11 Indian Takes on Classic Comfort Foods
Change up your dinner routine by adding Indian spices like garam masala and ajowan to classic comfort foods. Your macaroni and cheese, meatballs and pizza will never be the same.
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Photo By: Alice Gao ©2014, Cooking Channel, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Macaroni and Cheese, Indian Style
Turmeric makes this macaroni and cheese bright orange without any artificial dyes. Tomatoes add bright flavor that contrasts against slightly spicy chili powder, garam masala and other warm spices.
Get the Recipe: Macaroni and Cheese, Indian-Style
Indian Shepherd's Pie
Traditional shepherd's pie gets an Indian twist from ajowan — a slightly bitter, pungent, thyme-like herb — and brown lentils to beef up the texture.
Get the Recipe: Indian Shepherd's Pie
Indian Fudge
This easy condensed-milk fudge — filled with crunchy cashews and pistachios — has a warm, slightly spicy undertone from ground cardamom.
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Indian-Style Gnocchi
Consider gnocchi a beginners' course in pasta making. In 30 minutes, you can make bite-sized potato dumplings and assemble a creamy mushroom sauce.
Get the Recipe: Indian-Style Gnocchi
Indian Pizza
The thyme-like spice ajowan is used in this simple pizza dough, complementing the garam masala-spiced spinach, cherry tomatoes and lots of cheese on top.
Get the Recipe: Indian Pizza
Garam Masala Ribs with Kachumbar Salad and Lychee Puree
Ribs may sound like a daunting dinner, but the most-difficult part of this recipe is waiting four hours for them to cook. Assembling the tomato-and-cucumber side salad and blitzing the lychee puree couldn't be easier.
Get the Recipe: Garam Masala Ribs with Kachumbar Salad and Lychee Puree
Curried Meatballs
Curried meatballs are perfect for when you're worried about getting dinner on the table quickly. Tamarind pulp, coriander and fennel pack big punches of flavor in the meatballs before they're simmered in a garam masala-wine-tomato sauce.
Get the Recipe: Curried Meatballs
Indian Potato Salad
Mustard seeds and turmeric give potato salad a zip of spicy flavor and a gorgeous color, while sour cream lends creaminess.
Get the Recipe: Indian Potato Salad
Stuffed Peppers
Eat more vegetables by using peppers as bowls. The secret ingredient in these unassuming peppers stuffed with rice, potato and meat is slightly sweet, slightly tart pomegranate powder.
Get the Recipe: Stuffed Peppers
Punjabi Quesadillas
The filling for these quesadillas — made with garlic, ginger and Indian-spiced chicken — is so tender and creamy that you may want to eat it with a spoon. Trust us, it's even better when sandwiched between tortillas, with melted cheese.
Get the Recipe: Punjabi Quesadillas
Curried Calamari with Cilantro and Mint Chutney
Fried calamari typically doesn't have a lot of flavor, but this curry-battered seafood dipped in fresh cilantro and mint chutney beats the odds.
Get the Recipe: Curried Calamari with Cilantro and Mint Chutney