti on May 22, 2023

    Very simple and pleasant cauliflower dish. I would add more heat next time. The cashews are nice, but the dish would still be good without them.

  • Margret on April 08, 2023

    I added potatoes. Without cashews. Slowcooker Low 4-5 Std

  • cheffreddie on August 13, 2021

    A lovely, easy dish. Very filling too. I'd follow the advice of other commenters here and add a little more garlic and spice for extra flavor.

  • SKidd on January 28, 2026

    We liked it, I feel like for a main I might want to add chickpeas or something for a little more protein. Easy and fast for a weeknight dish.

  • Pandan on July 27, 2024

    Made this because I had all the ingredients on hand. Tasted fine but not too exciting

  • Barb_N on November 16, 2016

    I agree with Rutabaga- the flavors were very mild. Granted, I forgot to buy a chile but upped the garlic and ginger and chile powder (for me it seemed like a lot). I think two things toned down the dish- the coconut milk and the cooking with the lid on. Next time I would add only the coconut cream, up the spices and cook it longer with the lid off. I thought the sauce was too watery.

  • raybun on November 06, 2016

    Excellent flavour combination. The whole family loved it despite their initial concern over the absence of meat. I'm really looking forward to the leftovers. Loving this book!

  • Hannaha100 on January 02, 2022

    This is a great "starter curry" for kids because the spices are mild (I left out garlic, chilli and onion too). Swapped peas for sweetcorn and served with basmati rice. It went down well with everyone. Particularly pleased that 6yo ate it because she thinks she doesn't like curry. She really enjoyed the cashews. 3yo liked the cauliflower/sauce but not the sweetcorn and wouldn't try the cashews. We'll make versions of this again, I'm sure.

  • sosayi on October 06, 2017

    I really liked this curry, although I agree that it was fairly mild. I routinely "over" estimate my ginger and garlic, so it was fine in that sense, but it wasn't spicy at all. Good, though, for the 3-yr old gremlin who actually ate his "white broccoli" and peas with genuine abandon. My husband and I added a spicy and crunchy chile garlic sauce on the side and that worked perfectly for us. Definitely will go into the rotation, though, as it's kid-friendly Indian and really quite easy to make on a weeknight.

  • Pamsy on November 12, 2025

    My first recipe from this book and it's a winner. If you have a cauliflower it's a store cupboard dinner. I upped the garlic, chilli and ginger but otherwise made as written.

  • pattyatbryce on February 15, 2024

    Mild and easy. Follow suggestions for extra oomph of ginger, ginger garlic, and spice for those who enjoy big flavors. Cashews made the dish for me.

  • patioweather on October 30, 2017

    This doubled well. Everyone enjoyed it in a group of mixed omnivores and vegetarians, including some who are unfamiliar with Indian food. The flavor was mild and sweet but that meant it paired well with our more spicy entree.

  • luluf on July 14, 2020

    We also enjoyed this and it was even better the next day. I made the butternut squash and tomato curry from the same book and they were excellent together. Both are quick and easy to make and can be made together in the onion and chilli-garlic-ginger paste stage, after which I separated into two pots and continued each one as per directions

  • hbakke on May 31, 2023

    Tasty curry dish. T accidently added an entire bag of peas instead of 1/2 cup but we didn't mind the added veg. I would make this again and add another jalapeño for a bit more spice.

• Slow-cooked red pepper and paneer curry (Karahi paneer)

  • Rutabaga on December 13, 2015

    The flavors in this dish really meld well after the slow cooking. While the cooking time means this isn't a particularly fast dish, it's still pretty easy to put together. I used cherry tomatoes, and also found that I only needed two red peppers to equal one pound. I took about 7-10 minutes to sauté the paneer, so I recommend starting that task about ten minutes before you expect the peppers to be done to help keep the cheese from cooling down too much.

  • nadiam1000 on June 09, 2016

    I used a mix of fresh peppers and jarred roasted peppers - also, did not use cumin and coriander seeds but rather ground, which I added to the sauteeing peppers and onions. The paneer cubes took a while to brown, I doubled the recipe so had to do in several batches. Served over Basmati rice - nice flavors, even better reheated the next day.

  • TrishaCP on August 20, 2016

    This was a really nice dish. The paneer does take a while to brown, but it is so tasty! I used a mix of bell peppers and Jimmy Nardello peppers but I would stick to bell peppers next time as the skin on the Jimmy Nardello peppers stayed quite firm, which wasn't pleasant in the curry.

  • FJT on July 27, 2017

    I really liked the peppers but the paneer didn't really seem to work with the dish. I've never had paneer before so I don't know what it's supposed to be like, but this paneer was totally devoid of taste ... it simply provided a very bland textural contrast to the peppers. Ended up picking the paneer out of the curry. I'd make the pepper curry again though.

  • jsguaium on November 12, 2022

    I love this dish and have made it without paneer too. This last time I used whole canned tomatoes, broken up by hand, as I didn’t have fresh.

  • hbakke on January 04, 2022

    I halved the amount of paneer because it seemed like too much for 4 servings, and I think it turned out well. This was a nice, flavorful curry that I would make again. To save time, I cooked the paneer in the air fryer and that worked out well in getting the cubes nicely crispy. I served this with the golden garlic raita from this book and it added a garlicky creaminess to the curry.

  • Lepa on June 02, 2019

    My husband and I liked this. I used four bell peppers and one can of diced tomatoes. It was especially good with some Brooklyn Delhi Tomato Achar, some yogurt and naan.

  • paulabee on July 17, 2024

    Delicious. The vegetables caramelize and develop a lot of flavor. I love the paneer in this context. I often brown paneer by tossing it in some melted ghee, salt, and turmeric in a skillet or in this case in the air fryer while the pepper curry was still cooking, and that worked well. Will make this again.

  • ksg518 on October 24, 2024

    I really liked this. My rendition was more heavily tomato than I think was intended but it was still delicious. (It was only later that I realized Sodha lists a medium tomato as six ounces in her introductory notes. I was using huge beefsteak tomatoes.) I think I'll try roasting the paneer next time since browning it makes a mess of my cooktop.

  • lholtzman on August 21, 2025

    This is good. It’s a bit heavy and hot for summer, but the flavors are more cold weather.

• 100 garlic-clove curry (Lasan nu shaak)

  • Tealismyname on March 08, 2016

    I had been meaning to make this for a while since I love garlic. I made it for a family dinner and everyone loved it. I let it simmer for a bit longer and also added some pearl onions. I bought the garlics pre peeled because I'm lazy. The garlic melts in your mouth, is definitely not too intense and really has a lovely depth and surprising sweetness. I would probably serve this as a side dish to a larger indian inspired meal. My only mistake was to make a dal to go with it that was a bit garlic heavy too.... Definitely don't make anything else with Garlic! (Seems so obvious now)

  • FJT on April 04, 2016

    I was prepared to love this one, but sadly I didn't. It was nice enough - I liked the taste, but the texture was what let it down. It's very, very soft and mushy. I served it with rice (for me) and Naan bread for my non-celiac husband and he definitely enjoyed it more than I did. The rice and the mush got to be very monotonous after six or seven mouthfuls and I desperately wanted some variation in texture. I'm glad I tried it, but I can safely say I won't be peeling 100 cloves of garlic again in a hurry!!

  • Rutabaga on January 10, 2017

    Having recently purchased a very large bag of peeled garlic cloves, this seemed like the perfect recipe to try. In fact, I doubled it and made 200 garlic-clove curry! My husband and I both loved the flavor - very garlicky, but with dark caramel undertones, nicely balanced by the mustard seeds, cumin, coconut milk, and hint of tamarind. My five-year-old enjoyed the sauce, but found the actual garlic cloves too strong. I served it alongside naan with the chickpea workers' curry, and found those flavors and textures to be a good match. Delicious as it is, I don't think this should be served on its own as a main dish. It took a little longer than Sodha suggested for me to fully cook the garlic, probably about 30 minutes after I put the lid on the pan.

  • sosayi on October 06, 2017

    Chiming in to say that I agree with Rutabaga and Tealismyname that this is better off as an accompaniment and not a main. Very good as written, though next time I might up the tamarind a bit. Worked well with some paratha, rice, raita, and the Cauliflower, Cashew, Pea, and Coconut Curry also from this book.

  • Silver.bird22 on December 12, 2025

    I've made this numerous times, now. I don't serve it for a meal, but keep it in the fridge as a snack when I have extra flatbread. A couple of bites of this when you're not hungry enough for a full meal is so satisfying. It's a naughty kind of dish. And those giant bags of peeled garlic at Costco make it easy.

• Fresh spinach and paneer (Palak paneer)

  • Tealismyname on March 08, 2016

    I whip this up quite frequently when I'm craving something quick. I make the child-garlic-ginger paste (either frozen in cubes or in a jar with vinegar or lemon to preserve it). I usually make my own paneer but in a pinch I buy it and the meal comes together in a snap! Also, I don't always include the tomatoes.

  • TrishaCP on April 13, 2020

    I am really loving anything “fresh” tasting at the moment and this hit the spot. You can easily adjust the spice level by adding more or less chile powder or green chiles. (I used gochugaru and a jalapeño with seeds- what I had on hand.) I served this with cauliflower rice.

  • aberne on May 13, 2019

    Nice, fresher and more modern take on what is generally passed as the classic. Loved this!

  • meggan on April 07, 2020

    I also had trouble not burning the paneer but it tasted ok anyway. I had to use canned tomatoes and frozen spinach and I also added peas for some texture. It was not bad.

  • ksg518 on June 19, 2023

    Nice flavors but this dish really needs a nonstick pan. My paneer was badly burnt. If I try this again I might increase the spices a bit.

  • Deja1 on July 17, 2025

    Very good and filling. Paneer burnt a little.

  • Babycarrot on June 25, 2023

    Accidentally posted the photo twice..halved the recipe. This was tasty but man, I started sweating (figuratively and literally) as the paneer began to pop in the hot oil. It did create a bit of a mess. I do think this tasted good and was definitely lighter than the usual cream based paneer curries I typically go for. I could have added another small thai chili. I only had cumin seeds so used that instead of ground.

  • mklasan on February 23, 2026

    I agree that frying the paneer requires a non stick pan. I used a cast iron skillet with quite a low heat but wasn’t able to flip the pieces without parts of them sticking to the bottom even after browning them nicely.

  • lholtzman on January 17, 2025

    This is an all time favorite repeatable recipe. Palak paneer is my favorite Indian take out dish and this is nothing like it. That said, I like it better. It tastes so fresh and good for you since the vegetables are kept whole and not pureed. I use baby spinach because it’s easy.

  • ALawson25 on August 12, 2021

    This was pretty good, I made it using homemade paneer which did crumble up when I tried to fry it (whoops). I don't think it was as good as the similar recipe from the Darjeeling Express cookbook though.

  • Rutabaga on February 11, 2020

    This was a good, fresh-tasting dish, although unfortunately my store-bought paneer was too rubbery. I had soaked it in room temperature water for about ten minutes. I think that perhaps I fried it for too long, or that the pan was too hot, so be wary of this if you (like me) don't have a lot of experience cooking paneer.

  • janeh9 on July 22, 2016

    I made this with tofu for a dinner with a non-dairy eater. Dried the tofu on paper towels for about an hour, then fried until starting to get brown and crispy. Worked well - delicious!

  • jsguaium on November 12, 2022

    I enjoyed this recipe, but next time will adjust the spices down a bit. I had a lot of spinach and doubled the spices, but it turned out a bit intense. Also, I used Mexican fresh cotija instead of paneer and it worked very well.

  • Totallywired on December 14, 2018

    Delicious and hearty. Could use some heat maybe.

• Creamy chicken and fig curry (Anjeer murghi)

  • rpepper on March 20, 2016

    This is absolutely delicious.

  • TrishaCP on May 03, 2016

    Agree that this is another great-tasting curry from this book. I made it a few days ahead to no seemingly ill effect. This is the right dish to pick if you are cooking for the spice/heat-adverse.

  • lilham on May 06, 2016

    A sweet and mild tasting curry. The children and I all thought this is delicious. Mr lilham however thought it was too sweet and preferred the pistachio korma from the same book. (I think this and the korma are both perfect for those who can't handle heat).

  • nadiam1000 on June 09, 2016

    good flavor but a bit mild and sweet - I added a diced green chile for some heat. I will add an additional chile to perk it up next time.

  • hirsheys on April 11, 2018

    This was super easy and quite good, even though I had to use nonfat yogurt (next time use full fat!) and I used too much chili powder (mine is too spicy!) Also, I've discovered that I don't like the stringy texture of sliced onions in these curries, so next time I'm going to chop them.

  • raybun on November 11, 2016

    Delicious mild flavour. I missed the extra heat, but seeing how much the child enjoyed it and she asked for seconds made me forget about it. The leftovers made a delicious lunch today.

  • Pamsy on January 27, 2025

    This is an easy dish to prep and cook and as written the spicing was fine. The figs give a nice sweetness. What I didn't like (and strangely nobody else commented on) was the yogurt curdling. I normally avoid cooking with yogurt for this reason. So, although we enjoyed it, I wouldn't serve it to guests for this reason alone!

  • luluf on July 06, 2020

    After reading the reviews and tasting the curry, I thought I would also add some fried green chillies as it was so mild, but I made it two days before we got to eat it and by that time it was perfectly spiced and really tasty. I agree that it’s very easy to make so I would definitely make it as part of a curry dinner

  • Bessp on January 20, 2026

    We didn't especially care for this one. It was very mild, and the seediness from the figs was a bit offputting for us. The yogurt did curdle a bit with cooking, which didn't help. I added peas and served with white rice to make it a one bowl meal. I could see it being nicer with dates instead of figs and more spices.

• Garlic chicken chaat (Lasan anna murghi nu chaat)

  • TrishaCP on May 31, 2016

    Possibly my new favorite recipe from this book (and there are plenty to choose from). The salad portion really makes this dish. It is perfectly balanced (I decreased the salt), and tastes so good with the garlicky chicken (I used boneless, skinless, thighs). Will be repeated frequently this summer.

  • jenmacgregor18 on May 23, 2023

    This is an excellent salad. The salad, the chicken, and the dressing are fantastic. It's juicy, crunchy, slightly sweet, savory, and a little spicy. I used boneless skinless chicken thighs. I subbed chayote for cucumber, reduced the sugar to 1 tsp, and used one medium whole jalapeno. My limes were on the small side, so I used a whole one.

  • julesamomof2 on April 01, 2019

    This is one of those dishes that feels like more than the sum of its parts. Each component - the chicken, the salad - is pretty straightforward and not what comes to mind when I think of traditional Indian food. The chaat masala in the dressing brought it all together and the salad was nice and light. I didn't have papadums but I did have freshly made garlic naan my local Indian market. The whole dish was delicious.

  • mamacrumbcake on August 26, 2019

    Only made the chicken—delicious and super, super, easy. Make it once and you’ll be able to make it by heart forever. I did get a nice crispy skin on my chicken. It makes a good amount of scrumptious pan juices, so make some rice to go along with it. The juices are garlicky with a hint of heat—I used the full amount of crushed red pepper. This is good, deeply flavorful home cooking and very well-suited for busy weeknights.

  • clcorbi on July 18, 2017

    Another amazing recipe from this book. Can't believe I hadn't tried it yet! We used a mix of drumsticks and chicken thighs. Next time I'd go ahead and use boneless skinless ones, because with this cooking method the skin isn't going to get crispy anyway. I will note our chicken threw off a lot more liquid than shown in the cookbook picture--after all, there is oil, butter, and chicken juices brewing in the covered pan. I might want to do a quick, uncovered sear on the chicken before serving to help this issue next time. We didn't have papadums so I just served crackers on the side, and while inauthentic, it was nice to have a crunchy bite. The salad part of this recipe is phenomenal. The chaat masala works perfectly here. I would consider making the salad on its own, or upping the dressing a bit and mixing in leftover shredded chicken. That'd make an amazing leftovers lunch. This will be repeated!

