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7 Masterchef Recipes

Flavours of a civilisation

7 Masterchef Indian Recipes From the World's Greatest Chefs

Indian cuisine spans 28 states, each with its own distinct flavour language. These seven recipes were chosen to represent that breadth — from the Mughal richness of Dum Biryani to the coastal simplicity of a proper Goan fish curry. Each chef credited here has either defined, revived, or elevated these dishes for the modern era.

Other cuisines

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1. Murgh Makhani (Butter Chicken)2. Hyderabadi Dum Biryani3. Rogan Josh4. Dal Makhani5. Masala Dosa with Sambar6. Lamb Seekh Kebab with Mint Raita7. Gulab Jamun with Rose Syrup

Indian Masterchef Recipes

#1Hard

Murgh Makhani (Butter Chicken)

The original Butter Chicken from Moti Mahal, Delhi — tandoor-roasted chicken in a tomato-cream sauce enriched with butter and fragrant with cardamom and fenugreek.

520
kcal / serving
1 hour 30 min + overnight marinating
👨‍🍳
Kundan Lal Gujral
Founder of Moti Mahal Delhi — Creator of Butter Chicken (1948)
Peshawar, India (now Pakistan)

💬Kundan Lal Gujral accidentally created Butter Chicken in 1948 by simmering leftover tandoori chicken in a spiced tomato cream sauce. It became the most ordered Indian dish in the world.

Ingredients — 4 servings

  • 800g chicken thighs (boneless)
  • Marinade: 200g yogurt, 2 tsp kashmiri chilli powder, 1 tsp garam masala, 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste, juice 1 lemon, salt
  • Sauce: 600g ripe tomatoes (quartered), 1 large onion, 4 garlic cloves, 2cm ginger, 2 tsp kashmiri chilli powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp cumin powder, ½ tsp garam masala, 2 tbsp butter, 3 tbsp cream, 1 tbsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
  • 1 tsp sugar

Instructions

  1. 1Marinate chicken overnight in yogurt marinade.
  2. 2Grill or pan-fry marinated chicken over high heat until charred and cooked through (10–12 min). Rest and slice.
  3. 3For sauce: char tomatoes, onion, ginger, and garlic under grill or in dry pan until blackened.
  4. 4Blend charred vegetables until smooth; pass through a sieve.
  5. 5Cook tomato sauce in butter over medium heat, adding spices. Simmer 20 minutes until deepened in colour.
  6. 6Add chicken, cream, kasuri methi (crushed between palms), and sugar. Simmer 10 minutes.
  7. 7Finish with a cold knob of butter for gloss. Serve with naan.

⭐ Chef's Pro Tip

The secret is charring — both the chicken and the tomatoes. That smokiness is what makes authentic Butter Chicken different from tomato-cream pasta sauce.

38g
Protein
18g
Carbs
28g
Fat
#2Expert

Hyderabadi Dum Biryani

The definitive Dum Biryani: long-grain Basmati rice and marinated mutton slow-cooked sealed under dough — a technique brought to India by the Mughals in the 16th century.

680
kcal / serving
3 hours + overnight marinating
👨‍🍳
Imtiaz Qureshi
Padma Shri Awardee, Grand Master of Dum Pukht Cuisine
Lucknow, India

💬Qureshi was awarded India's fourth highest civilian honour for preserving Awadhi dum cooking. He says: "The dum (steam) does the cooking. Seal it and trust it."

Ingredients — 6 servings

  • 1kg bone-in mutton (1.5 inch pieces)
  • 500g aged Basmati rice (soaked 30 min)
  • Marinade: 300g yogurt, 2 tsp red chilli powder, 2 tsp garam masala, 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste, juice 1 lemon, 2 tbsp ghee, salt
  • 3 large onions (sliced and deep-fried to dark golden — birista)
  • Whole spices: 4 cardamom, 4 cloves, 2 bay leaves, 1 cinnamon stick
  • 4 tbsp warm milk infused with ½ tsp saffron
  • 4 tbsp ghee
  • Fresh mint and coriander
  • Dough (for sealing): 200g plain flour + water

Instructions

  1. 1Marinate mutton overnight with yogurt marinade and half the fried onions.
  2. 2Partially cook rice in heavily salted boiling water with whole spices until 70% done (al dente). Drain.
  3. 3Layer in a heavy-based pot: mutton at bottom, half rice, mint, coriander, remaining onions, saffron milk, ghee.
  4. 4Add remaining rice, drizzle with ghee and saffron milk. Scatter mint on top.
  5. 5Seal pot tightly with dough around the lid perimeter.
  6. 6Cook on high heat 5 minutes (to create steam); reduce to absolute minimum heat for 45 minutes.
  7. 7Break seal at table for dramatic steam release. Fold gently before serving.

⭐ Chef's Pro Tip

Never stir a Biryani while cooking. The steam distributes everything evenly. Stirring breaks the rice and makes it mushy — ruining the layered texture.

44g
Protein
76g
Carbs
22g
Fat
#3Hard

Rogan Josh

The definitive Kashmiri lamb curry — deep red from Kashmiri chillies (not heat, but colour), scented with maval flowers, and slow-braised until the meat falls from the bone.

