Indian-inspired recipes for weeknight cooking

I love my spice cabinet. Unlike many people, I take pleasure in organizing it and keeping it constantly filled with new versions of old favorites (like specific chile powders) and some surprises that I don’t often use but want to make sure I have on hand for random inspiration: piment d’Esplette, fenugreek seeds and asafoetida — a pungent umami-boosting spice in Indian dishes — to name a few. I’ve devised a system that works flawlessly (for me, anyway) comprised of squat quarter-pint containers that are labeled with ticker tape and stacked alphabetically so I always know where and how much of something I have.

This organization comes in handy particularly when making Indian dishes at home, which I often do. It’s one of the few cuisines that I prefer to cook at home, letting the spices perfume the air. And it always goes well with my standard pot of daily rice. I most often use spices like cumin, mustard seeds and the aforementioned asafoetida to flavor cooked-down greens or a quick-cooking red lentil curry. And having all those spices within arm’s reach helps when I inevitably turn the heat on under the pot before I have my ingredients in order.

So here are some of our Indian-inspired recipes that I turn to again and again when I want something quick-cooking and that will get better and better as I come back to it for leftovers.

My favorite condiment on earth, hands down, is tamarind chutney, so I developed this recipe for Sticky-Sour Tamarind Lamb Shanks that cooks the meat in a sauce that tastes just like it. Brown sugar, raisins and mustard and fennel seeds flavor the tamarind paste and stand up wonderfully to the assertive lamb. Whether you make this in the oven or a multi-purpose cooker like the Instant Pot (there are instructions for both), you’ll be rewarded with a dish that makes for the best leftovers to eat over rice.

Right now I’m eating a bunch of Swiss chard or other tender spring greens every other day and using this recipe for Indian Spiced Chard and Potatoes as my template. Garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander and cardamom add a heady aroma to quick-cooking greens. The potatoes are a bonus if I have them, but often I make this with greens alone.

For a fun brunch mash-up, try Genevieve Ko’s Palak Paneer Shakshuka. Leftover palak or saag paneer (or use a favorite store-bought brand) is mixed with cooked onions and peppers and used to bubble around eggs that get strewn with cilantro and chiles. It’s a bright, greens-heavy version that’s a wonderful change to the tomato-y original.

And for a cooling dessert to tame those spices after dinner, try this this Mango Yogurt Pudding that’s a riff on Indian shrikhand. Sweetened, pistachio-studded yogurt gets topped with a purée of fresh mango and lime juice — it’s the ideal breakfast, snack or dessert to cool off with as the daytime temps get warmer and warmer.

Sticky-Sour Tamarind Lamb Shanks

The distinctive light-gaminess of lamb finds a perfect partner in the acidity of tamarind paste, although the sauce would taste as good on pork or beef shanks, or short ribs. Inspired by the flavors of Indian tamarind chutney, I use brown sugar and raisins to add sweetness to the fruit sauce while all the spices and chile deepen the umami of the low-and-slow braised meat.
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Cook time: 3 hours, 30 minutes.

(Silvia Razgova/Silvia Razgova/Silvia Razgova)

Indian Spiced Chard and Potatoes

Plenty of aromatics, such as onions, garlic, a small amount of spices and fresh herbs make this dish very flavorful. Use any quick-cooking greens you like, such as chard, spinach, or even thinly sliced kale.
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Cook time: 30 minutes.

Palak Paneer Shakshuka

Cubes of paneer cheese add a creamy richness to this dish, but it’s just as good without if you don’t eat dairy — simply start with plain palak or saag instead. You’ll want to sop up the savory sauce with bread, so be sure to have some pita, naan, chapati, challah — it all works.
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Cook time: 20 minutes.

(Mariah Tauger/Los Angeles Times)

Mango Yogurt Pudding

This sweetened yogurt pudding — inspired by Indian shrikhand — has a super thick, creamy texture. Start making it the day before you want to eat it to give the yogurt ample time to strain and thicken. Or for a shortcut, you can buy prestrained yogurt like labneh.
Get the recipe.
Cook time: 20 minutes, plus 1 day straining.