• Roasted butternut squash curry with garlic and tomatoes (Lasan, tametar anna kaddu nu shaak)

  • TrishaCP on March 17, 2018

    This was very tasty. I didn't like the idea of butternut squash pieces with the skin left on, so I cubed the squash and roasted it for approximately 20 minutes.

  • peaceoutdesign on November 29, 2023

    Well, I am not even sure that I should comment on this because I only half made it. I was making it along with the Salmon with Spinach and the Simply Spiced Spring Cabbage. Both of these recipes had onions and tomatoes so after I made the paste and decided that I wouldn't add the rest. I served with the Riata as suggested and it was perfect. I can't wait to try again and follow the full directions.

  • Bessp on February 10, 2024

    Delicious! I bloomed the spices in garlic oil before cooking the onions, otherwise I followed the recipe. A great vegetarian dinner.

  • IvyManning on March 10, 2026

    The skin on the squash was tough while the rest of the dish was mush. Not my favorite.

  • Totallywired on December 12, 2018

    Nice dish. Would make a good side with roasted lamb.

  • luluf on July 14, 2020

    Lovely curry to go with the cauliflower cashew and pea curry from the same book. I left the skin on but will remove in future. The oven temperature may need to be a little higher to achieve the requisite caramelisation. I had mine a 200 Celsius fan forced and it was just right.

  • Tealismyname on September 28, 2025

    Really great- definitely make the garlic raita. I think it needs some kind of protein element. maybe chickpeas?

  • Lepa on March 03, 2022

    This was good but we didn't love it. We are not squash lovers so that may be the problem.

  • Tatiana131 on February 09, 2018

    Very easy and delicious recipe. My SO objected to the skin left on, otherwise it was pretty solid. Top honors in the family go to Jerusalem roasted squash recipe with tahini sauce.

  • shelbstirr on March 31, 2026

    This is a solid dish, pretty quick to make. I added a can of chickpeas at the same time as the tomatoes. Served with basmati rice. The suggested raita is a yummy addition. Made 4 servings for me with the beans & rice.

• Roasted tamarind chicken with honey and red chilli (Ambli anna mudh wari murghi)

  • TrishaCP on June 13, 2016

    This is delicious and so simple to pull together. I ended up using chipotle as the chile powder, which with the honey and tamarind gave it a much more Mexican than Indian-flavor profile. I think that shows just how versatile this recipe can be. I had joints with thigh and leg combined, so had to add about another 20 minutes of cook time for the chicken to cook through.

  • FJT on April 12, 2017

    Easy to make and very tasty. It disappeared very quickly! I served it, as recommended, with the mint and yoghurt chutney recipe from the same book.

  • Zosia on October 23, 2016

    Family loved this! And I loved that it was so easy yet so flavourful. The chili powder here is a blend that has a Tex-Mex flavour and no heat so I used hot Hungarian paprika. Delicious!

  • clcorbi on March 29, 2017

    Wow, we REALLY loved this recipe. The sweet/sour/spicy flavor is reminiscent of a really delicious barbecue sauce. We used boneless skinless chicken thighs, and followed the recipe as directed, except we put the thighs under the broiler for the last few minutes so that they'd get more caramelized. To serve, we shredded the thighs, spooned the extra pan juices over them, and served them in tacos with some spiced cabbage (also from this book) on top. It's a little tacky to make Indian tacos, but seriously, the result was to die for. I would not hesitate to do that again. This recipe will be repeated.

  • kari500 on August 24, 2020

    Doubled but kept the honey at 3 tablespoons. Lulu deemed it too sweet. I get what she means, but I enjoyed it, as did C.

  • bernalgirl on November 05, 2021

    This is easy and delicious although once the skin is off it’s rather bland. Next time I will double the marinade ingredients and marinate it for at least an hour. I would also increase the temperature at the end to crisp the skin more. Inspired by another reviewer, I added diced sweet potato and they were fantastic with the chicken and a simple raita.

  • KarinaFrancis on August 25, 2020

    Easy and delicious, a total keeper. I was a bit timid with the chilli and will use more next time. I cut up some potatoes, tossed them with a spoon of the tamarind mix and gave them a 15minute head start. Perfect tray bake dinner.

  • Meags on June 13, 2024

    I made this with cauliflower instead of chicken. I cut up large florets. It was delicious!! I didn't have time to make the chapatis, so I just used street taco flor tortillas. I served with the mint and yogurt chutney from the book. I think next time I would double the marinade and use the extra for added sauce with the "tacos."

• Whole roast masala chicken (Masala murghi)

  • TrishaCP on September 19, 2017

    I thought this was fine, but I probably wouldn't make it again. The spice blend didn't do that much for me either. (I had marinated the chicken at least 4 hours before roasting it.) I served this with the Ferrari potatoes and I didn't like the combination. It tasted too dry together in my opinion (though I really liked the potatoes).

  • stockholm28 on June 23, 2017

    The technique of rubbing the yogurt spice mixture between the skin and the breast resulted in a very moist and delicious chicken breast. I didn't love the spice blend as it had a bit too much cinnamon for my taste, so would like to tweak it a bit.

  • rionafaith on October 15, 2016

    Delicious twist on roast chicken. I expected the Indian flavor to be much more pronounced given the quantity of spices (and toasted and freshly ground to boot), but in fact it ended up quite subtle and mellow. That's not necessarily a bad thing, though -- we still enjoyed very much and I'll make it again when I want a variation from basic plain roast chicken. I served with some roasted fingerling potatoes and simply sauteed kale, and it was great. The only thing I would change next time is to place the chicken on a roasting rack -- the author doesn't mention using one so I didn't, but I think it would help crisp up the skin underneath.

  • clcorbi on January 30, 2017

    Delicious! That being said, I made sort of a technical error--I didn't grind the almonds, garlic or onions up nearly as finely as I should have, and as a result the mixture was a bit chunky and didn't adhere well everywhere. My chicken looked nowhere near as picture-perfect as the cookbook image because of this. At any rate, the flavor was great, which is what matters.

  • e_ballad on January 16, 2018

    Given the amount of spice, I was surprised by how bland we found this, despite marinating for 6 hours. It was improved by the book’s “Chaat salad” as an accompaniment, but not enough to warrant a repeat outing.

  • raybun on November 13, 2016

    I made this last night and as we had friends over I doubled up the recipe and roasted two chickens. I marinated them a good 24 hours (much longer than stated) and they were perfect. I loved the almond spice yogurt marinade, and the meat was so tender and moist. I served them with the Ferrari potatoes as suggested and the green beans from the same book.

• Simply spiced spring cabbage (Kobi nu shaak)

  • bernalgirl on February 16, 2023

    I agree with all the love for this veg side, it is easy and so flavorful, it came together in no time while the curry simmered — I rarely cook cabbage as long as directed and we enjoyed this dish just past crunchy. It was a good accompaniment with its contrasting flavors and texture, but having read the comments to put this in a tortilla with the Bengal fish fingers from the same cookbook, now that’s all I can think about.

  • imaluckyducky on May 21, 2017

    Wonderful, easy, fresh flavored. Will need to try it in tacos with the honey tamarind chicken. We ate it with the pav bhaji and the aloo tikki from this book.

  • peaceoutdesign on November 29, 2023

    This is a use for whatever is left from a head of cabbage but otherwise, I'm not sure that I would make it again.

  • Lepa on May 22, 2019

    This is pretty good and an easy side to complete an Indian meal. My husband complained that it was really hard to clean the pan, as all the caramelized bits stuck to it.

  • urmami on October 24, 2016

    Aahh, this cabbage recipe is beautiful. I don't have anything constructive to add except that it's perfect piled on top of the Royal Bengal fish fingers (in the same book) and napped with a little yogurt sauce, cilantro, and drops or even drizzles of hot sauce on top. Warm corn tortilla wrapping optional, but I think we as a society really need to get with the concept that tacos and Indian food can be buds. It's also great snacking by itself, and will be a treasured side for years to come, I just know it. And of course so, so easy.

  • patioweather on October 01, 2018

    Finally a recipe that uses an entire head of cabbage! This is cheap, easy, and even the picky eaters liked it.

  • clcorbi on March 29, 2017

    Really easy but flavorful side. Inspired by urmami's comment below, we piled this cabbage into tacos along with the honey tamarind chicken from this book. The combination was insanely good, and will be repeated.

  • lholtzman on June 11, 2025

    This was a flavorful dish. I used green cabbage because it’s what I had.

  • Meags on June 13, 2024

    This was delicious! And so nice to have a recipe that uses practically the whole head of cabbage! It was easy to make and had a lot of flavor. I served it with the roasted tamarind cauliflower (instead of chicken). Also tasted good with a little mint and yogurt chutney drizzled on it.

  • Babycarrot on March 26, 2023

    This was so good! And I forgot the mustard seeds. I can see where this would be really good with added potato. Will try this next time!

  • mimisingh on September 18, 2025

    I made this to serve with Bon Appetit's chicken schnitzel as a side. I thought it was okay but not great, not immediately planning to make this again soon but it is easy and not bad.

  • Lasalledebain on May 16, 2026

    I used the whole can of tomato paste because I don’t like keeping the rest of the can in the fridge without a plan for it. I added the tomato paste in before the cabbage to caramelise for a minute or two. It take a little more water and some occasional stirring but it worked out well, and I will definitely make this again!

• Sautéed spring vegetables with spices

  • bernalgirl on April 18, 2024

    I made this with leeks, spring onions, green garlic, asparagus and peas (no snap peas) and really enjoyed it. The mustard seeds, coriander, and turmeric are subtle, allowing the sweet, fresh flavors of the vegetables to sing through. 9/2024: I adapted this medley to summer vegetables I had on hand, combining red onion, haricots verts, the last of the snap peas, scallions, and the kernels from two ears of grilled corn at the end instead of peas. Great once again

  • stockholm28 on May 13, 2017

    The spicing in this is fairly subtle and it is a nice change of pace for asparagus. I used sugar snaps rather than green beans and snow peas.

  • meginyeg on May 30, 2023

    I just used asparagus and shallots instead of leeks. I enjoyed this as a nice side dish to butter chicken. I would make this again.

• Disha's pav bhaji

  • Delys77 on September 13, 2022

    This was quite popular at our house last night. As another reviewer noted, my son said they were like Indian sloppy joe's! There is an element of the sloppy sandwich to it, but the flavour profile is tart yet sweet. For me the anchor is a must as otherwise it would be too sweet and I think the you need a good does of chopped onion on top as well as cilantro, again to combat the sweetness impacted by the large amount of cooked onion. On the whole, properly dressed, this was a winner for us. I didn't toast the buns as I was leaving them unbuttered to save a bit on fat and I didn't want them to be dry. The pillowy white buns I used were lovely and plenty rich on their own. We also cut back the butter to about 30 gr when sautéing the onions.

  • mondraussie on October 17, 2022

    I feel like I must be using a different recipe to all the other reviewers! Bland and underwhelming and my least favourite recipe from an otherwise outstanding book... Wouldn't bother again.

  • imaluckyducky on May 21, 2017

    Fantastic, richly flavored. Easy to make, only requires two pans. Freezes well. Will make again!

  • Totallywired on November 28, 2018

    I liked this, but don’t see it as the indulgent, buttery street food described by the author. I thought the white bread roll serving muted the flavours and, texturally, made you miss something chewy or crunchy or meaty, presumably contra the intention of a vegetarian dish. Maybe I just crave seared beef with white buns. Will benefit from slight undercooking, otherwise it can turn mushy, especially on reheating. Agree that lemon is crucial here - might also consider pickling the red onion for extra sharpness.

  • boopity on May 26, 2019

    Nice Indian Style sloppy joe. I found the cauliflower needed to cook for longer. There is quite a lot of butter which I don't think this dish needed.

  • purrviciouz on July 19, 2018

    Very satisfying and fun vegetarian dish. We had leftovers the next day and they were wonderful. The lemon wedge garnish is essential,

  • Lsblackburn1 on April 30, 2023

    Sadly I have to side with those of you saying this is pretty bland. How could that be with such great ingredients?! A lot of work for just “meh” results..

  • lesliec on May 25, 2020

    This was fine, as another reviewer commented, I didn't think it tasted buttery and indulgent. I found the overall taste and blend of spices a bit underwhelming. I did follow the recipe precisely.

  • raybun on October 22, 2017

    This dish is fantastic! The flavours go so well together, a very satisfying meat-less meal. (Photo)

  • Rutabaga on May 31, 2018

    This was pretty good, although a little bland on its own, I thought. Adding some spicy lime pickle really livened it up! If you can take the heat, I recommend adding some; it was excellent here. I'm curious as to how the flavors will develop in the leftovers, as so often the flavor of Indian dishes deepen with a little time, and we did have a lot leftover. Maybe my vegetables were on the large side, but I'd say this is easily six servings. It would also be good with the sour cream dressing from the Vij's at Home cookbook.

  • metacritic on October 23, 2020

    Spot on pav bhaji recipe. With the added butter and lemon it evokes all the right flavors. I did add the optional cayenne and can't imagine it without.

  • Meags on October 14, 2023

    This was good, but not as good as all the other recipes as have tried from this book.

  • Gilbatron on January 16, 2025

    After reading the notes here i added an additional 50% of all spices, garlic, and ginger. I also toasted the spices a bit before adding the aubergine. Added a bit of water with the aubergines to make sure it doesn't burn. Came out quite tasty. It took noticeably longer to cook than what the recipe suggested. Onions (I used a quick limejuice pickle) provide a nice sharp and crunchy contrast. Don't skip them.

  • sophie_lfm61y on February 04, 2026

    Quite simple to make and flavorful! Added TVP to bulk it up & add some protein which fit in nicely. Would make again, it makes for a great lunch throughout the week

  • harry_14phue on March 22, 2026

    Delicious! We loved it for weekday lunches. With the red onion and cilantro garnish, reminded us of a Costco hot dog in a great (vegetarian friendly) way. So much so we got some hot dog buns to put it on! Yumm!

• Roasted aloo gobi salad (Phool kobi ne bateta nu salaad)

  • clkandel on April 23, 2021

    Very tasty. Comes together very quickly. I served this with the cilantro chutney as a topping since I didn't have mint and it worked great.

  • e_ballad on November 23, 2019

    Very good salad, though there were some strange instructions in the recipe - mixing the oil, garlic & cumin, then coating the vegetables would be more logical than the stated method of scattering the crushed garlic & cumin over the veg, pouring over oil, & then mixing together. The mint & yoghurt chutney is a must to bring the dish together.

  • clcorbi on February 06, 2017

    I made a few changes to this salad--I chose to serve it cold rather than warm, and subbed raw arugula for wilted spinach. What I did was caramelize the onions for a long time with the chickpeas, roast the vegetables, and then allow both of those components to cool before mixing them together in a big bowl. Then I added in the yogurt chutney and peanuts and let it all mellow in the fridge for a bit before stirring in a ton of raw arugula. I did not serve this salad with papadums--we had it as an accompaniment to butter chicken and naan instead. This was not my favorite dish at dinner (how could it be when there was butter chicken at the table?), but I had some leftovers cold for lunch today with more arugula mixed in, and thoroughly enjoyed them. Since I am not a fan of cooked greens, this solution turned the salad into something I would really enjoy, and I would make it again like this. Do note that this recipe makes a TON of salad.

• Gujarati potato curry (Bateta nu shaak)

  • Tatiana131 on February 09, 2018

    Comforting bowl of spiced potatoes. Not a masterpiece but comes together quickly and is quite good on rice. Better with ghee, comes out richer.