580
kcal / serving
2 hours 30 minutes
👨‍🍳
Vikas Khanna
Michelin-Starred Chef, New York; James Beard Foundation Winner
Amritsar, India

💬Khanna, a Punjabi who mastered Kashmiri cuisine, says Rogan Josh is the most misunderstood Indian dish globally. "Every restaurant serves an orange curry and calls it Rogan Josh. The real dish is deep crimson and has a clean, complex spice note — not hot."

Ingredients — 4 servings

  • 1kg lamb shoulder on the bone
  • 4 tbsp mustard oil
  • 4–6 Kashmiri dried red chillies (whole)
  • 2 black cardamom, 6 green cardamom, 4 cloves, 2 bay leaves
  • 300g yogurt (whisked)
  • 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
  • 1 tsp fennel seed powder
  • 1 tsp ginger powder (sonth)
  • ½ tsp asafoetida (hing)
  • 1 tsp garam masala (finish)
  • Salt
  • Fresh coriander

Instructions

  1. 1Heat mustard oil to smoking point; let cool slightly. This removes bitterness.
  2. 2Fry whole spices and Kashmiri chillies in oil until fragrant (30 sec).
  3. 3Add lamb in batches; sear until well-browned.
  4. 4Add yogurt one tablespoon at a time, stirring constantly to prevent splitting.
  5. 5Add chilli powder, fennel, ginger powder, hing, and salt. Stir well.
  6. 6Add 300ml water; cover and cook on low heat 1.5–2 hours until lamb is tender and oil separates.
  7. 7Finish with garam masala. The oil floating on top (rogan) is the mark of a properly cooked Rogan Josh.

⭐ Chef's Pro Tip

The colour comes from Kashmiri chillies, which are mild and bright red — not hot. Never substitute with regular red chillies. The dish should be deeply coloured but not spicy.

42g
Protein
10g
Carbs
34g
Fat
#4Medium

Dal Makhani

Whole black urad lentils and kidney beans slow-cooked overnight, enriched with butter and cream — the most luxurious lentil preparation in Indian cuisine.

380
kcal / serving
12–24 hours (overnight slow-cook)
👨‍🍳
Sanjeev Kapoor
India's Most Celebrated Chef, Khana Khazana TV Host, 160M+ viewers
Ambala, India

💬Kapoor's version restores the original recipe from Punjab's dhaba culture where Dal Makhani simmered overnight on dying embers. "The longer it cooks, the better it becomes. 24 hours makes it transcendent," he says.

Ingredients — 6 servings

  • 250g whole black urad lentils (sabut dal)
  • 100g kidney beans (rajma)
  • 100g unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 1 large onion (finely diced)
  • 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
  • 400g crushed tomatoes
  • 1 tsp red chilli powder
  • 100ml cream
  • 1 tsp kasuri methi (crushed)
  • Salt to taste
  • Fresh coriander and cream to garnish

Instructions

  1. 1Soak lentils and beans overnight in cold water. Rinse.
  2. 2Pressure cook with 1L water and salt for 20 minutes (or boil 2 hours until very soft).
  3. 3Sauté onions in oil and half the butter until deep golden (15 min).
  4. 4Add ginger-garlic paste; cook until raw aroma disappears (3 min).
  5. 5Add tomatoes and chilli powder; cook until masala leaves oil (10 min).
  6. 6Add cooked lentils with their liquid. Simmer on lowest heat minimum 4 hours (ideally overnight), stirring occasionally and adding water as needed.
  7. 7Stir in remaining butter, cream, and kasuri methi 10 minutes before serving.

⭐ Chef's Pro Tip

The long simmer is not optional — it's the technique. The lentils should almost dissolve into the tomato-butter base. If it tastes good after 1 hour, it will taste extraordinary after 12.

18g
Protein
42g
Carbs
16g
Fat
#5Hard

Masala Dosa with Sambar

Paper-thin fermented rice-lentil crêpe with spiced potato filling, served with sambar (lentil vegetable soup) and coconut chutney. A UNESCO-candidate street food.

420
kcal / serving
12–24 hours fermentation + 30 min active
👨‍🍳
A. Sanyasi Raju
Master of Udupi Cuisine, National Award for Culinary Heritage
Udupi, Karnataka, India

💬Raju represents the Udupi tradition where dosas were served as temple food. The 12-hour fermentation process is sacred — it transforms raw ingredients into something alive and digestible.

