Top Chef Chetna Makan Shares Favorite Indian Restaurant Dishes and Home-Cooked Recipes

Top chef Chetna Makan has shared her insights into navigating Indian restaurant menus and offered easy-to-recreate recipes for home cooks. Makan, known for her culinary expertise, highlighted specific dishes she favors and those she typically avoids when dining out.

Makan consistently orders butter chicken, citing her fondness for the dish and her curiosity to experience different restaurant interpretations. She also always opts for naan or tandoori roti, appreciating the authentic preparation often found in restaurants with traditional tandoor ovens, which she notes are difficult to replicate at home.

Conversely, Makan tends to steer clear of chicken korma, stating she has never had a satisfactory version in a restaurant, and Peshawari naan, which she finds is rarely prepared correctly. These preferences stem from her desire to avoid potential disappointment and to savor well-executed classic dishes.

For those looking to recreate Indian flavors at home, Makan has developed a collection of simple, delicious recipes requiring only five ingredients. These dishes are presented as ideal for weekend meals or festive occasions.

Recommended Home-Cooked Dishes

Makan's recipes include Aubergine Yogurt, described as a flavorful side dish that can be enjoyed on its own. The preparation involves cubing and frying aubergine until golden, then serving it with a seasoned Greek yogurt base, topped with cumin, coriander, and pomegranate seeds.

Another featured recipe is Sabji Masala, a versatile spice blend created with cumin seeds, coriander seeds, ground turmeric, asafoetida, and mango powder. This blend is dry-roasted, crushed into a powder, and stored for up to six months, serving as a base for many dishes.

For a main course, Curry Leaf Prawns offers an appealing option. This dish combines curry leaves, ginger and garlic paste, onions, and the homemade sabji masala, cooked with jumbo prawns until just done. It can be served on its own or with flatbreads and rice.

Cauliflower Sabji is presented as a staple Indian kitchen dish. It involves sautéing cumin seeds, onions, and ginger-garlic paste, then adding cauliflower florets and sabji masala. The cauliflower is cooked until tender and then finished on high heat to achieve a slight crispness.

Spinach and Indian Cheese (Paneer) is a lighter dish. Spinach is puréed and cooked with garlic, then combined with shallow-fried paneer cubes, cream, and lemon juice. The recipe notes that paneer can be substituted with fried potatoes if unavailable.

Makan also shares a Cod Curry, a quick and healthy meal that uses onions, tomatoes, sabji masala, and coconut milk, with cod chunks cooked gently in the sauce. Similarly, Coconut Chicken Curry features chicken thighs simmered in a sauce made with onions, ginger, curry powder, and coconut milk, suitable for serving with plain rice.

Finally, Split Yellow Lentils (Chana Dal) is highlighted for its creamy texture. The dal is soaked, then simmered until soft and disintegrating, with a tempering of cumin seeds, garlic, and dill added at the end. This lentil dish is noted for its velvety consistency without the need for added cream.

Makan's book, "5 Ingredient Indian," featuring these recipes, is available for purchase, with specific details provided for ordering.