  • Lepa on February 11, 2017

    I love the combination of potatoes and Indian spices but wasn't crazy about this particular curry. Absolutely nothing wrong with this dish but we weren't wowed by it and there are so many amazing Indian ways to prepare potatoes so I doubt we will revisit this one.

• Chapatti wraps with spicy vegetables (Shaak bhareli rotli)

  • ALawson25 on May 03, 2022

    These were really nice, I somehow made the mint yoghurt chutney really spicy but it did go really well with the vegetables. Probably too much work for a midweek meal though!

• Spiced plantains with tomatoes and coriander (Matoke)

  • celesteprevost on July 16, 2019

    Very good! No need to boil plantains with their skin on. Peel, and cut ahead of boiling to save yourself some work while cooking. Also, great with half ripe plantains, if you like a sweeter taste.

• Pan-fried okra with caramelized onions and yoghurt sauce (Bhinda nu shaak)

  • Barb_N on June 15, 2016

    I made this as a side to Mum's Chicken Curry. Had I known I would be using the same garlic, ginger, chile paste... it took much longer than 15 minutes to caramelize the onions so I blasted the okra in the oven which is my preference anyway to make it crispy. Skipped the hot yogurt sauce and it was just like our favorite dish at the neighborhood haunt.

  • metacritic on August 02, 2021

    This is an exceptionally good okra recipe and would stand out in a top-tier restaurant, much less at the home table. The technique with the yogurt/chickpea flour is brilliant and the dish would shine even without that flourish. This is a crave-worthy dish, the kind that summons memories of the best of Indian cooking in country...and now at home.

  • Lepa on September 17, 2019

    Calling all okra lovers! This recipe is lovely. As the other review noted, it takes a while to caramelize the onions (at least 30 minutes). We ate it with the hot yogurt sauce and it was delicious!

  • ALawson25 on September 02, 2021

    Agree with the other reviewers, amazing recipe and converted me to okra.

  • Jardimc on June 09, 2023

    So damn good, I ate a bowl of it right out of the pot. Who knew I needed hot yogurt sauce, or that chickpea flour was necessary to make the sauce?! Never looking back. This recipe is a keeper!

  • xi.huang on August 19, 2022

    I didn’t have the mustard seeds, but it was still delicious!

• Tomato fry (Tamatar nu shaak)

  • Meags on September 16, 2023

    This was great! I had some garden tomatoes I had to use up ASAP - this was great! I added a can of chickpeas and served over brown rice

  • Rutabaga on September 19, 2016

    This was a fun new way to use really ripe tomatoes. As a dish, it can stand on its own, but is also good mixed with other less acidic dishes, such as the chana dal recipe from this book. The spices do a good job of enhancing the tomatoes without overwhelming them.

• Coriander chutney chicken (Lilli chatni anna murghi kari)

  • clkandel on August 09, 2020

    The flavors are great. I used a chicken breast instead of thighs and it was delicious.

  • meggan on October 01, 2020

    I too used chicken breast with good results. The cilantro chutney on page 212 only takes a minute in the blender and is worth making.

  • aberne on May 03, 2019

    We've made this no less than five times and even the picky eater asked for this as his birthday meal this year. If you make double the chutney and freeze ahead, this makes a quick meal. We often add lightly steamed green beans to summer in the sauce with the chicken to make a complete meal.

  • Rutabaga on October 06, 2019

    This is delicious, a nice alternative to a cream or coconut milk based curry. I left out the hot peppers to keep it kid friendly. My older son, while not a fan of many Indian curries (perhaps it's the cumin and coriander seed?), had seconds. Made using Sodha's cilantro chutney recipe, it was a beautiful, fresh-tasting vibrant green.

  • TrishaCP on May 10, 2019

    This is a great curry. I made the homemade chutney and it is wonderful! Will definitely be repeating this dish.

  • L.Nightshade on May 05, 2016

    My deviations: As is the MO in the Nightshade house, I used a combination of chiles, jalapeño, Serrano, and Anaheim, in both the chutney and the chicken (with a bit of red chile added as garnish). I used coconut oil, as I don’t keep canola. (Onions cooking in coconut oil emit a mesmerizing aroma.) I forgot to hold out some of the chutney (I only made enough to go in the dish, with the cilantro we had on hand), but the finished dish was still quite bright and fresh looking. Mr. Nightshade had his over rice, I had mine in a bowl, and we were both quite happy. http://www.chowhound.com/post/2016-cotm-india-meat-fish-1035678?commentId=9846398

  • clcorbi on July 26, 2017

    This is a favorite curry for us. I don't bother frying onions as a garnish at the end; if anything, I'd use some crispy packaged onions, but I don't find it necessary. Both times I made this, I used storebought coriander chutney from the Indian market near me, and it turned out great. I have also made the coriander chutney from this book, and it's delicious, so I'm sure this curry would only be improved with the homemade chutney.

  • raybun on April 26, 2021

    Someone recently made this on Instagram and I thought Oh that sounds incredible, must make! Well EYB tells me I’ve made it before because I uploaded a photo of it but I have no recollection whatsoever. Anyway it’s absolutely delicious and I’ll definitely be making it again, soon.

  • shelbstirr on April 30, 2025

    Pretty good! The coriander chutney is SO GOOD, I’ve been adding extra to my serving.

  • SKidd on May 08, 2023

    Gosh this is good! Had a load of cilantro in the garden and made the chutney using cashews since that’s what we had on hand. Very quick to come together especially if you make the chutney ahead. Served with the Pakistani spinach/potato curry from her Guardian column too, perfect springtime dinner.

  • zoelaz on April 27, 2026

    Really yummy and easy if you make the chutney ahead. The fried onions on top really make the dish

• Mum's chicken curry

  • Astrid5555 on July 05, 2016

    I can only repeat what everyone else already mentioned, this curry is exceptional! The kids even wanted an additional bowl of rice just with sauce, which is the true star of this recipe. Used boneless, skinless chicken thighs which made it a real weeknight friendly recipe.

  • blintz on April 04, 2016

    Everyone here was exactly right. This is a wonderful curry. Everyone came back for thirds! I made it with boneless , skinless thighs and I cut them into bite-size pieces before cooking. Not a hard recipe to make, but lots of complex flavors. Next time I'll try for a bit more heat. I used two fat jalapenos but I seeded them, and that was probably a mistake. Served with store bought naan and a quick cucumber raita. Also, you could make the sauce in the afternoon or the night before and then add the chicken 1/2 hour before dinner is served. That way it would be a very easy weeknight meal.

  • TrishaCP on April 19, 2016

    Just as wonderful as everyone says. The sauce is very flavorful and rich-tasting. I agree this is by far the best chicken curry that I have ever made.

  • Breadcrumbs on June 14, 2015

    p. 100 - Exceptional. I agree with the prior reviewer, simply the best chicken curry I’ve ever made and definitely one of the best we’ve eaten. This truly is a remarkable dish. Creamy without the richness of butter chicken, you don’t want one drop of this sauce to go to waste…and it didn’t. What wasn’t atop our chicken was scooped up with naan. Photo here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/1016061?commentId=9600106#9600106

  • Cheri on March 06, 2018

    Again, great recipe. Comforting. Made with boneless chicken thighs. Some spice, little heat. Chopped fresh cilantro a nice addition. Very fresh flavor. Pretty easy for a week night. Recommended.

  • westminstr on May 04, 2016

    Like everyone else, I really liked this. I used boneless skinless thighs cut into pieces. I made most of the sauce ahead of time and added the chicken on the night of. However, I found that the curry improved with an overnight rest, so in future I would make it entirely in advance and just reheat for a quick weeknight dinner. I don't usually like leftover chicken thighs but these were great. Both kids refused to touch it. However with the leftovers E tried and liked it.

  • stockholm28 on March 20, 2016

    This was delicious and I really liked that it used whole chicken thighs as that saved prep time. She calls for 800g of boneless, skinless thighs and I only used about 600g. I thought that amount was fine. This is a good weeknight dish.

  • Rinshin on February 24, 2017

    Like other reviewers, I thought this was wonderful tasting curry without having all kinds of herbs/spices that often defeats my attempt in making some of the Indian based recipes. The author uses spices often found in well-equipped American kitchen ie cumin powder, whole cumin, turmeric, cinnamon sticks, and garam masala. I'm still not sure what tomato passata is so used what I had on hand which was equal amount of tomato pesto (basically very concentrated tomato sauce) and 2 cut up fresh tomatoes. I also added 4 handful of fresh spinach leaves at the end and cooked for 3-4 min. I did cook the sauce much longer than the recipe - about 2 1/2 hours (very low simmer) with cover on and found it perfectly cooked. Although I used skinless/boneless chicken thighs I think this would also be good using paneer or tofu pieces.

  • Barb_N on June 15, 2016

    Another note in the chorus of praises- very complex tasting sauce without hundreds of spices. I used bone in thighs but I felt the sauce needed extra cooking time to break down the onions anyway.

  • Melanie on November 10, 2016

    Joining the chorus of praise for this curry. I used quartered chicken thighs and skipped the ground almonds. Served with rice, cucumber / yoghurt raita and steamed veg.

  • FJT on April 06, 2016

    Fantastic flavour for very little effort. I second blintz's comment about making the sauce in advance and just adding the chicken 30 minutes before you want to serve the meal - makes it a really easy weeknight dinner. Next time I will go for a hotter chilli as I like my curries with a bit more heat to them but otherwise it's a really nice curry and I will definitely make it again.

  • bernalgirl on February 12, 2025

    Cook the onions a full 25-30 minutes to get them truly golden. I love the layered flavors from the chile-ginger garlic paste and tomatoes. I added carrots, cabbage, and red peppers because I needed more of a 1-pot dinner, and increased the spices by half. The family doctored it with jarred chutney and mango pickle at the table and everyone was more than satisfied.

  • lilham on August 25, 2015

    Agree with others that this is one of the best curries I've ever eaten. This is in my regular rotation and I've made it again and again.

  • chawkins on July 27, 2016

    I will join the chorus to sing the praise for this curry. Simple and yet have complex flavor. The only thing I'll do different is to break the chicken leg quarters into thighs and legs, so the curry flavor can penetrate into the pieces more or cook it in the instant pot.

  • mondraussie on January 02, 2021

    Absolutely lovely, only change I made was to brown the chicken first.

  • Delys77 on August 03, 2022

    Indeed, we seasoned a bit at the end with a lovely sel de camargue and it was good. Well balanced dish and quite nice with bone in skinless drumsticks. I would say the sauce is a touch thick early on so cook on low heat to avoid scorching. The sauce does loosen as the chicken cooks down a bit and the end result is a good consistency. Overall a lovely and easy little curry.

  • jenmacgregor18 on August 27, 2024

    Best chicken curry I’ve ever had. Used mix of bone-in and boneless chicken thighs, crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. And definitely salt to taste at the end. It needed it. I’m glad that I held back and didn’t add anything extra. This is surprisingly complex for a fairly simple list of ingredients.

  • nadiam1000 on June 09, 2016

    Made this a couple of times to great success. Flavors are well balanced with some heat, but not too spicy. I used boneless chicken thighs; second time I cut into pieces. delicious with basmati rice

  • meggan on September 16, 2020

    I feel like the curry flavors did not penetrate the chicken enough. Maybe better the next day?

  • KarinaFrancis on March 20, 2017

    Oh yes, this was as good as they say, absolutely delicious! Nowhere near as hard as I thought a curry would be. My sauce wasn't as vibrant as the photo but I might have added a little too much yoghurt.

  • mimisingh on June 12, 2025

    Really good and pretty easy, I think you can omit the almonds to minimal effect. I used boneless thighs. It feels really indulgent

  • will_mxjeiq on March 29, 2026

    This has long been my favorite chicken curry recipe. In fact this whole book is the best Indian curry recipe book I’ve come across

  • SKidd on June 24, 2025

    Agreed it’s an easier curry, maybe less depth than some of her other dishes but fast and a nice chicken dish that’s simple enough to make with other dishes,

  • Chibblywibbly on March 07, 2026

    Didn't have paste, so just used bigger can of tomatoes and reduced for longer. Delicious and easy.

  • raybun on September 28, 2016

    Great curry recipe! I made it over the weekend when I had more time and reheated it during the week for a delicious,quick meal. I used boneless thighs which I'll cut into smaller pieces next time so the meat can absorb more of the amazing flavours. As others have mentioned it is mild, my 8yr old devoured it and asked for more. I've ordered the book and am looking forward to more delicious meals.

  • meginyeg on November 26, 2020

    It was ok. A little bland but I will probably make it again because its quick and easy.

  • Frogcake on November 17, 2016

    Delicious. I used veal in place of chicken. So easy and so tasty. Will make this again.

  • Rutabaga on December 11, 2017

    OK, I finally made this curry, and like the others, I agree that it is very good, especially considering it seems so "basic" on the surface. For my dish, I used chicken drumsticks and a couple of boneless, skinless chicken thighs. My husband prefers boneless meat, but I think the bones really help with the flavor here, so if I have time I would like to try it with chicken legs in the future, then remove the meat from the bones before serving it. But even boneless, skinless thighs would still doubtlessly be delicious.

  • pistachiopeas on October 20, 2016

    M made this for dinner using left boneless skinless thighs that he left whole. Very tasty and warming. Notes for next time: cut chicken into pieces, add more chile, and don't worry if you don't have ground almonds because they don't seem to add much.

  • Pigeoncottagekitchen on March 20, 2015

    Quite simply one of the nicest chicken curries I have ever made and eaten. A firm favourite.

  • hsteel on March 08, 2017

    This was a wonderful curry. Subtle, which is what I like. I used bone in chicken thighs, which meant I had to skim the fat off. Then I shredded the meat. I also left out the almonds (lazy!). Definitely will make this again.

  • anya_sf on September 05, 2024

    Very tasty. I'm not sure of the difference between tomato passata and puree; I just used puree. I cooked half the quantity of chicken - boneless, skinless thighs cut into chunks - but the full amount of sauce (it isn't super saucy), and added some cauliflower florets and peas. As others have said, add plenty of salt to taste.

  • katiesue28 on October 07, 2024

    Absolutely delicious. I think it's really important too cook down the onions until they are golden; this will probably take longer than the time listed in the book. It took me about 25 min, but was so worth it for the richness of the sauce it created. Add salt to taste as you cook to avoid the blandness some have described. I also followed the advice of some and chopped my chicken thighs before cooking, which I'll do again. I loved this topped with dollops of cucumber raita. Make it ASAP!

  • patioweather on October 30, 2017

    Everyone enjoyed this dish, and as the chef I was pleased with how simple it was. Simple enough to be a weeknight dish and it felt fresh and healthy. I used chicken thighs that had the bone and skin, but in the future I would use boneless because everyone seemed to remove their skins.

  • damjih on January 28, 2021

    was easy to make I agree, but kind of bland as well

  • bob.mack on December 12, 2021

    Easy enough and delicious. I went with boneless skinless chicken thighs.

  • aimeekitty on March 26, 2025

    We make this a lot but I feel like it's a bit bland out of the box. At the oil infusing stage I add green and black cardamom pods. I make sure the onions are nicely browned. (also I sometimes add carrots just for more veg.) I don't bother grinding the garlic into a paste and it's fine. At the chicken stage I add in golden raisins and at the end I double the garam masala and add some heavy cream.

  • CaffeineRage on May 07, 2022

    Using a good garam masala is key; It does a lot of heavy lifting in this dish. Oh, and salt. The recipe in the book, which I used, doesn't bring up salt apart from making the chili paste. Might be why a couple of people bring up it being a bit bland. Salt your food!

  • JanetNL on December 29, 2025

    This is such an excellent recipe, it's well worth the effort. The spices are wonderful and the ground almonds and yogurt give it a lovely texture. As with my other favourite Indian dishes, I make an extra large batch, freeze it in cubes and vacuum pack them, so I'm not always starting everything from scratch when I make an Indian meal. You may want to add some fresh yogurt or sour cream before serving to bring it back to perfection, but it freezes very well.