Ingredients — 4 servings

  • Batter: 2 cups rice, ½ cup split urad dal, 1 tsp fenugreek seeds (soaked separately 6h)
  • Filling: 600g boiled potatoes, 2 tbsp ghee, 1 tsp mustard seeds, 10 curry leaves, 2 green chillies, 1 large onion (sliced), 1 tsp turmeric, 2 tbsp coriander leaves, salt
  • Ghee or oil for cooking

Instructions

  1. 1Soak rice and urad dal separately for 6 hours. Grind separately with soaking water to smooth batter. Combine with fenugreek water. Ferment 12–18 hours in warm place until spongy and sour.
  2. 2For filling: temper mustard seeds in ghee until popping. Add curry leaves, chillies, onion; sauté 8 min. Add turmeric and potatoes; mash roughly. Season.
  3. 3Heat a flat iron pan; sprinkle water to test (should sizzle and evaporate instantly).
  4. 4Pour one ladleful of batter and spread in circular motion to paper-thin circle.
  5. 5Drizzle ghee around edges; cook until golden and crisp (edges lift naturally).
  6. 6Place potato filling in centre; fold over and serve immediately with sambar and chutney.

⭐ Chef's Pro Tip

The iron pan (tawa) must be seasoned and at the exact right temperature. Too cool and the batter sticks; too hot and it sets before you can spread it. Test with water droplets.

14g
Protein
68g
Carbs
10g
Fat
#6Medium

Lamb Seekh Kebab with Mint Raita

Hand-minced lamb seekh kebabs — spiced with garam masala, ginger, and fresh herbs, grilled over charcoal. The texture must be loose and yielding, not dense.

340
kcal / serving
30 min + 2 hours chilling
👨‍🍳
Atul Kochhar
First Indian Chef to Earn a Michelin Star in the UK, Benares London
Jamshedpur, India

💬Kochhar learned seekh kebabs from Nawabi kitchens. "The meat should caress the skewer, not grip it. Over-kneading creates rubber. Gentle mixing is the skill."

Ingredients — 4 servings

  • 600g lamb mince (20% fat)
  • 1 medium onion (grated, squeezed very dry)
  • 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
  • 2 green chillies (finely chopped)
  • 2 tbsp fresh coriander
  • 1 tbsp fresh mint
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 1 egg yolk
  • Salt
  • Flatbreads and mint raita to serve

Instructions

  1. 1Mix all ingredients with lamb by hand — do not over-work. Just combine until uniform.
  2. 2Refrigerate 2 hours to firm up.
  3. 3Mould about 80g of mix around a flat metal skewer in a sausage shape (15cm long).
  4. 4Grill over charcoal or under very high grill, turning carefully every 2 min, for 8–10 min total.
  5. 5Rest 2 minutes; slide off skewers with a cloth.
  6. 6Serve with mint raita, sliced onion, and warm flatbreads.

⭐ Chef's Pro Tip

The onion must be completely dry after grating — squeeze hard in a cloth. Any moisture will make the kebab fall off the skewer. Fat content in the mince is also crucial.

28g
Protein
8g
Carbs
20g
Fat
#7Medium

Gulab Jamun with Rose Syrup

Melt-in-the-mouth milk-solid dumplings fried to mahogany then soaked in rose-cardamom syrup. India's most beloved dessert, served warm.

180
kcal / serving
1 hour
👨‍🍳
Pooja Dhingra
Le Cordon Bleu Paris, Founder of Le 15 Patisserie Mumbai
Mumbai, India

💬Dhingra, who modernised Indian pastry, says Gulab Jamun is the dish that shows India's confident relationship with sweetness. "No apology for richness. Make it properly or don't make it."

Ingredients — 16 servings

  • 200g khoya (reduced milk solids)
  • 50g plain flour
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • 2 tbsp warm milk (to bind)
  • Oil for deep frying
  • Syrup: 400g sugar, 300ml water, 6 cardamom pods (cracked), 1 tsp rose water
  • 1 tbsp pistachios (crushed, to garnish)

Instructions

  1. 1Make syrup: dissolve sugar in water; add cardamom; simmer 10 minutes. Add rose water off heat.
  2. 2Crumble khoya; mix with flour and baking powder. Add milk to form soft, non-sticky dough.
  3. 3Roll into 16 smooth balls with no cracks (critical).
  4. 4Heat oil to 140°C (very important — low and slow). Fry balls, constantly moving, 12–15 min until deep mahogany.
  5. 5Drain; immediately drop into warm (not boiling) syrup.
  6. 6Soak at least 30 minutes — they will plump up visibly.
  7. 7Serve warm, garnished with crushed pistachios.

⭐ Chef's Pro Tip

Temperature is everything: 140°C oil allows the inside to cook through before the outside over-browns. Any higher and you get raw centres in a burnt shell.

4g
Protein
28g
Carbs
8g
Fat

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Frequently asked questions

  • Who is the most famous Indian chef internationally?

    Vikas Khanna (Michelin-starred, New York), Sanjeev Kapoor (India's most influential TV chef), and Atul Kochhar (first Indian chef to earn a Michelin star in the UK) are among the most recognised globally.

  • What makes Indian cooking complex?

    Indian cooking involves layered spice blooming, region-specific techniques (dum cooking, tadka/tempering, tawa cooking), fermentation (dosas, idli), and a deep Ayurvedic understanding of how spices interact with each other and with digestion.

  • What is the difference between North and South Indian food?

    North Indian food uses more cream, dairy, wheat (roti/naan), and whole spices like cardamom and cloves. South Indian food relies on rice, lentils, tamarind, coconut, and curry leaves with lighter, sourer flavour profiles.