Exploring Regional Indian Cuisines: How TRIK Masalas Cater to Diverse Tastes

Exploring Regional Indian Cuisines: How TRIK Masalas Cater to Diverse Tastes

Indian cuisine is as diverse as the country itself, with each region boasting its own unique flavors and cooking techniques. At TRIK, we celebrate this diversity by offering a range of authentic masalas that cater to the different tastes of regional Indian cuisines. In this blog post, we'll explore a few popular regional dishes and how our TRIK Masalas can help you recreate these flavors in your own kitchen. We will add a little twist to each of these & make them our own while honoring these age old recipes.

North Indian: Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani)

 Butter Chicken, or Murgh Makhani, is a popular North Indian dish known for its rich, creamy tomato sauce and tender, succulent chicken pieces. This dish perfectly represents the indulgent flavors of North Indian cuisine. To create an authentic Butter Chicken at home, try using our TRIK Chicken Masala.

trik-butter-chicken-masala-image-with butterchicken and naan bread

Recipe:

  • 500g boneless chicken pieces
  • 1 cup yogurt
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 tomatoes, pureed
  • 2 tbsp TRIK Chicken Masala
  • 4 tbsp butter
  • Salt, to taste
  • Fresh cilantro, for garnish

Instructions:

  1. Marinate the chicken pieces in yogurt and TRIK Chicken Masala for at least 30 minutes.
  2. In a large pan, heat the butter and sauté the onions until golden brown.
  3. Add the marinated chicken pieces and cook until almost done.
  4. Stir in the tomato puree and cook until the raw smell of tomatoes disappears.
  5. Add the heavy cream and salt, to taste. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce thickens.
  6. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with naan or steamed rice.

Tips from TRIK: For a smoky flavor, cook the chicken on a grill or stovetop grill pan before adding it to the sauce.

South Indian: Masala Dosa

Masala Dosa is a crispy, golden-brown rice and lentil crepe filled with a spiced potato filling. This popular South Indian breakfast dish is served with coconut chutney and sambar. Use our TRIK Chicken/Sambar Masala to create the perfect blend of spices for the potato filling.

Recipe:

  • 2 cups dosa batter (store-bought or homemade)
  • 2 cups boiled and mashed potatoes
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 green chilies, finely chopped
  • 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1/2 tsp urad dal (split black gram)
  • 1/2 tsp chana dal (split Bengal gram)
  • 1 sprig curry leaves
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • Salt, to taste
  • 2 tbsp TRIK Chicken/Sambar Masala

Instructions:

  1. In a pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds, urad dal, chana dal, and curry leaves. Sauté until the dals turn golden brown.
  2. Add the chopped onions and green chilies and cook until the onions are translucent.
  3. Stir in the mashed potatoes, TRIK Chicken/Sambar Masala, and salt. Mix well and cook for 5 minutes.
  4. Heat a non-stick pan or tawa and pour a ladleful of dosa batter onto it, spreading it evenly into a thin crepe.
  5. Drizzle a little oil around the edges of the dosa and cook until the underside is golden brown.
  6. Place a spoonful of the potato filling in the center of the dosa and fold it over. Serve hot with coconut chutney and sambar.

    East Indian: Bengali Fish Curry (Macher Jhol)

    Bengali Fish Curry, or Macher Jhol, is a delicious and flavorful dish from the eastern region of India. It features tender fish pieces cooked in a spicy, tangy gravy made with tomatoes, mustard oil, and a blend of spices. Use our TRIK Fish Curry Masala to recreate this authentic dish at home.

    Recipe:

    • 500g fish (such as Rohu, Hilsa, or Catfish), cut into pieces
    • 1 large onion, finely chopped
    • 2 tomatoes, chopped
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1/2 tsp red chili powder
    • 2 tbsp mustard oil
    • Salt, to taste
    • 2 tbsp TRIK Fish Curry Masala
    • Fresh cilantro, for garnish

    Instructions:

    1. Marinate the fish pieces with turmeric powder, red chili powder, and salt for 15-20 minutes.
    2. In a large pan, heat mustard oil and fry the marinated fish pieces until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
    3. In the same pan, add more oil if needed and sauté the onions until golden brown.
    4. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until soft and mushy.
    5. Stir in the TRIK Fish Curry Masala and cook for 2-3 minutes.
    6. Add 1 cup of water and salt, to taste. Bring the mixture to a boil.
    7. Gently add the fried fish pieces to the gravy and cook for 5-7 minutes, until the fish is cooked through.
    8. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with steamed rice.

      West Indian: Gujarati Dhokla

      Dhokla is a popular West Indian snack from Gujarat, made from fermented rice and chickpea flour. It's light, fluffy, and slightly tangy, often served with green chutney. Our TRIK Punjabi Chhole Masala adds the perfect blend of spices to elevate the flavor of this classic dish.

      Recipe:

      • 2 cups dhokla batter (store-bought or homemade)
      • 1/2 tsp fruit salt (eno)
      • 1 tbsp oil
      • 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
      • 1/2 tsp sesame seeds
      • A pinch of asafoetida (hing)
      • 2 green chilies, slit lengthwise
      • 5-6 curry leaves
      • 1 tbsp TRIK Pujabi Chhole Masala
      • Fresh cilantro, for garnish
      • Grated coconut, for garnish (optional)

      Instructions:

      1. Grease a steamer plate or flat dish with oil.
      2. Add the fruit salt to the dhokla batter and mix gently. Pour the batter into the greased dish.
      3. Steam the dhokla for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
      4. In a small pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds, sesame seeds, asafoetida, green chilies, and curry leaves. Cook for a minute until the seeds begin to crackle.
      5. Add the TRIK Punjabi Chhole Masala to the tempering and cook for another minute.
      6. Pour the tempering over the steamed dhokla and spread it evenly.
      7. Garnish with fresh cilantro and grated coconut, if desired. Cut into squares and serve with green chutney.

        Central Indian: Indori Poha

        Indori Poha is a popular breakfast dish from the central region of India, specifically from Indore in Madhya Pradesh. It's made with flattened 

        rice, also known as poha, and is flavored with a blend of spices, onions, and peanuts. Our TRIK Tomato Rice Masala brings a little twist to the taste of this dish.

        Recipe:

        • 2 cups poha (flattened rice), rinsed and soaked for 10 minutes
        • 1 large onion, finely chopped
        • 1/4 cup raw peanuts
        • 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
        • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
        • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
        • 2 green chilies, finely chopped
        • 8-10 curry leaves
        • 2 tbsp oil
        • Salt, to taste
        • 1 tbsp TRIK Tomato Rice Masala
        • Fresh cilantro, for garnish
        • Sev (crunchy chickpea noodles), for garnish (optional)

        Instructions:

        1. In a large pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and curry leaves. Cook until the seeds begin to crackle.
        2. Add the peanuts and cook until they turn golden brown.
        3. Stir in the chopped onions and green chilies, and cook until the onions are translucent.
        4. Add the turmeric powder and TRIK Tomato Rice Masala, mixing well.
        5. Add the soaked and drained poha to the pan, along with salt to taste. Gently mix to combine the ingredients evenly.
        6. Cook the poha for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until heated through.
        7. Garnish with fresh cilantro and sev, if desired. Serve hot with a cup of chai.

          These regional dishes showcase the diverse flavors of Indian cuisine, and with the help of TRIK Masalas, you can easily recreate these authentic or a little bit of Indian fusion tastes right at home. Enjoy the culinary journey through the different regions of India and make your mealtimes even more special.

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