  • katy1729 on August 21, 2019

    Very good - would definitely make again! Made some substitutions as I didn't have everything called for: used about half the amount of fresh ginger, dried chipotle chilli flakes, tinned tomatoes, 0% fat yogurt, ground cinnamon, diced chicken thighs (approx. 400g).

  • mpo on January 31, 2026

    I echo every review that says this is delicious! I didn’t have yogurt, so I added 1/4 cup of unsweetened soy milk. I used boneless skinless chicken thighs, I’ll make this again for sure!

• A simple goat and potato curry (Bakra nu kari)

  • Phil.Adams on November 03, 2016

    Pg. 103

• Slow-cooked lamb and spinach curry (Gosht anna palak nu shaak)

  • leahorowitz on June 12, 2016

    Delicious, and easy to prepare. Definitely worth preparing the day before as the author suggests.

  • monasli on September 06, 2020

    This is easy and delicious! I make this a lot. Have used lamb leg steaks.

  • TrishaCP on October 24, 2020

    This was fine but I didn’t love it like I love other recipes from this book. I subbed chard for spinach but otherwise followed the recipe.

  • ALawson25 on January 08, 2024

    Good recipe, but wasn’t wowed by the spices- maybe they would develop overnight.

  • Khanye on December 08, 2025

    It's a good recipe, very mild. Not a wow dish but a new easy rotation and tasty.

• Spicy lamb burgers

  • TrishaCP on May 17, 2016

    These were just great. I used a whole serrano chile with seeds and that was spicy but not too much. The chile reduces any gaminess from the lamb. Would like to try this with bison meat for a lighter option.

  • mondraussie on May 25, 2024

    Really good with the tomato chutney

  • FJT on October 29, 2016

    Very tasty! I used a pound of lamb rather than 14 oz and split the mix into 8 burgers rather than 4. Served with the tomato chutney. Will definitely make again.

  • FJT on September 09, 2017

    This recipe also works well with ground beef.

  • joneshayley on May 03, 2015

    Very nice - my family loved these especially with the chutney as suggested.

  • Rutabaga on August 15, 2017

    These are good, although I substituted ground turkey and used less pepper (to accommodate my six-year-old), so they weren't as rich or spicy as they would normally be.

  • clcorbi on June 13, 2017

    Phenomenal. With the tomato chutney, red onions, and a slather of mayo, we were in heaven. I might decrease the amount of chopped onion in the burger next time, but otherwise, these are perfection. Will be repeated.

  • Lsblackburn1 on January 17, 2026

    Very delicious and easy to make. We ate these with a store bought mango chutney, which was tasty!

  • spvla on May 28, 2026

    Great recipe, I also added mint and ground coriander to make the flavors stronger. Was a big hit.

  • raybun on June 26, 2017

    I made these again yesterday and had almost forgotten how wonderful they are! Accompanied with the sweet and sour tomato chutney and masala fries. A definite 5 star recipe

  • puddlemere on January 11, 2019

    Yum--easy and delicious. Served with the baked masala fries and tomato chutney as suggested.

  • raybun on October 23, 2016

    These were excellent, I used half a jalapeño for the green chilli so the child would enjoy it too. I made the suggested spicy tomato chutney and masala chips/fries. I usually make Jamie Oliver's Moroccan lamb burgers but these are my new favourites. Best meal I've had in a long time!

  • sarahj22 on July 13, 2025

    Completely delicious. I'd planned to make the tomato chutney but couldn't face using the hob during a heatwave - they were still very tasty without. I used jarred crushed ginger and garlic so they were very quick to come together, and didn't have fresh coriander so I used a small amount of fresh basil instead. Cooked in the air fryer and served on morning rolls with mayo, romaine lettuce and tomato. I'll definitely make again and am looking forward to having them with the suggested tomato chutney and masala fries.

  • cedarmakesthings on February 17, 2016

    These burgers were amazing, maybe the best I have made. I served them with the tomato chutney suggested, as well as the masala fries and date and tamarind chutney. Both chutneys slathered on made this quite the treat. I am excited to make these for guests.

  • stef on April 06, 2017

    So good. Will make it often. No green chilli so used red but everything else as written.

  • mimisingh on June 16, 2025

    Really good and easy with the tomato chutney. Used half a cayenne pepper since I did not have an Indian green chili

  • OrchidO on December 21, 2023

    Excellent and tender with delicate flavors

  • Ishie1013 on October 28, 2024

    Not bad, though the mix had an unexpected sweetness I did not necessarily love. I also wish I'd used the tomato chutney or even put on some premade mango chutney, but it made for an enjoyable weeknight meal.

• Maharani's favourite slow-roasted lamb shoulder

  • joneshayley on March 15, 2019

    Wonderful flavour and very easy to prepare. This is aromatic and pairs beautifully with the suggested naans and kachumber. I served the cauliflower suggested which is a fabulous recipe, but I thought with this dish, competes against the flavours of the lamb and kachumber.

  • Melanie on April 04, 2016

    Great flavour, despite having minimal marinating time - looking forward to repeating and increasing the wait. I used about 250 ml water and skipped serving the sauce. The meat was tender and falling apart. Served with the suggested cauliflower and naan dishes, and a yoghurt / grated cucumber dish, which worked really well.

• Lamb raan

  • mondraussie on February 13, 2021

    Extremely tasty, but problem with the cooking time. I had to pull it out of the oven, at least 30 minutes before the instructed 2-15" for "pink"... and the marinade had burn all over the bottom of the baking dish... Would consider making again, but with careful revision of cooking time.

  • will_mxjeiq on March 29, 2026

    Great recipe. We did this for Boxing Day, upscaled the recipe for 20 people and it went down a storm. You don’t need gravy just make loads of mint chutney as mentioned in the recipe. And definitely marinade overnight, if not longer, it’s what makes the recipe

• The perfect lamb biryani (Badshah biryani)

  • Rachaelsb on February 15, 2021

    I was really proud of this. Have been playing with several different biryani recipes and the flavoring and texture on this was perfect. I also halved this recipe with no problem.

  • joneshayley on February 23, 2019

    Halved this to feed four, using two lamb shoulder steaks cubed. Absolutely delicious. As always with Meera Sodha the spicing is delicate and balanced, and the cooking times spot on. This is far better than any biryani I’ve been served by a takeaway.

  • Frenchfoodie on March 14, 2021

    This is a gently spiced, deeply flavoursome dish. Though the layered meat, onions and rice is relatively bland the sauce alongside lifts it beautifully. Would be nice part of a larger indian feast with some more assertive dishes.

• Coconut fish curry (Fish moilee)

  • joneshayley on May 03, 2015

    Beautiful fresh and light flavours. I'll make this again and again

  • dinnermints on September 11, 2023

    This has been on my dinner wish list for some time, and I finally trimmed my curry leaf plant to make it. My picky eater four-year-old took one bite and came over and hugged me, he liked it so much. I used rock cod - am seeing the note about adding shrimp, that also would've been delicious. I used 2 T ghee, one seeded serrano, 30g fresh ginger, and skipped the chili powder so it wouldn't be to spicy for my son, but as others mentioned, I couldn't actually taste the serrano in there. I cut my tomatoes in large dice rather than wedges. This was gorgeous served over black rice, and cilantro would have kicked both the appearance and flavor up a notch. Would definitely make again.

  • rmardel on November 22, 2021

    This is good, but a little basic for my taste. The second time around I crushed extra ginger, green Chile, and some fresh turmeric and tossed this with the fish, allowing it to sit while I finished prep and started the curry. I find the curry leaves are not really optional, it is much better with, but I would still make it without if necessary. I found it needed several chiles, and was still not particularly spicy, although this could just be due to the chiles I used.

  • KarinaFrancis on February 13, 2017

    This was nice but didn't blow me away. Maybe the curry leaves aren't optional? I used 2 green chillies in the paste but ended up adding a small, hot red chilli as well. I'll try it again because it's a simple weeknight dish, but only when I can get the curry leaves.

  • wcassity on November 17, 2022

    Totally delicious - the family loved it. Used 1.25 lbs of haddock and included the curry leaves. Served with basmati rice.

  • FJT on February 02, 2017

    I can see this becoming a regular dinner in this household. Absolutely delicious and it's good for an evening when you're not sure exactly when you're serving dinner; I made the sauce a few hours in advance and then just heated it up and cooked the fish in it quickly when we were ready for dinner.

  • sheepishjen on February 28, 2022

    I have made this many times. It's wonderful! I have never made it without the curry leaves, nor would I, as they are so distinctive. I can see how people who made this without them might find it a bit lacking.

  • TrishaCP on February 20, 2017

    We thought this was good, although our jalapeño was too mild (even using the seeds) and I could have used more heat. (I used gochugaru for the chile powder.) I liked the acidity from the tomato and lime cutting through the richness of the coconut milk. We did have curry leaves (picked from our plant, so they were quite young and mild) and they did add a certain something to this dish, as they usually do. I would recommend including them if you can get them.

  • IvyManning on March 10, 2026

    Bland and very very salty. 1 1/2 tsp of salt made it almost inedible. I'm 0/6 with recipes from this book. Time to give it away.

  • clcorbi on July 28, 2017

    We made this with cod and served with both rice and naan, and it made a lovely weeknight meal. I found the sauce to be a bit onion-heavy, but to be fair I'm positive our onions were larger than what you'd find in the UK. Next time I might decrease to one onion or at least let them caramelize and cook down a bit longer. I also left the lid off once the fish was added, since the curry was seeming a bit watery to me. I think the extra time to reduce down helped the sauce a bit. This is a mild curry but we didn't feel the need to add any extra chili, although you might want to if you like your curries on the spicy side.

  • ALawson25 on August 05, 2025

    This was lovely and mild flavoured. Halved was perfect for 2. As with others I roughly diced the tomatoes and preferred it that way. Would make again!

  • lholtzman on November 06, 2024

    Excellent dish. I love the soupiness. It is so comforting over rice. I used halibut and it was really nice.

  • stef on January 19, 2017

    This was absolutely delicious even though I couldn't follow recipe. Instead of tomatoes, I used half small tomato paste, curry powder instead of curry leaves but otherwise followed recipe

  • stef on November 19, 2022

    Made this time with cod and shrimp thrown in at the last minute.

  • janeh9 on August 13, 2016

    Have made this twice with cod - excellent! Leftovers ( I doubled the recipe) froze well - nice treat to pull from the freezer!

  • Lepa on October 12, 2016

    The whole family loved this. I put less chili in because of the kids but it was still fantastic.

  • raybun on October 16, 2016

    I saw Lepa's note on this dish last week and it jumped onto my to make soon list. The family loved it, onion hating daughter included. I'm so glad I found the fresh curry leaves, made all the difference. I used 300 mls of coconut milk instead of 200 as that was the size of my can and half a jalapeño for the green chili otherwise stuck to the recipe using haddock. 5*

  • meginyeg on January 11, 2023

    We like this. Have made a few times. It's a nice easy weekday supper.

  • tinycheesecake on March 09, 2026

    Used flounder for the fish and two sprigs from my curry tree. Definitely needs the curry leaves, those are not optional. I used Kashmiri chili powder for color rather than spice. The flavoring was very mild; next time I might add some coriander as my Kerala cookbooks include.

• 20-minute fish curry (Pesi pesi maachi)

  • TrishaCP on August 28, 2019

    This was fast and good, but not as mouth-wateringly delicious as some of the other recipes in this book.

  • Astrid5555 on August 23, 2016

    Quick as promised, again with a delicious sauce. Had some issues with my cherry tomatoes getting to a sauce-like consistency, solved by pressing down on them with a spoon. Served with basmati rice.

  • mondraussie on February 09, 2021

    Delicious and quick. Added a couple of handfuls of spinach which was quite nice, but next time would add a little less water to compensate for the extra liquid from the spinach.

• Fish in a coriander, coconut and mint parcel (Patra ni macchi)

  • TrishaCP on June 05, 2016

    The flavor of this was outstanding. I didn't really get the point of the parchment paper wrap other than to replace the flavor-providing banana leaf traditionally used. If the fish was supposed to steam a la "en papillote"- it didn't really do so. But this is so delicious- who cares!?!

  • patioweather on October 30, 2017

    I had to cook the cod a bit longer than the recipe instructed because some pieces were quite thick. This was lovely and everyone enjoyed it. It didn't look like the photo though because the fish released a lot of steam while cooking, making the coating more watery.

  • Meags on February 25, 2023

    Wow! Fantastic!! I didn't have enough cilantro, so I used Italian parsley too. Delicious!!

  • e_ballad on November 30, 2019

    Taking the previous reviewers’ notes under advisement, we went without the parchment paper - a lot of liquid was still released, though the fish fillets remained perfectly cooked & the coating was a great consistency. I’d recommend to others that you go the same route. A very quick & tasty dish.

  • baileyverma on November 20, 2025

    We serve this as showstopper at dinner parties. Everyone loves having a little packet tied with twine to open to find a dish they never see in an Indian recipe. Truly tasty.

• King prawns with garlic and mustard seeds (Lasan anna rai wara chingri)

  • L.Nightshade on May 16, 2016

    Dipping a toe into the water again, with success this time! My deviations from the recipe: ghee instead of butter; no chile peppers so I used a bit of red bell pepper for color and a toss of chile flakes. To begin, I cooked the mustard seeds for the 20 seconds mentioned and tasted them. They were already burnt and quite bitter. (I thought I had discovered the reason my salmon spinach curry was bitter, but alas, no mustard seeds were used in that one.) I started over with fresh ghee and fresh mustard seeds, and only went about 10 seconds. This dish really does come together in a flash. In fact it was ready before I had set the table or brought out the side dishes. I had to hustle to serve dinner in a civilized fashion! We both enjoyed it, and Mr. NS even declared it a make-again dish. Quite a change from his request that I don’t cook anything more from this book!

  • TrishaCP on May 30, 2016

    This was very good. I greatly reduced the salt (less than half), and it was plenty. The mustard seeds are very nice with the shrimp.

  • chawkins on January 12, 2026

    Super quick to put together and absolutely delicious. I omitted the curry leaves and fresh chile because I did not have any, but I added a pinch of red pepper flakes. I also skipped the salt, but I cleaned the shrimp with salt, so you can say they were brined a little bit.

  • bernalgirl on September 06, 2024

    As easy and flavorful as reported, we loved the spice level and the finishing squeeze of lemon.

  • lilham on May 21, 2016

    Quick and delicious. I used sunflower oil instead of butter and cut the salt in half

  • stockholm28 on January 20, 2018

    This took under 30 minutes to make with most of the time spent prepping the shrimp. I did not have black mustard seeds so substituted brown. It was a good dish with garlic, butter, some heat from the chili, and the mustard flavor. I served over rice.

  • ksg518 on April 22, 2021

    Very nice and very quick. I made as written except I didn't have the red chilies and I substituted brown mustard seeds for the black seeds she references in the introduction. The only issue I had is that with the seasonings it was hard to tell when the shrimp were done. I never realized on how much I rely on visual cues for cooking shrimp.

  • Rutabaga on October 05, 2019

    This was great, so flavorful. If your shrimp are already prepared, it's also super easy. I left out the curry leaves and green onion, but didn't miss them. Wonderful!

  • Meags on January 07, 2023

    This was delicious! Like everyone has said - very fast to put together! The flavor is wonderful! I also halved the salt and will probably cut that in half or skip entirely next time. I used brown mustard seeds.

  • meginyeg on January 13, 2021

    This was amazing! Will definitely make again. Very flavourful and easy to get together on a work day night

  • patioweather on August 09, 2021

    This was outstanding. I am actually shocked by how good it was compared to other recipes that are also butter + shrimp. The most time consuming part is chopping garlic.

