Just like the high fashion design industry where designers take the next big step and come up with avant-garde fashion, it has become popular in many parts of the United States for big name chefs to experiment with flavors and combine the various cuisines of different Asian countries.
In an attempt to offer the next best food item and to be more innovative, chefs across the globe are taking inspiration from Indian cuisine and are creating Indo-fusion recipes. Having a complete Indo-Fusion menu has become a trend for many upscale restaurants in big metropolitan cities like Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, and Houston.
So what are fusion recipes? It is the process of mixing and matching various ingredients from different flavors and cultures to create new and unconventional recipes. In short, it is a mix and match of different cuisines. We all need variety, and fusion is able to provide us with the wide array of tastes we like to have in our food. Fusion recipes provide a modern twist to classic and popular dishes from Indian, Italian, Chinese, and American cuisines by blending them with each other.
Without further ado, let’s explore the world of Indo-Fusion dishes:
Indo-Mexican Fusion Appetizers/ Small Plates
• Mexican samosas
• Chicken Tikka Nachos
• Tandoori Chicken Quesadillas
• Cholay Salsa (see recipe below)
• Fried Paneer Tacos
Mexican cuisine includes nachos, guacamole, tacos, quesadillas, and lots of salsa. Combining those flavors with those of paneer, tandoori chicken, and samosas makes for a delicious union exploding with spices and flavor. A delicious example includes Mexican samosas, which are filled with ground beef, black beans, corn, onions, jalapenos, and cilantro rather than just spiced potatoes. They are served with guacamole chutney instead of mint chutney. Another example would be chicken tikka nachos, which are made with tasty shredded chicken tikka, plenty of cheese, pico de gallo, creamy cooling yogurt sauce, and a spicy red chili sauce! An alternative option is making tandoori chicken quesadillas by adding cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala, and chat masala to make the chicken filling for the tortillas. Pair up the quesadillas with cholay salsa, a spin-off of black bean salsa, where chickpeas and spices such as chat masala and cumin powder are used instead of black beans to make the perfect Indo-Mexican dip. And lastly, a vegetarian friendly recipe includes paneer tacos, in which paneer is seasoned and fried to be used as filling in place of chicken or ground beef.
Indo-Italian Fusion Main Dishes
• Naan Pizza (chicken tikka pizza, saag paneer pizza)
• Penne Makhni
• Hariyali Spaghetti
Italian cuisine is all about raviolis, lasagna, pizza, and spaghetti known for bursting with paramount flavors of basil, oregano, tomatoes, and cheese. Combining these tastes with tandoori masala, red chili powder, saag, cumin powder, and ginger-garlic paste creates a divine concoction, perfect for impressing your guests. Adding toppings such as tandoori chicken, saag paneer, or gyros to the fundamental base of pizza dough, tomato sauce, and cheese is the perfect blend of Indian and Italian. Another twist on traditional pizza is using naan bread as a base instead of pizza crust. It is fast and easy, not to mention still delicious. A third innovative creation is saag paneer pizza, which uses traditional pizza dough and includes adding a sauté of frozen spinach with onion, garlic, ginger, and garam masala, and heavy cream at the end to hold everything together. In addition, penne, pasta, and spaghetti can have an Indian spin of their own. For example, instead of tomato or alfredo sauce, Penne Makhni uses a cream base mixed with red chili powder, tomatoes, ginger garlic paste, garam masala, and fenugreek leaves. Similarly, Hairyali Spaghetti consists of a green chutney base.
Indo-American Cuisine
• Masala Mashed Potatoes (see recipe below)
• Masala Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Popular American comfort food includes grilled cheese sandwiches and mashed potatoes. Additional ingredients like red chilis, garlic paste, turmeric powder, and cumin seeds to mashed potatoes and sandwiches can make these foods more enjoyable!
Now that we have introduced you to the world of fusion recipes, which of these recipes is more to your liking? Let us know in the comment section, and stay tuned for the second part of this Indo-Fusion Blog which includes mouthwatering out-of-the box desserts that you’ve probably never heard of before.
Check out our versions of the Indo fusion dishes for your next soiree.
