Over the centuries, India has been invaded by the Aryans, Greeks, Persians, Huns, Turks, Arabs, Afghans, the Portuguese, Dutch, French and the English!
The Mughals of Turkish-Persian origin, came in the 16th century. Their cuisine which is hugely popular to this day, fuses Indian, Middle Eastern and Persian styles of cooking. Ingredients like aromatic spices, nuts, raisins, cream and milk combine to create rich, regal dishes often garnished with rose petals, silver foil - foods fit for a King!
Truly regal, Mughlai Biryani is the perfect one-dish meal to serve when you have company. Succulent pieces of meat, cooked in typical Mughlai-style spices, are layered with fragrant, long-grained rice. The cooking pot is then sealed and set to cook on a low heat. The result? Finger-licking goodness!
Kadhai Gosht gets its name from the wok-like dish (called a Kadhai) that it is traditionally cooked in. Serve it with hot Chapatis (Indian flatbread) or Naans (tandoor baked Indian flatbread).
This is a dish for special occasions - not for any other reason except that it is rich! Its mild, thick, creamy gravy is inspired by the cuisine of Central Asia. Cook and eat it and you will feel like royalty yourself!
One of my most searched-for recipes, Malai Kofta is the perfect vegetarian alternative to meatballs. It goes very well with naans (tandoor-baked flatbread) or Jeera Rice.
The word Navratan means nine gems. In Navratan Korma, that signifies the nine different veggies, fruit and nuts used to prepare the dish! Serve it with hot Naans and you're sure to impress!
Sick of eating the same old veggies? Try something different - Mirchi Ka Saalan. This spicy, tangy dish is best eaten with hot Chapatis (Indian flatbread) or Parathas (layered Indian flatbread).
This soup-like dish combines five different kinds of Daals (lentils) and is therefore also known as Panchratan Daal. Serve it with Naans or plain boiled rice and a salad.
Make a meal of this wholesome and tasty Mughlai-style stuffed bread. Serve it with your favorite chuntey.
Truly a royal dessert, as its name suggests, Shahi Tukra is a rich bread pudding with dry fruits, flavored with cardamom. It's simple to make and a great dessert for times when you're in a hurry.
Is there an Indian version of ice-cream? You bet! Try Kulfi. With it's oh-so-milky and mild cardamom flavors it's sure to have you hooked.