  • Frenchfoodie on November 04, 2025

    Delicious and incredibly fast to make so great addition to a more complicated spread. Have made with and without the curry leaves and with and without fresh chilli and it is delicious every time.

• Salmon and spinach curry

  • peaceoutdesign on November 29, 2023

    I thought that this was really good and flavorful way to cook salmon.

  • joneshayley on May 03, 2015

    Fast, easy and very nice. Very mild curry.

  • Astrid5555 on April 17, 2021

    We all liked this a lot. Used frozen spinach, frozen salmon fillets and canned tomatoes, which made this a very quick and tasty weeknight dinner. Served with naan bread.

  • lilham on April 14, 2016

    This is really good. I was alarmed by the large volume of spinach leaves added to the pan. But I trusted Ms Sodha and the spinach wilted down to the perfect amount. (Mr lilham said he'd like more spinach in fact). This will be a regular in my house.

  • FJT on May 17, 2019

    Oh dear, I'm not a fan of this recipe despite loving most of the ingredients. I agree with those who commented below that it was too salty, there wasn't enough liquid and that it was very, very mild (despite adding the optional chilli). Probably won't make it again.

  • chawkins on January 26, 2024

    Quite easy and tasted all right but the sauce was more like a paste than a sauce, way too thick. I only used half of the amount of spinach asked for and I don’t think another bag of spinach would have thinned the paste to a sauce.

  • j_h on March 31, 2018

    Nice flavours, but far too salty as written. Next time I'll only use 1/4 tsp. Definitely needs the fresh chilli, I used hot chilli powder and it was quite mild. Also, double the tomatoes.

  • lorloff on November 01, 2025

    This was so interesting and Indian style salmon curry. It was really delicious. The key to the sauce that others were saying was not enough is to use the full amount of spinach. When it wilts it releases into the sauce perfectly. I also found the doubling the tomatoes and increased the other based curry ingredients by 1.5 worked very will. Great mid-week meal. Especially when salmon is in season.

  • IvyManning on March 10, 2026

    Waste of salmon. Hated the texture of the salmon, which over cooked. Maybe she uses farmed salmon, but with wild salmon the chunks over cook and the spinach was slimy. Dnf

  • Jane on June 07, 2025

    I liked this a lot and it was a reasonably quick weeknight recipe. I only used half the spinach called for and I thought it was enough. Some reviewers felt the sauce was too thick but I liked it. Though I think if it was being served with rice you would want to thin the sauce. I ate it with naan bread and it worked well.

  • jzanger on May 14, 2019

    Really tasty, but I did have to add an extra tomato and then a little water once the spinach went in. Once you cook down the tomatoes there really isn’t any sauce to nestle the salmon into, so I’d recommend using less spinach or more tomatoes to avoid having to add liquid. Also, definitely put the spices (and the garlic/ginger) in and sauté with onions before the tomatoes go in. Sautéing in fat makes the flavors more rounded and it takes the bitterness away. This turned out tasty for me but it took a little kitchen sense to be successful with the recipe.

  • L.Nightshade on May 14, 2016

    Well. This was a disaster, and I have no idea why. Followed the recipe exactly except using coconut oil instead of canola, as usual, and used cherry tomatoes instead of regular. It was so bitter and unpleasant, I could not eat it. Mr. Nightshade did eat his, but only because he didn’t want to waste $28 worth of salmon. All my spices are fresh. My garam masala is the same mix I always make, and there is such a tiny amount of it called for. The tomatoes were sweet. The only culprit I can imagine is the spinach, which I didn’t taste before cooking. It was a pre-packaged bag of baby spinach which, historically, has been quite reliable. At the end of this dinner Mr NS asked “Do you have to make any more recipes from this book?” Turns out not only did he hate this dish like I did, but he hasn’t really been too keen on anything I’ve cooked from the book, was only trying to be polite. Ugh. http://www.chowhound.com/post/2016-cotm-india-meat-fish-1035678?commentId=9849865

  • TrishaCP on May 20, 2016

    This was great-not bitter at all, even though I slightly burned the onions. We used a beautiful big bag of spinach from the farmer's market, which ended up being only about half of the amount required, a 28 oz can of tomatoes (instead of fresh), and the optional green chile.

  • TLouise on February 18, 2021

    Not sure I would make this again. My daughter and I thought it was okay my husband and son weren't keen at all. ??

  • Christinalego on March 07, 2021

    Good. Unusual taste

  • raybun on November 19, 2016

    Excellent recipe, we loved this. Even my daughter who doesn't like spinach or salmon very much! Great flavour combination and went well with the suggested jeera rice from the same book. 5*

  • Lepa on June 23, 2018

    I liked this. My husband thought it was okay. The kids barely ate it. We all prefer the coconut fish curry in this book. It is easier to prepare and, in my opinion, much tastier.

  • Meags on January 12, 2023

    We thought this was delicious! Very easy to put together. I cut back on the salt - just used 1/2 t. Next time might even try 1/4 t.

  • Anea25 on December 12, 2023

    Good recipe but no wow factor great for a fast and easy week day dinner

• Bombay eggs

  • meggan on October 11, 2017

    I skipped the spice grinding part because I only had the ground versions and this threw off the flavoring a little. In the future, I will grind!. Otherwise an easy weeknight meal and a good way to get rid of an excess of eggs.

  • Meags on September 16, 2023

    This was great! Eric and I had for dinner for two nights. I had the leftovers just as a soup or curry with some bread. Delish! Also served with lemon yogurt sauce we had leftover from a Buddha Bowl. WOW! Perfect!

  • Vickynewman on December 29, 2021

    Really excellent! Made it with two tins of chopped tomatoes and had it with a biryani.

  • ALawson25 on July 24, 2021

    My tomatoes were baby plum and weren't quite juicy enough. I found the eggs were overcooked within 6 minutes, so would try 5 minutes next time. Generally it was a great recipe with well balanced spices, and I would make again.

  • Jardimc on June 09, 2023

    Delicious, and easy. Will definitely make this again.

• Caramelized onion, coconut and egg curry (Inda nu shaak)

  • hirsheys on July 08, 2017

    This was interesting, but I don't know that I need to make it again. I'm never as much a fan of egg curries as I want to be. That said, I did like that the flavor combos were so new to me. It was all quite sweet. I agree with macfadden that the dish improves overnight.

  • Astrid5555 on May 01, 2019

    Made this to use up an opened can of coconut milk and the last Easter eggs. Left out the sugar as suggested by the other reviewers, still very sweet, will not repeat. That said, apparently this makes it kid-friendly because both boys mopped up their curry with the chapati bread from the same book without complaining.

  • macfadden on April 09, 2017

    Immediately after making it, I thought it was just okay, but the leftovers were great. I think this dish benefits a lot from a night in the fridge.

  • Frenchfoodie on April 15, 2017

    Not for me. A bit one dimensional and too sweet even without adding the sugar in the recipe.

  • patioweather on October 30, 2017

    This curry was so sweet that it ended up being somewhat one-note. It's a must to pair it with a spicy pickle or chutney.

  • Silver.bird22 on March 10, 2026

    Surprised by the unimpressed comments because I thought this was very good! I used red onions and added green beans. Served with the lemon rice from Fresh India. Maybe I'm just a sucker for anything with coconut milk.

• The perfect basmati rice

  • Zosia on October 23, 2016

    As others have noted, these instructions work well in producing an excellent pot of rice. I used half the recommended oil.

  • nadiam1000 on June 09, 2016

    easy to follow recipe with very good results - I used coconut oil

  • purrviciouz on March 22, 2020

    Seriously, perfect every time!

  • Tealismyname on March 08, 2016

    Honestly, I found these instructions to completely change my rice making game. I love the addition of ghee!

  • rachel_ywqstg on May 07, 2026

    Truly the perfect way to cook basmati rice! I’m always nervous cooking rice without a rice cooker, but the rice was fluffy, tender, and delicious! The bottom of the pan was not scorched nor was it soggy. Used ghee while fluffing the rice and loved it. Excited to try some variations using this rice!

• Caramelized onions and jeera rice (Dungree anna jiru waro bhat)

  • bernalgirl on February 16, 2023

    This is a nice rice accompaniment but I'm not sure I would make this again unless I already had caramelized onions made, the effort to flavor ratio just wasn’t there given the other items on the table.

  • Rutabaga on April 04, 2016

    I made this again, and this time it turned out perfectly. I let the onions get deeply brown, and left the rice on the burner for an additional ten minutes after the cooking time. Instead of a deep pot, I used a 12 inch sautee pan (I was doubling the recipe). In the end, the rice was perfectly cooked, and the onions had great, deep flavor.

  • Rutabaga on October 05, 2015

    This is a good, basic basmati rice to serve with a variety of Indian dishes. I think that in the future I will follow my usual method for cooking the rice, however, which is to turn off the burner and let the pot sit for 10 minutes after the initial 10 minute cooking period, then remove it from the burner and let it sit a final ten minutes before opening the pot and serving. Sodha's method doesn't include the 10 minute wait on the burner once it has been turned off, and the rice, while nicely cooked, was a little wet.

  • Meags on January 07, 2023

    This was delicious! I didn't have cumin seeds, so just put some cumin in the pan. Really flavorful and tasty! I'm looking forward to trying it again with cumin seeds. I also cut the salt in half.

  • Lepa on June 23, 2018

    This is a good rice recipe, a bit different but not fussy to prepare. Like Rutabaga, I cooked this in a wide skillet, browned the onions and let it sit for ten minutes after turning off the heat and it was perfect.

  • nnirl on March 25, 2020

    I confess that I have been cooking rice in the microwave (in a container designed for that) for years with great results. So for this recipe, I caramalized the onions with the cumin, then added that to my usual rice/water volumes and nuked. Probably not quite on a par with the true recipe, but worked easily for a weeknight dinner.

• Cinnamon and clove pilau with cashew nuts (Taj, loving anna kaju waru pilau)

  • Zosia on February 27, 2020

    Fragrant and flavourful.

  • peacheater on February 01, 2026

    Made a version of this in the Zojirushi. Didnt use stock and didn’t sautée the grains first so not as good as it could have been I’m sure. Will try again the proper way.

  • nadiam1000 on June 09, 2016

    subtle but fragrant with a nice crunch from the cashews. this is a delicious way to cook basmati rice. I wish I had doubled the recipe.

  • Rutabaga on December 11, 2017

    This is a really lovely pilau, very gently spiced and buttery. Mine did turn out slightly mushy, but that was my fault for using too much broth. When the rice has already soaked, it's important not to use any more stock than called for, and I find it's sometimes good to err on the low side, but in this case I forgot to do that.

  • Frogcake on February 22, 2017

    We loved this scented rice, which I served with the Ugandan curry. As noted, the cashews add lovely texture to the pilau. I roasted the cashews until lightly browned, which I would do again to enhance the cashew flavour.

  • Meags on January 12, 2023

    Very good rice! It is easy to make and while the flavors are subtle, they really carry through in the dish. I served with the salmon and spinach curry from the same book.

  • Potawatomus on April 20, 2026

    This is an easy and quick way to zhuzh up plain rice.

• Steamed buttery rice with dill (Sua wara bhat)

  • Rutabaga on December 13, 2015

    I didn't add dill, so in a sense I didn't really make this dish, although I followed the recipe otherwise in order to try this technique. The rice was pleasantly buttery and light, although mine was a little wet. Probably, I had added a little too much water, although it dried out pretty well while sitting in the open pot on the table. I cooked it for ten minutes as directed, then turned the heat off completely and left it on the burner for the next ten, and finally moved it to the table where it sat with the lid still on for another 5-10 minutes.

• Chana dal with golden garlic tarka (Lasan anna chana dal)

  • Rutabaga on September 19, 2016

    While I like this dal, I found the flavor to be a little dull on its own, but that may just be the natural earthiness of chana dal, something that others may love. As adewar noted, I had to cook it for longer than 40 minutes, probably around 50-60 minutes total. Next time, I would use two large onions, as I loved the sweetness of the caramelized onion, and I would let the garlic brown more in the tarka, as my tarka was a little milder than I'd anticipated. We enjoyed mixing it with Sodha's tomato fry recipe; the bright tomato, lightly spicy tomatoes were a good match for the mellow dal.

  • adewar on January 25, 2016

    Delicious dal. I cooked the dal for a bit longer than than 40 minutes specified, otherwise followed the recipe to the letter and it was perfectly spiced and delicious!

  • Lepa on February 11, 2017

    Like others, my dal took longer than the recipe specified- closer to 50-55 minutes. My family liked it and ate it without complaint but I didn't love it. The flavor was a bit bland and not nearly as good as the daily dal. We ate it with naan and the Gujarati potato curry but I think a tomato dish or greens would be a better accompaniment.

  • Tealismyname on March 08, 2016

    This is one of my favourite dal's. It's always a hit when I make it. I usually accompany it with greens cooked with her child-garlic-ginger mix.

• Daily dal (Masoor dal)

  • joneshayley on May 03, 2015

    Beautiful lightly spiced dhal - lovely with chappatis.

  • Yildiz100 on July 04, 2016

    Delicious! I only felt it was missing some acidity, so I added some lemon to my bowl. I also added a tiny bit of water because I prefer a thinner dal. Last change, I included one seeded green chili because I wanted to use some up. (Finely chopped, added during second half of onion sautéing. ) This makes a huge pot of dal so I may halve the recipe in the future. I will definitely repeat this!

  • bernalgirl on January 08, 2021

    I loved this as a dal to add to my regular rotation, and look forward to having the leftovers for lunch, but my family objected to the balance of flavors — too much tomato and lacking the richness of a tarka added at the end of cooking. I also suspect they miss the hit of asafoetida of my usual recipe.

  • Delys77 on November 09, 2017

    This was a winner for us. As stated the recipe served 4 with a side salad. Very healthy and doable on a weeknight (about 50 minutes) as it is moderately hands off. The spicing was just right for us and the slow cooking of the onions is definitely key. My lentils took closer to 20 minutes and I did have to add a touch of water. Otherwise very good as written.

  • westminstr on May 04, 2016

    I thought this dal was delicious. However, it took a little too long for a weeknight. Next time I would make entirely ahead and then reheat later. I was short on onion (could have used more) and ginger (reduced amount was fine) and used only 2 whole cloves. O refused to try it and E did not like it.

  • amandabeck on February 19, 2022

    a delicious, simple dal for when you don't need anything too fancy

  • Totallywired on January 11, 2019

    Decent and satisfying dal. I thought the tomatoes threw it slightly off balance, wanted richer flavours, might brown the onions next time.

  • patioweather on February 26, 2019

    I used a can of Muir diced tomatoes and it worked out well. I let it cook longer than instructed while I laid on the couch reading a book. It was delicious, especially when topped with the lightly spiced cabbage from the same book.

  • excurvatus on January 06, 2020

    This came out well, though I might mince the garlic next time! Warming flavours without tasting like a cookie. It is quite ordinary, but that's kind of the beauty of naming something a daily dal.

  • lholtzman on March 29, 2024

    Good, but uses more pots than other similar recipes.

  • ALawson25 on September 22, 2021

    I prefer her dal recipe from East to this one, but a pretty easy and simple meal.

  • kkmatti on May 22, 2023

    Straightforward dal. Not my personal favorite dal from a flavor profile, but if you are looking for something simple as a side dish this will get the job done.

  • meginyeg on September 21, 2021

    Not my favorite dal but it's decent enough. Flavours seemed a little muted. Will probably choose a different dal recipe next time.

  • Lepa on February 01, 2017

    My family liked this. I pureed it in and served it as a soup, with some lemon and yogurt as a garnish. Delicious!

  • hsteel on March 08, 2017

    A tasty and relatively easy dal recipe. Definitely will make again. I added some spinach that needed used up.

