We love onions and garlic in our recipes and some dishes just do not taste good without either of those! But, on some festival/religious days in India, many around the country do not prefer to eat onions, garlic or any kind of meat, fish or chicken in their dishes!
During those times, every home cook is racking their brain as to what to cook that has no onions or garlic!
I remember, in many of my relatives' houses, the kids in the family dread those festival and religious days as they are sure they will not get those spicy and delicious curries that they normally indulge in to enjoy with rotis and rice!
Many in my family also do not prefer to eat onions and garlic (albeit for spiritual reasons).
This has prompted me to omit these two ingredients in many delicious and popular Indian dishes without compromising on taste!
Some of them are listed below.
I hope you too get to enjoy these dishes without onions or garlic during festivals like Diwali, Dussehra, any pooja days etc.
You will love them so much that you may even make them on regular days too!!
Let's check out these dishes:
NO-ONION, NO-GARLIC INDIAN CURRIES:
Enjoy these with rice, rotis, parathas or even with toasted bread!
Click on the Dish Title to get the recipe.
1. Aruchuvitta Sambar/Indian-spiced Lentil Curry
Spiced lentil curry/sambar with fresh vegetables in a homemade spicy coconut masala; perfect with rice, dosa/idli etc.!
2. Mooli Huli/Radish Sambar
A mildly spiced south Indian flavored lentil stew with fresh white radish, coconut and some simple but aromatic Indian spices. Paired with hot steaming rice, it is an ultimate comfort food.
3. Creamy Malai Kofta Curry
Restaurant like spicy and delicious potato-paneer koftas in creamy tomato-cashew based gravy; perfect with rotis, parathas, naan or even a bowl of hot steamed rice.
4. Gujarati Khatti Meethi Dal
Quintessential mildly spicy, sour and sweet Gujarati dal made with toor dal; paired with rice or any Indian flat bread it is a quick Indian meal on your table!
5. Shahi Paneer Butter Masala
Flavorful north Indian curry with soft paneer cubes simmered in a creamy, mildly spiced tomato gravy with fresh green peas and a hint of kasoori methi to give it an exotic flavor dimension.
6. Kashmiri Dum Aloo
A spicy, delicious no onion-no garlic potato curry from the state of Kashmir in India. Infused with aromatic flavors of ginger and fennel powders, it is perfect to enjoy with rice or naan!
7. Shahi Gobi Kurma
Vegan, creamy coconut and cashew based cauliflower and peas kurma with no onions or garlic.
8. Pulikoddel/Ash Gourd in Coconut Gravy
Mangalorean style ashgourd in a sweet, spicy and tangy coconut gravy. Enjoy it with rice, roti, paratha or as a side dish with any meal!
9. One-Pot Vegan Mixed Dal Curry
Flavorful vegan three lentil dal curry with tomatoes, ginger, fresh herbs and minimal spices. No soaking, no frying, no blending, no onions, no garlic and totally vegan!
10. South Indian Pumpkin Stir Fry
A simple (no onion, no garlic) south Indian style stir fry with chunks of pumpkin in mild aromatic spices like asafetida and turmeric in mustard-lentil seasoning.
11. Matar Ka Nimona/Benarasi Fresh Green Peas Curry
Spicy no onion-no garlic green peas curry from Uttar Pradesh in India; a divine winter delight. Enjoy with rotis, parathas or even plain hot steamed rice!
12. Puri with Aloo Raswala
A quick and easy complete meal; deep fried Indian bread with a no onion-no garlic dish prepared using potatoes and tomatoes infused with aromatic Indian spices.
13. Mooga Ghashi/Konkani Style Sprouted Moong Coconut Curry
Sprouted mung bean (green gram)-coconut based tangy gravy, another traditional delicacy of the Konkani (GSBs) Hindu community of Mangalore in the southern part of India.
16. Pineapple Menaskaayi/Gojju | Vegan Pineapple Coconut Curry
Spicy, tangy and mildly sweet vegan pineapple coconut curry; the sourness of the pineapple in a sweet and spicy coconut based gravy is like an explosion of flavors on your tastebuds! Enjoy with hot steamed rice or any Indian flat bread!
17. Rajma Sambar/Red Kidney Beans Sambar
Traditional Indian favorite sambar made using red kidney beans or rajma instead!! Enjoy with rice or any Indian flatbread like roti, parathas, naan etc. or even with some toasted fresh bread!
18. Aloo Gobi
A North Indian style dry curry with potatoes and cauliflower in a medley of mild aromatic spices; perfect with rice and dal or any Indian flatbread, especially soft rotis!!
19. Green Peas Upkari
20. Beetroot Upkari/Stir Fry
Healthy, quick and nutritious 15-minute south Indian style beetroot stir fry with onions and coconut.
21. Pineapple Rasam
22. Konkani Style Surna/Suran Koota
This culinary gem from Konkani cuisine is a simple, easy to make and lip-smacking coconut based chutney with crispy, fried yams.
Very popular on wedding banana leaf meal during weddings and festivals, it is so good, we enjoy it all year round with everyday meals too!
Enjoy it as a side dish with rice and dal or any meal!
No Onion-No Garlic Parathas:
Soft, delicious potato masala stuffed Whole wheat flour moringa leaves paratha (Indian flat bread); all you need is just achaar (spicy Indian pickle) or even just some mango chutney and/or an Indian gravy/sauce/curry to complete your meal!
Do make these and enjoy the upcoming festivities with family and friends!!
Will be adding more soon!
I am sharing this with:
Angie's FiestaFriday along with co-hosts Judi @ cookingwithauntjuju.com and Debanita @ Canvassed Recipes
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Have fun cooking, eating and sharing!!!!
Lovely collection of curries for fasting days. I will surely try out some of them soon.
Thanks dear <3 These do come in handy during religious festivals and poojas!
Lovely collection of recipes without onion and garlic.Useful post.
Thanks a bunch dear 🙂
Beautiful compilation of recipes without onion and garlic. Fantastic share.
Thanks so much dear 🙂 I hope you get to try some of them soon!
Love the collection! As you said, we love our onions and garlic in gravy but these are perfect for the Navratri days 🙂
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks so much Ashima 🙂
What a fabulous compilation dear!! So handy for the people who avoid these ingredients now 🙂
Thanks a bunch Freda 🙂 Handy for me too 😀 Makes it easier during this festive season!
I can't imagine not living with onions and garlic as they are in so many recipes I make. But if you can make up for the flavor as you do then who will miss them? Great assortment of dishes to share with everyone at Fiesta Friday. - I'm sure many will appreciate all your suggestions and recipes! I have my eye on a couple...
Thanks so much!!! We do love our onions and garlic too, but on some religious days, we try to avoid these. So happy to be part of Fiesta Friday!!!