  • Hannaha100 on May 29, 2020

    This was really nice and not difficult at all. I don't think the recipe says anything about fishing out the cloves but I would, particularly if serving to kids. I added a little ground ginger but no chilli to main pan and then added some extra fresh ginger and chilli at the end for me and DH. Blitzed it up for kids and added more water to make it more "soupy". M1 ate it all! M2 wouldn't touch but was clearly tired. One to try again.

• Black dal (Dal makhani)

  • TrishaCP on May 09, 2016

    This is a good solid dal recipe, but not as stellar as some of the other recipes I've tried so far in the book.

  • Rutabaga on October 21, 2015

    I'm so glad I tried this one. Even my husband, not usually a lentil fan, enjoyed it and had seconds. It's wonderfully creamy and comforting, although I admit I added a little extra cream myself. I made only half the recipe, and found it feeds four people quite generously. Fortunately, I read through the recipe the night before, which made me realize that I needed to start soaking the lentils that same night, then cook the lentils most of the way in the morning in order to have them ready for dinner that night after returning home from work. This schedule works well, though, as the lentils benefit from a long rest that allows the flavors to mingle.

  • Lepa on September 05, 2016

    I thought this was okay. I was happy to finish a bowl but do not feel inclined to make it again. I wanted more spice/flavor/complexity.

  • AllieTaylor on December 08, 2024

    Easy to make as I was puttering around in the kitchen anyway. Very nice. Added a bit more heat once it was done (had an open tub of Massaman curry paste in the fridge).

  • patioweather on October 26, 2017

    This was the most effort to lowest reward recipe in the book. If I make them again, I will use a pressure cooker.

  • fbcd on October 07, 2022

    I love dal makhani but this recipe was not it. It misses the complexity that I am looking for. She has a non-dairy black dal in East, that looks more interesting.

• Kidney bean curry (Junjaro)

  • alexthepink on April 29, 2019

    Delicious and easy to make with what's in the cupboard. We have made this several times.

  • Meags on August 31, 2024

    This was fantastic! I used canned beans since we needed a quick lunch. My husband, our oldest con and I are the whole pan! We served over rice.

  • Lepa on March 04, 2017

    This was delicious. It is one of my favorite recipes from this book so far. The cinnamon gives the dish an unexpected flavor that really makes it something special. We ate it with naan instead of rice (along with aloo gobi). It was especially delicious with some raita and mango chutney!

  • puddlemere on January 09, 2019

    Deceptively simple, but I agree that the cinnamon really adds something extra. Served with garlic naan, yogurt, and some leftover tomato chutney from this book.

  • ellencooks on October 30, 2017

    I made this with canned kidney beans and halved the recipe. Loved it!

• Worker's curry (Chana masala)

  • mlbatt on May 12, 2021

    This made a quick dinner with ingredients I had on hand, including a freshly cooked batch of dried chickpeas. Delicious!

  • Rutabaga on January 10, 2017

    This is a good, basic vegetarian curry that would complement any number of other Indian dishes. I used dried chickpeas, which, while tender, had a nice, firm bite. I could see dressing this dish up with a little sour lime or tamarind, but I served it alongside Sodha's 100 garlic-clove curry, and found those two dishes to be an excellent pairing.

  • stockholm28 on February 10, 2018

    This was good, but I've had chana masalas that I've enjoyed more. I used dried chickpeas. I wanted a bit more of the tomato sauce; my final dish was a bit dry and I had to add a little water. If you started with canned chickpeas, this would be a very quick weeknight dish.

  • Melanie on December 11, 2016

    Easy weeknight dinner - used tinned chickpeas and served with fluffy rice and yoghurt. Mild flavour but just interesting enough.

  • lilham on May 07, 2016

    Really loved this. I used dried chickepas and halved the salt used.

  • twoyolks on January 30, 2022

    This was just way more bland than I'd expect for any Indian food.

  • Kag2020 on February 12, 2024

    Very good version of what is for me a restaurant staple. Maybe it was because of my garam masala but it needed more cinnamon and some sugar to round out the flavors. In fact, after sitting for a bit with that tiny cinnamon stick, it was a very happy dish.

  • lholtzman on August 06, 2024

    Delicious and protein packed. A bit spicy for my kids, but I thought the spice level was perfect.

  • ALawson25 on August 12, 2021

    Made this with tinned chickpeas, it was quick and easy and reheated well. I would add a little bit less onion next time.

  • Totallywired on December 14, 2018

    As a chickpea fiend I was predisposed to love this and it didn’t disappoint. Great heat balance, slightly crunchy onions for texture, rich finish. Served with thick cut lamb loin chops, could have used a sauce for the lamb to tie it together, like a yogurt sauce or a mint of coriander chutney.

  • Tealismyname on March 08, 2016

    I made this with canned chick peas. While it was good, it didn't blow me out of the water. I felt like something was missing. I added a bit of sugar and lime to try and add some depth.

  • Margret on January 08, 2023

    Very good.

  • Meags on February 27, 2023

    This was fantastic! Very easy to put together. (I cooked up a batch of chickpeas for the freezer and just kept 3 c out for this recipe.) The flavor was great - I only had half of a serrano pepper, so I chopped that up and used a 15 oz can of petite diced tomatoes with chilies. I made this for our work lunches during the week. I'm already excited for lunch tomorrow! (I also made this a day ahead and let it sit overnight in the fridge so the flavors really had time to mingle.)

  • ashleyehed on February 03, 2023

    Good

  • zoelaz on April 29, 2026

    Blended the sauce before adding chickpeas for a more even texture. Very filling and delicious! Also freezes well. I enjoy it served with yogurt, lime pickled onions, and naan.

  • sophie_lfm61y on March 17, 2026

    Came together quickly and was really tasty. Had a nice kick, served it with a bit of yogurt.

• Baked masala chips

  • bernalgirl on August 12, 2024

    I made these using Prince of Orange potatoes, a seasonal heirloom potato that responded beautifully to the recipe. A version of what we call oven fries, these disappeared so quickly it made my head spin. A new favorite.

  • Zosia on November 16, 2016

    Everyone loved these so they'll be made again. I served them with the royal Bengal fish fingers.

  • Rutabaga on August 17, 2017

    These "fries" are pretty tasty. I used Madras curry powder, as it's not too spicy for young palates. I enjoyed them with tamarind date chutney, but my husband and son preferred the usual ketchup.

  • puddlemere on January 11, 2019

    I also liked these, especially how crispy they turned out. Also served with the spicy lamb burgers.

  • raybun on October 23, 2016

    Excellent accompaniment to the spicy lamb burgers. Very flavourful, will definitely make again.

  • meginyeg on February 14, 2024

    These were delicious and crispy. We will definitely make them again. Love them.

  • spvla on May 28, 2026

    Needed a longer bake, but turned out well, despite my doubts. They finally crisped up in the last minutes of baking.

  • clcorbi on June 13, 2017

    These are a great accompaniment to the lamb burgers. Since Sodha says to cut these into "your preferred fry shape," I ended up cutting them quite thin, since that's what we like. I should have decreased the boiling time slightly to account for this. Mine also ended up taking longer than 25 min in the oven to get nice and crisp, but once again, I think that's my fault since I tried to fit them all on one large baking sheet. Next time I'll keep my nice thin fry size, but boil for 1 min less, dry them very thoroughly, and spread them out onto two baking sheets to roast. Otherwise, this is a delicious recipe and I loved the final toss in some spices. I used whole cumin seeds and crushed them a bit myself, which I prefer to pre-ground cumin, and I'd do it that way again.

• Pan-fried potatoes with peanuts, black pepper and lemon juice (Ferrari)

  • macfadden on April 03, 2017

    These potatoes were well received, but I would recommend adding salt slowly and to taste rather than dumping in the amount she recommends. These things are a matter of taste, of course, but I thought it was way too much salt and had to try to scrape all the salt on the bottom of the pan to one corner and get it out of the pan. I cut the potatoes a bit smaller than it said so they would cook in a reasonable amount of time, but otherwise followed the recipe.

  • lilham on September 27, 2016

    This is sauté potatoes with an Indian twist. Mr Lilham and I thought they were the best we had. I served this with the middle eastern lentils from Diana Henry's Cook Simple. They worked very well together.

  • TrishaCP on September 19, 2017

    Not much else to add to the other reviews, but we loved these too. I served them with the Masala Chicken and kale, and I have to say, I didn't like the combination with the chicken (though I very much liked it with the kale). I thought the chicken and potatoes were too dry together. I like the idea of trying these with lentils like Lilham suggests.

  • clcorbi on December 04, 2016

    Made for our dinner party for two vegan friends. How can you go wrong with fried potatoes? These were delicious and looked very pretty with all their garnishes--I set the whole tray of them out on the table, and they were gone before dinner was over. A resounding hit and I would love to try these with Sodha's Masala Chicken, like she recommends.

  • sdeathe on June 21, 2023

    As the other reviews, we loved this. I did reduce the salt significantly; much less salt was just fine.

  • Meags on February 25, 2023

    Delicious!!! These were fantastic! Simple to make, complex flavor. We will make these again for sure!

  • raybun on November 13, 2016

    Excellent recipe, a perfect accompaniment to the whole roast masala chickens. The ground peanuts added another dimension.

• Spinach with black pepper, garlic and lemon

  • Rutabaga on January 15, 2020

    Unlike the other reviewers, I really liked this. I used baby spinach and a couple small heads of baby bok choy. The garlic oil flavored it nicely, it wasn't too wet, and I happen to prefer spinach with a squeeze of lemon or vinegar. It's a good option to serve alongside a rich curry dish, and very fast and easy to make.

  • lilham on May 21, 2016

    Not a fan of this. I prefer a simple stir fried spinach with garlic and chilli, without the lemon juice.

  • cook_fresco on September 27, 2021

    Made enough for 2 so halved it - 250g spinach, etc. Very easy and tasty recipe; you can chuck the spinach in bit by bit and leave it while you get other things ready. I served lemon wedges on the side rather than drench it in juice. Will make again.

  • luluf on July 06, 2020

    I enjoyed this and it certainly was quick and easy. I had it with the creamy chicken curry with figs as recommended by the author and they were very good together. The lemon makes it quite sour which I like, but my husband didn’t

  • Tee.Tee on June 03, 2020

    I really enjoyed this. I made a bowl with brown rice, soft scrambled eggs mixed with crispy fried spam. I topped it with the spinach. It was a flavorful and pretty topping. It was a nice quick way to add a green veg.

  • Lepa on August 18, 2020

    This was easy and delicious.

  • Frogcake on February 04, 2017

    I served this with coconut tamarind chicken curry. It was OK, nothing special. The spinach gives off a lot of water that dilutes the taste of the butter, garlic, lemon and pepper. Don't think I will make this one again.

• Green beans with mustard seeds and ginger (Fansi nu saak)

  • lilham on May 07, 2016

    I used tenderstem broccoli instead of green beans. I served this as a side to the workers' curry in the same book. So easy and so good.

  • bernalgirl on August 30, 2021

    Updated Jul-2025: Blanching in salted water and draining thoroughly yielded a perfect level of doneness. So easy and flavorful! This is a breeze to put together and the result really transforms the green beans, which I find a boring vegetable. I love the texture provided by the mustard and sesame seeds. I added a few tablespoons of water anf put the lid on to get to the desired tenderness for my family, but next time I’ll blanch the green beans first.

  • EmilyR on September 09, 2019

    I like this, but I think I used too much ginger. The mix of spices is nice and complements Indian dishes very well as a green and healthy side dish.

  • stockholm28 on October 29, 2018

    I thought this was delicious for such a simple dish. I made half a recipe and used regular green beans. It took maybe 15 minutes from start to finish. It will definitely be repeated. I need to buy a splatter screen for this dish. The sesame seeds were popping high and out of the pan. My stove is covered in toasted sesame seeds.

  • Rinshin on September 22, 2023

    Used tomato paste and one tomato in place of puree. We do not like crunchy green beans and did cook more with cover on to our desired doneness since we used regular American variety green beans. Very simple and excellent side dish. Serving with pan fried potatoes and pan sautè of salmon in mascarpone sauce.

  • blintz on May 09, 2020

    These are a great side to Mum's Chicken Curry in the same book. Super easy, super delicious. Substituted black sesame seeds for the usual sesame seeds and they added a nice touch.

  • raybun on November 13, 2016

    Great way to jazz up green beans. The ginger really gave them an edge but I couldn't really taste the mustard seeds. Served with the whole masala chicken with Ferrari potatoes.

  • puddlemere on February 02, 2019

    I used regular green beans and kind of wish I'd used haricot vert instead, but the flavor of these were pretty good. Would be an easy side to a curry or something. Also I like the idea of using broccoli instead of green beans! Might try that next time.

  • Rutabaga on September 11, 2018

    Super fast and flavorful, this is a great green bean dish that can be paired with almost any kind of meal.

  • Tee.Tee on May 06, 2020

    A tasty approach to green beans. I omitted the sesame seeds since I didn’t have any. Will make again.

  • valbe on January 12, 2022

    This came together for me as easily as all the comments suggest. Added just enough water for the beans (not haricot vert) to cook properly but not enough to alter the final result. Reminded me of a dish you would get in an Indian restaurant! Served with butter chicken and naan bread.

  • Meags on September 17, 2023

    This was fantastic! I don't usually like green beans, but a friend has extra from her garden. This was so good that now I'm hoping she has more to share with me!! I agree with the prior comment that it's a good way to make green beans interesting and very flavorful!

  • Deja1 on October 12, 2024

    These beans were amazing! Followed the exact recipe except I blanched the beans first.

• Kachumbar

  • joneshayley on March 14, 2019

    Simple and delicious- served as an accompaniment to the naans and roasted cauliflower from the same book - worked brilliantly, but could work with any number of Indian dishes.

  • rmardel on November 10, 2020

    Simple to prepare and seems to disappear immediately.

  • bernalgirl on July 09, 2021

    Amazing that such simple ingredients can pack such flavor, this is one of my favorite kachumbars with grilled or roasted foods.

  • adewar on January 25, 2016

    Simple to prepare and perfect for serving with any Indian curry dish, but particularly to brighten the plate and give something fresh and contrasting.

• Jaipur slaw

  • clkandel on August 23, 2020

    This slaw is easy to make and the lime dressing is refreshing, but I didn't find the flavors exceptional.

  • stockholm28 on December 14, 2021

    This makes a huge amount. I’d cut the recipe in half if I made it again.

  • lilham on May 21, 2016

    A light refreshing slaw with a good balance of sweet, sour and salt. I needed nearly double the amount of dressing than the recipe.

  • westminstr on June 07, 2016

    I made this slaw using a pack of slaw mix (cabbage carrots & beets I think). And that could have contributed to my not loving it. I also needed more dressing than was called for, but was out of limes so had to do without. I felt the balance was off but that could have been the result of my alterations.

  • adewar on January 31, 2016

    Very colourful, crunchy and packed with fresh flavours. A good accompaniment to chicken tikka or curries. I could not find mooli and used another kind of radish instead. I put everything into a ziplock bag and tossed it that way, because it is difficult to do in a bowl.

  • Rutabaga on August 27, 2019

    This salad is light and refreshing. I was afraid the dressing might not be enough or have enough flavor, but it was perfect. It provides a good balance when served with richer dishes.

  • clcorbi on April 15, 2017

    Really fresh and delicious. This recipe makes a TON of slaw, but it does keep well for a few days, so no complaints.

• Pomegranate and mint raita (Daram anna fodino raita)

  • stockholm28 on December 14, 2021

    Tastes fine and it is very pretty.

  • purrviciouz on November 06, 2019

    We loved this. I might add a green chili next time.

  • ellencooks on October 30, 2017

    Made this without the amchur and enjoyed it.

  • e_ballad on August 27, 2017

    This was good, but could have used some more generous seasoning.

  • Potawatomus on April 20, 2026

    This is a yummy take on raita.

• Roasted cauliflower with cumin, turmeric and lemon (Masala phool kobi)

  • Melanie on April 04, 2016

    Another winner from this book. Full of flavour and easy to prepare.

  • joneshayley on March 14, 2019

    What a lovely accompaniment! This made for wonderful crisp little cauliflower flavour bombs to add any meal. These would even work alone with naan and katchumber/ raita.

  • julesamomof2 on October 14, 2019

    This was a nice roasted cauliflower with the addition of the cumin and turmeric. I did not blanch my cauliflower as I didn't see what that would add and if nothing else would result in waterlogged veg. A nice mild addition to an Indian menu.

  • Chibblywibbly on March 07, 2026

    Didn't blanch - used frozen cauliflower. Easy and tasty side dish.

  • Lepa on November 22, 2017

    We thought this cauliflower recipe was exceptional. The cauliflower is parboiled for one minute and this renders a very tender cauliflower. I halved the chili so it wouldn't be too hot for the kids but otherwise followed the recipe. This will be added to our frequent rotation!

  • meginyeg on September 15, 2021

    This was delicious. I don't think I will blanch the cauliflower next time. Definitely will make again.

  • Rutabaga on March 11, 2018

    This is a nice, mildly flavored vegetable side (unless you want to amp up the chile powder, but I kept it mild for the kids). Roasted cauliflower is always good in my book, and this was no exception. However, I don't think it's necessary to blanch the cauliflower prior to roasting. I may have let mine boil a minute too long, because it never really crisped up in the oven. Next time, I'll either skip this step, or be sure to drain it more promptly. It's a very handy side dish to serve with an Indian meal, since it bakes in the oven while a pot of rice and another pan of curry simmer away on the stovetop.

  • Rutabaga on October 06, 2019

    I made this again, and this time it really was fantastic. When I last made it, I'm not sure if I used two pans to roast the cauliflower, but this time I spread it out thinly over two pans, making sure it wasn't too wet after blanching it scarcely a minute. I also turned off the oven after half an hour, but left the cauliflower inside while I finished the rest of the meal. The cauliflower was quite charred after that extra oven time, but the flavor was just perfect. My only regret is I didn't make more. All the adults and my eight-year-old loved it, and even the three year old ate a little.

  • stef on February 23, 2017

    This is a very tasty recipe.

  • lkgrover on October 16, 2022

    Good cauliflower side dish. I agree that the blanching step is unnecessary.

  • Hannaha100 on May 16, 2020

    This was a hit with both my fusspots! I left out the chilli and forgot the lemon. It's so rare to find something that everyone likes that I would probably leave it out again. Served with pilau rice mushrooms and peas. This would work well with curry as well.

  • Totallywired on January 11, 2019

    Yields perfectly browned, tender, flavourful cauliflower. An all purpose side.

  • metacritic on February 16, 2021

    Exceptionally good, exceptionally easy. I blanched the cauliflower as called for but don't think it necessary.

  • ALawson25 on January 24, 2023

    Excellent! Only used 3 tablespoons of oil and that seemed enough. Would definitely make again, served with a red lentil dal.

• Chaat salad

  • hirsheys on March 28, 2022

    Really interesting and tasty salad. I followed Trish's lead and replaced the pomegranate with mango, and my niece was obsessed. It was a delicious counterpoint for the chicken tikka.

  • TrishaCP on May 17, 2016

    We absolutely loved this salad. I replaced the pomegranate seeds with half of a really ripe Ataulfo mango (for a half recipe), and that gave a nice sweet/tart hit to the salad. Will definitely be making this again-I think it would be good for a family dinner/potluck.

  • ALawson25 on May 22, 2021

    This is becoming a firm favourite, I often serve this with the oven roasted chicken tikka which is an amazing combination. It's really fresh tasting, and the desiccated coconut is delicious.

  • Meags on November 07, 2025

    Wow! What a fabulous salad! It is delicious and has unexpected flavor profile. I was initially concerned it would be too cucumber forward (not a fan), but I used an entire English cucumber and it was lovely! I will be bringing this to potlucks and making for a nice dinner salad for us at home.

  • Tiganna on June 17, 2017

    I love, love, love this and so has everyone I've served it to. So easy and so aromatic, and pretty at the same time. It takes a while to chop everything, but well worth it. Some green asparagus fits in well, too.

  • Frenchfoodie on April 05, 2026

    Decent recipe though found I needed to add more lemon juice for a good zing.

  • Lepa on October 12, 2016

    Delicious! WE especially loved the chickpeas. I might try mango next time, as my husband hates pomegranate.

  • e_ballad on January 16, 2018

    A great salad. Very tasty & incredibly easy to prepare. Highly recommend.

  • SKidd on April 11, 2026

    Made with the oven chicken tikkis in the same book. Came together quickly, a nice use of spring radishes and cucumbers. I didn’t have pomegranate so tried some raspberries for a sweet tang.

  • RhymesWithPhone on December 28, 2025

    This recipe is incredible and extremely flexible to what you have in the fridge. I made it as written once, and the second time, I swapped red onion for scallion, yellow bell pepper for cucumber, omitted pomegranate seeds, and added sprouted mung beans. Also delicious!!

• Chapattis (Rotli)

  • mondraussie on January 02, 2021

    Easy and taste great!

  • Astrid5555 on May 01, 2019

    Made with my stand mixer, comes together very quickly. Used half wholemeal spelt flour, half AP flour, because this is what I had on hand. Instructions worked beautifully and produced really great bread. If you master to roll out one bread while the other is in the pan, these take less time than cooking rice. Will definitely make again!

  • Rutabaga on April 29, 2016

    I made these with the mix of whole wheat and white flour that Sodha recommends if you don't have chapatti flour. I even included some whole wheat pastry flour, since I ran out of white. These came together very quickly - I didn't even use the mixer - and roll out easily. We ate them in a very un-Indian way, filled with sauteed chickpeas with roasted red peppers, smoked paprika, spinach, and goat cheese. Similar to tortillas, these are delicious hot off the pan. Leftovers definitely taste best when reheated.

  • Frogcake on February 04, 2017

    I made these using chapatti flour and served them with coconut tamarind chicken curry. They turned out really well! I appreciated the precise instructions. Once I got into the routine of making them, I was even able to squeeze in a sip of wine between chapattis! Would make these again.

  • Tealismyname on March 08, 2016

    My first time making chapattis. The instructions were clear although I wish I had a stand mixer to make the whole process easier. I was also of maybe trying this with a tortilla press (not sure if that's blasphemous).

  • Foodycat on March 21, 2015

    Very successful - I made the dough in the stand mixer.

  • stef on April 01, 2017

    Although I have a stand mixer, I mixed it by hand. They were a success. Family loved them so here we go another thing to make.I served it with mums curry.

• Aunty Harsha's naan

  • Rutabaga on February 26, 2016

    This naan had a nice flavor, but it didn't puff up when cooking or have quite as much "chew" as I was hoping. Maybe kneading it a few extra minutes would do the trick, or letting it rise longer (our house was fairly cool, so even after two hours, the dough had barely doubled). It was still good, and a recipe I want to try again. It's very easy, and I like cooking the bread in a skillet, like tortillas (just be careful not to let it burn and scorch the pan).

  • joneshayley on March 15, 2019

    Great naan. Puffed up beautifully. I made the dough in the morning to rise through the day- worked perfectly. Can be frozen and stays soft if wrapped till the next day.

  • Melanie on April 04, 2016

    Amazing - even my partner asked how I managed to create this! I think that the arrival of this book means that we won't be having take away Indian again for a long time! I kneaded the dough by hand before leaving to prove near the oven - my kitchen was nice and warm due to slow roasting lamb cooking away. This worked perfectly in a dry pan and the naan were soft and puffed up. Easy enough to have two pans cooking at the same time. I added a light coating of garlic butter.

  • aberne on May 13, 2019

    Easy to make and everyone loves this and is so impressed when this comes out to the table. Chewy, yeasty yumminess.

  • nadiam1000 on June 09, 2016

    Very good and easy to follow recipe for Naan - not quite as puffy and moist and chewy as the recipe I used from Aarti Paarti but people were surprised that the bread was homemade - it looked perfect. I brushed the hot bread with melted butter and hubby would have liked some garlic - next time.

  • potatooryam on November 24, 2020

    Really great, easy recipe. I love that it comes together quickly enough to make after work for dinner the same night. I had to add a bit more milk than the recipe called for but I also used Greek yogurt, which might have been thicker than the recipe intended. This will be my go-to naan recipe from now on.

  • Pandan on July 27, 2024

    Prepared the dough in my breadmaker adding a bit more flour. I used half all purpose and half white bread flour. Split the dough into 10 balls, kept 5 at room temperature until baking in the evening, the other half went into the fridge for the next day. Baked them at 370 degrees Celsius for 1,5 minutes in my outdoor pizza oven (Ninja Woodfire). Turned out really good! Brushed them with butter afterwards and wrapped each in aluminium foil to keep them warm.

  • m_iq5td9 on March 08, 2026

    Substituted extra yogurt in for milk and added more water (high altitude)

  • stef on January 27, 2020

    Made half recipe. So easy and so good. No store bought from now on

  • hsteel on March 08, 2017

    I haven't made naan before, but this recipe worked amazing. The dough was easy to roll out, it puffed when cooking (follow the method in the book and it should happen!) and it tastes amazing!!!! Love it.

• Sweet and hot tomato chutney (Tamatar nu chatni)

  • joneshayley on May 03, 2015

    Great flavours- but the tomato skins are better removed.

  • raybun on October 23, 2016

    Fantastic flavour, we loved this but too hot for the 9yr old. Served with the spicy lamb burgers and masala fries from the same book.

  • puddlemere on January 11, 2019

    My batch didn't turn out very spicy, but might just have been the jalapeno that I used. I used cherry tomatoes, so there were lots of skins left in that I would also remove next time, or just use canned tomatoes.

  • clcorbi on June 13, 2017

    Yum! Loved this with the lamb burger and masala fries--we used it both as a spread on the burger and as a dip for the fries. It is fairly spicy--we used a jalapeno, which I seeded to be safe, and it still had a good amount of kick. I used quartered plum tomatoes and fished out their peels as they cooked down, to produce a smoother final texture. I imagine this would work great with canned tomatoes too. I have some left over that I'm eager to try on fried eggs. Delicious!

  • slconner on October 26, 2021

    Turned out well using canned tomatoes. Served w lamb burgers, goid family dinner

  • Meags on September 10, 2023

    This was incredible! I didn't mind the skins of the cherry tomatoes in it. I was surprised it said you had to use it in a week. But, turns out we couldn't see if it lasted longer because it was so good we ate it all in a couple days!

  • mimisingh on June 18, 2025

    Made to eat with the lamb burgers. Really delicious condiment. I did not add much of the lemon juice because I liked the flavor as is, but not sure if it then affects the longevity from the acid. I see other users recommend removing the tomato skins. I see other users recommend removing the tomato skins, I used a few plum tomatoes and the skins weren't really noticeable to me. I deseeded a birds eye chili and my chutney wasn't very spicy, which I preferred

  • Zosia on January 28, 2017

    Fabulous even made with Italian canned peeled tomatoes. I served it with the chicken samosas.

  • Rutabaga on August 17, 2017

    I made a less spicy version of this chutney. Perhaps because it didn't have the heat to balance the flavors, we found it a little too sweet. I would start with only half the sugar called for next time, then add more to taste if needed. The flavor was terrific otherwise.

  • FJT on October 29, 2016

    YUM! Will definitely make this again and not just to accompany the spicy lamb burgers, however I will be removing the tomato skins next time.

• Mint and yoghurt chutney (Fodina anna dahi nu chatni)

  • clkandel on January 04, 2016

    Although the recipe says this can be eaten right away, the flavor improves and blends if made in advance.

  • FJT on April 12, 2017

    Quick and easy to make and very tasty. Went well with the roasted tamarind chicken recipe from the same book, but would work with so many other things too.

  • hirsheys on March 28, 2022

    Made this light on the chili (cooking for a toddler) and a bit light on the mint (Steff doesn't like it), so it came out looser than I think it was supposed to. Still, we all really liked it (Steff included) and thought it tasted great with the chicken tikka. And Maya really enjoyed eating the mint leaves while she helped me make it.

  • bernalgirl on March 19, 2025

    My Serrano chile added nice heat, and I reduced the sugar by half and really liked this, although it’s such a small amount that I’m likely to make it in the mini food processor.

  • TrishaCP on May 31, 2016

    Delicious, though my green chile (jalapeño) was hotter than anticipated, which took away some of the mint flavor.

  • Logan92995 on May 01, 2023

    Not bad but a little sweeter than I'd prefer!

  • Meags on June 13, 2024

    This was great! Eric said it tasted like the one from Curry Corner. Not very spicy, so I'd only seed half of the pepper next time

  • clcorbi on February 06, 2017

    I cheated and made this with cilantro rather than mint, and thoroughly enjoyed it (although I will try it with mint in the future). My chili was extremely spicy, though, although luckily the spiciness mellowed the longer the chutney sat.

• Chai masala spice mix (Chai nu masalo)

  • lilham on August 25, 2015

    I keep a jar of this ready in my cupboard. I don't follow the author's instruction on p260 to make the chai masala. Instead I put a tea bag in mug, brew, then add my milk, sugar and a 1/4 tsp of this spice mix.

• Ugandan quail poacher's stew

  • Frogcake on February 22, 2017

    Quite a delicious, unique curry. I used cubed chicken breast (boneless, skinless) in place of quail, and cooked, roughly chopped chick peas from my freezer in place of tinned chick peas. Another curry from this book that comes together very quickly! Would make this again. I served this with scented cinnamon rice as the author suggested.

• Howrah express cinnamon lamb curry (Taj anna loving wari gosht)

  • ALawson25 on January 21, 2024

    This was fantastic, much better than the other lamb curry by her that I've tried (the one with spinach). Flavours complimented the lamb perfectly, and lamb was well cooked in the time (I did brown it before adding it to the pan). Very yummy and will be a go to recipe. Served with naan, the spring cabbage recipe from the same book, and the okra recipe. 5 stars!

• Lamb kebabs with cumin and coriander (Boti kebab)

  • clcorbi on November 18, 2016

    These kebabs are delicious! I used "lamb stew meat" which I feared would be too tough, so I brined the meat overnight. We then proceeded to marinate the kebabs for 3-4 hours before cooking. Served with garlic raita, naan, and a salad, this was a very satisfying dinner. Raita is a must with these.

• Grimsby smoked haddock kedgeree

  • Rutabaga on August 27, 2019

    I enjoyed this dish for breakfast, although mine did turn out a little dry. I used smoked trout, which I "poached" in chicken stock. Perhaps I just needed a touch more stock, or maybe I should have lined the pan with a tea towel under the lid to create a better seal. The flavor was very mild, but the jammy eggs and cilantro really add interest, and a generous squeeze of lemon juice is a must.

  • lholtzman on March 05, 2026

    I’ve been intrigued by this recipe for a while and finally got around to making it. I’m in the US, so finding smoked haddock fillets was very difficult. I decided to use tinned smoked kippers. I thought they were delicious in this recipe and would say you could use other smoked fishes as a substitute. If you use tinned fish, skip the step that has you poach the fish. Just warm the broth and add it to the rice when called for. Flake the fish from the can and add it at the end as instructed. Also, I halved the recipe and am glad I did. This makes a large amount.

  • Pamsy on May 25, 2022

    This was rather disappointing but I will make again using white basmati rather than brown. The spicing was good but the dish was wet and I think that's due to the brown rice. A very different recipe to my standard kedgeree and more reminiscent of a pilaf (but nowhere near as good as Simon Hopkinson's Smoked Haddock Pilaf with Ginger and Coriander). This is a kedgeree for brunch or dinner, not for breakfast (use Harrods).

• Masala omelette (Masala amlet)

  • NicoleBrown on December 22, 2024

    Tasty! Halved the recipe. My husband and I agreed it needed some kind of sauce. Used a shishito pepper sauce he had made up previously in the fridge. A chutney would also be good! Served alongside toast.

  • Deja1 on December 20, 2024

    The kind of omelet I can eat any time of day.

  • clcorbi on January 25, 2017

    Nothing earth-shattering here, but this does make a pretty tasty omelette! We halved the recipe for two people and each had half the omelette on a sandwich bun, with butter and sriracha. I'm normally not a ketchup fan, but I do think ketchup would be good here, as Sodha recommends in the headnote.

  • lholtzman on June 17, 2020

    Made 6/20/20 and 4/2025 - the flavor is really good and I found it easy to halve.

• Pomegranate and fennel seed poha (Daram anna valiary pawa)

  • fbcd on May 27, 2022

    I absolutely love this poha. It is really fast and easy to make, the sev adds texture, and the pomegranate seeds just pop in your mouth. These days, I add finely chopped fennel when sautéing the onions.

• Wild mushroom pilau

  • Afiesler on February 11, 2024

    We used dried mushrooms and soaked them in advance in boiling water to soften them. Then, we drained and chopped the rehydrated mushrooms before adding them as instructed in the recipe. We were concerned about a lot of grit and sediment going into the rice. Overall, a very flavorful pilau.

• Golden garlic raita (Lasan waru raita)

  • cedarmakesthings on February 17, 2016

    This is going to be my new go-to raita, it gives such a wonderful garlicy punch to your meal.

  • metacritic on December 19, 2021

    This is a terrific raita. Easy, as it should be, and pairs perfectly with rice.

  • hbakke on January 04, 2022

    Nice accompaniment to the red pepper and paneer curry from this book.

  • shelbstirr on April 01, 2026

    Decadent texture, paired with the butternut squash curry with garlic and tomatoes.

• Hot flaky paratha (Parota)

  • SKidd on August 21, 2023

    Made a half batch and split it in four pieces, just used AP flour with a little whole wheat. Fast and delicious.

• Quick Peshwari roti (Peshwari rotli)

  • slouj on August 08, 2020

    Love this recipe. I prepare the dough and the filling in advance and chill, then assemble and cook at the same time as the rice is steaming.

  • joneshayley on March 12, 2019

    Replaced the raisins with grated apple- fabulous recipe, takeaway quality naans, in hardly any time at all!

• Gujarati chickpea pancakes (Pudlas)

  • sheri_iwd5y8 on April 09, 2026

    Love the added extras, makes them very flavorful

• Coriander chutney (Lilli chatni)

  • zoelaz on April 27, 2026

    Soo easy and a good use for extra coriander

  • shelbstirr on February 17, 2025

    This is so good! I can see myself making it lots in the future. Added a little water to help with blending and used a serrano pepper for the chili. Served with samosas cobbled together from some other recipes.

  • shewolffe on May 04, 2018

    Delicious fresh chutney. Will make regularly and keep a jar in the fridge

  • clcorbi on November 18, 2016

    This chutney is delicious. Perfect accompaniment to her samosas. I would consider making it in my mortar and pestle next time as I had a really difficult time blending it.

  • patioweather on April 09, 2018

    This has been my go-to cilantro chutney for a while. We use it on tacos too.

  • koolMoD on October 16, 2017

    very simple yet very delicious meal. The cilantro chutney gives is grassy lemony flavour with some hear and I enjoyed the caramelized onions on top.

  • Rutabaga on September 19, 2016

    This is an excellent cilantro chutney. I never would have expected peanuts as an ingredient here, but it really balances the cilantro without making it taste overly of peanuts. My husband loved the tang that the lemon juice provided.

  • bernalgirl on April 23, 2021

    So easy, the ground nuts add great texture, and that color! Reduce the sugar by 1 teaspoon next time.

  • aberne on May 13, 2019

    Sweet on its own, but great in the chutney chicken.

• Date and tamarind chutney (Ambli kajur ni chatni)

  • Rutabaga on August 17, 2017

    This is a great accompaniment to Soda's masala potatoes. It's also very quick to make. I would start with fewer dates next time, as I found it too sweet when made as written, and had to add a lot more tamarind to balance the flavors. Perhaps my dates were just exceptionally sweet.

  • EmilyR on November 01, 2023

    My neighborhood Indian grocery hasn’t had this in stock, so it was time to make my own for my kachori obsessed kid. I used deglet noor dates.

  • IvyManning on March 10, 2026

    I had trouble getting this to blend. I don't have a Vitamix so maybe that was the problem. I had to add a lot of water to get this to work and then it was too watery and not balanced. Frustrating!

  • patioweather on July 25, 2024

    I can't make a tamarind chutney that tastes like a restaurant version. All of my attempts scream "dates!" This one was better than the one in 660 Curries and is not exactly what I am looking for but is my best attempt so far.

  • Tealismyname on March 08, 2016

    Make sure you blend the dates first. I didn't need to add any water but I prefer it a bit thicker. Sometimes I add a squeeze of lemon or lime to give it a bit more depth.

  • cedarmakesthings on February 17, 2016

    This was a delicious chutney with a nice balance of sweet and tangy. I did need to add quite a bit of water to get it to puree into a nice sauce.

  • adewar on January 31, 2016

    Extremely simple to make and tastes delicious

• Lime-pickled onions (Limbu wari dungree)

  • Tealismyname on March 08, 2016

    I make this all the time. I always have a jar of it in my fridge. It's also great using lemon. I put it on everything (even most recently on potato latkes/ an asian rice bow...the possibilities are endless!)

  • clcorbi on October 02, 2016

    So easy and versatile! We made these to go with a Moroccan chicken/chickpea braise and they were such a nice, refreshing addition. I could see these being very tasty on a lot of different things--will definitely make again.

  • adewar on January 31, 2016

    Very simple but the zingy pink onions are great on top of a curry to provide a flavour hit.

• Chai-spiced chocolate puds (Chai masala nu chocolate)

  • puddlemere on April 19, 2019

    This is really more of a chai-spiced ganache than what I would think of as pudding, so they are extremely rich (but delicious!).

• Coconut-milk fudge (Topra pak)

  • purrviciouz on July 19, 2018

    We loved these and our dinner guests did as well. I'd recommend dipping in melted dark chocolate as Meera does for her grandma. I only dipped about half of the ball and it was perfect. I might give these candies out as holiday gifts this year.

  • pattyatbryce on January 15, 2019

    Very good, but probably not something I'd make again

  • vegabond2016 on January 26, 2026

    Years ago I ate something very similar to this in Costa Rica - there it's called "cajeta." Although I really wanted to like these, they came out a bit too sweet for my taste.

  • corylavell on May 18, 2022

    Such a simple way of using up the end of a tin of condensed milk - totally scalable.

  • adewar on January 31, 2016

    My love affair with this book continues...these balls of fudge are amazingly easy to make and impressive to look at. They would look great on a contrasting colour plate and served with after dinner coffees.

• Fennel seed shortbread (Valiary nankatai)

  • jdub1371 on May 27, 2019

    Very nice shortbread with a rich fennel flavor. I love fennel, so I was eager to try this. Next time I will powder the fennel instead of grinding it with a mortar and pestle as the coarse bits bugged me in the shortbread, which is kind of funny since I usually enjoy chewing fennel seeds. And of course, fennel bashed in the mortar won't show as whole seeds like in the photo (though you could toss in a few whole seeds for that effect). I rolled mine about 1/2 inch instead of 3/4. All in all, a delicious, buttery, crumbly, fennelly shortbread.

• Pistachio and saffron kulfi (Pista kesar kulfi)

  • vezzettj on April 17, 2016

    Works great in popsicle molds! Highly recommend a spice/coffee grinder for the ground pistachios.

  • metacritic on January 24, 2023

    This is an astonishingly good recipe! The mouthfeel is absolutely perfect and the pistachio and saffron marry perfectly. Best of all is the ease of cooking. Grinding the nuts is the hardest, most time consuming part of the whole recipe. I can't wait to try other variations!

• Fresh lime soda (Limbu pani)

  • Potawatomus on April 20, 2026

    This is so refreshing! It comes together so easily too!

• Mango and cardamom lassi (Keri anna elaichi nu lassi)

  • lkgrover on March 27, 2022

    I used Ataulfo mangoes, which were not as ripe as I hoped (despite waiting 6 days after purchasing) and Greek yogurt. I thought it needed at least 1 tsp sugar for sweetness. It was also very thick (and required a spoon to eat), so I would substitute 1/2 cup milk for half of the yogurt.

• The perfect masala chai

  • Tealismyname on March 08, 2016

    I made a rather large batch of the spice blend and store it with my tea. I halve the sugar for health reasons (also I don't think it needs it)

• Home-made paneer

  • pattyatbryce on November 19, 2018

    Super easy - if you can make ricotta, you can make this.

  • mklasan on February 23, 2026

    Got 150 g of paneer from 1 liter of milk with 3,6% fat.

  • Potawatomus on April 20, 2026

    This was super easy and rewarding. Paneer is not easy to come by where I live. So, it’s great to have a homemade version.

• Mum's garam masala

  • Tealismyname on March 08, 2016

    Really enjoy this spice blend. Have made a few others, but have always found this one to be my favourite

• Indian fried rice (Junglee pilau)

  • clcorbi on March 15, 2017

    Absolutely delicious and a nice change of pace from our normal, Asian-inspired fried rices. This is a really great recipe to have on hand because most of the ingredients are pantry staples for us. We had some leftover takeout crab curry which I used as the base of the dish. The result was so bright and flavorful from the extra spices and squeeze of lemon, which really makes the dish. I imagine this fried rice treatment would still be delicious without any leftover curry, as well.

  • Rutabaga on September 24, 2015

    It's nice to try fried rice with a little bit of Indian flavor for a change. Like most basic fried rice recipes, this one is very versatile, and if you have leftover rice it's highly likely you already have all the other ingredients called for. Cooking the rice on moderately low heat with the lid on yielded very good results without any problematic sticking to the pan. Frozen peas are perfect here, as they will still be bright green when the dish is done.

• Coconut and tamarind chicken curry (Nariyal anna ambli waru murghi)

  • clcorbi on April 15, 2017

    Oh, my goodness. I think I've found a new favorite curry from this book. This was so delicious! Unlike the below comments, I found the flavor to be perfect here, and I think it has something to do with the fact that my aromatics caramelized for a long time while I sliced up the chicken. So next time I'd let them do the same thing. I also simmered the whole curry mixture for a bit longer than 15 minutes, and cracked the lid for a while to reduce the sauce a bit. The leftovers had an even better, more developed flavor. The only thing I may like a bit more of next time is the tamarind paste. Otherwise, I'm really obsessed with how good this was, and I'll definitely make it again.

  • Frogcake on February 03, 2017

    Like TrishaCP I found this curry to be a bit bland. Some improvement with more sugar, turmeric and salt; I think it needs more garlic, ginger and tamarind. Might double the latter next time.

  • Mtetpon on October 21, 2017

    This was too bland for my family's taste. I have to agree with the other comments that an increase in ginger, chilies, tamarind might help it. Overall easy meal to make but was disappointed in flavor.

  • lauraprooks on May 14, 2021

    A milder curry, but I didn't find it bland. It was very easy and quick to put together and everyone loved it. I didn't have curry leaves and added a dash of curry powder instead. I used chicken breasts and the meat was lovely and tender.

  • celesteprevost on February 13, 2022

    Very tasty. Great with an addition of greens; chard, spinach, kale, etc

  • purrviciouz on November 06, 2019

    We didn't find this bland. It wasn't heavily spiced but more creamy and comforting. I served this with steamed basmati rice and the pomegranate and mint raita. The chicken was tender even as leftovers. This was a good curry for a weeknight meal.

  • cook_fresco on February 16, 2024

    Cooked back in 2020 and marked 'Excellent', made again yesterday and can only agree! As written but used 1kg chicken breast, sliced, and used a hand blender to carefully blitz the sauce a bit once cooked. Served with spicy air fried cauliflower and rice. The tamarind adds an extra dimension but isn't needed.

  • Rutabaga on December 04, 2019

    This curry is very mild in flavor, but we didn't find it bland. Since I didn't have curry leaves, I added a little Madras curry powder. It's rich and creamy, and the tamarind flavor was subtle, so I may add more in the future. As is, my eight-year-old ate it right up, and he's not usually a curry fan (unfortunately, the three-year-old still turned it down). Still, I'd say that overall this is a very kid-friendly curry, and pairs well with any number of Indian side dishes or relishes, especially something a little more astringent or spicy.

  • FJT on March 30, 2016

    Very simple curry that comes together quickly. Lovely flavours - tastes like it took much longer to make than 30 minutes! This is my first recipe from this book and I'm definitely looking forward to making more.

  • hirsheys on April 11, 2018

    Unlike the other reviewers, I did not find this bland - I actually think the taste of the curry leaves was too much for me, so I'll decrease them in the future. (Maybe mine are bigger than the ones she is calling for.) This is a good pantry-style dish, even though I had to use chicken breast instead of chicken thigh. As with the other curry in this book, I found that I don't like the sliced onions in this, so I think I will chop them in the future and I may also explore adding a vegetable or two to the dish. This was definitely a solid recipe, though, especially for ingredients I almost always have lying around.

  • Melanie on June 22, 2020

    This was a tasty, mild curry that we all enjoyed. I used chicken breast, and served with rice, other curries and snow peas.

  • TrishaCP on July 08, 2016

    This was just ok for me, though my husband liked it quite a bit. I just felt the flavors needed amplification- more garlic, ginger, chiles and tamarind. I would definitely play around with increasing those flavors were I to make this again.

  • Lu1950s on January 11, 2025

    We love this and I’ve made it multiple times. I don’t include the curry leaves. I’ve always used boneless chicken thighs but I’ll use chicken breasts next time. I usually double the recipe since it’s so good reheated for lunch. Like others, I stir in a bunch of baby spinach at the end.

  • Astrid5555 on February 18, 2022

    This was a quick, mild and delicous curry the whole family enjoyed. As per celesteprevost’s suggestion I added some baby spinach before serving and I am glad I did.

• Chicken in pickling spices (Achari murghi)

  • MelMM on January 31, 2019

    1-25-2018 Have made this with tofu instead of chicken several times now. I fry the tofu first. I use panch puran (pickling spice mixture) instead of measuring the individual spices.

  • TrishaCP on May 22, 2022

    We really liked the flavors of this chicken. I also used canned tomatoes. It requires a fair bit of prep but I was able to make this this on a weeknight (albeit one where I had a bit more time than usual).

  • fbcd on April 12, 2024

    Easy to make and very yummy. I like the panch poran spice mix, but i think it could stand more heat.I made a half recipe with 1 chilli and a 1/4 teaspoon kashmir chili powder, but depending on who is eating will make it hotter next time.

  • purrviciouz on March 22, 2020

    I used canned diced tomatoes. This turned out really delicious, very easy curry and satisfying on its own with rice.

• Food52

  List of 10 recipes from the book most praised by Food52 members.

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• Food52

  Picked for Food52's October 2017 Cookbook Club.

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• Food52

  Interview with author-Meera Sodha wants to change the way you think about Indian food.

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• Food52 by Andrew Zimmern

  ...the recipes are extraordinary. Curries, chutneys, chaat, and more—plus soups and desserts—are all here, structured clearly and in an ideal progression for the home cook.

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• Eater

  ...chronicles the sort of Indian cooking her family makes at home: fresh, speedy, vibrantly flavored, and far truer to the reality of Indian home cooking than the tikka masala at your average takeout.

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