The Ingredient You Can Use Instead Of Cream In Indian Dishes (2024)

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The Ingredient You Can Use Instead Of Cream In Indian Dishes? ›

Most recipes rely on heavy cream to thicken up the dish. For health-conscious Indian food lovers, Greek yogurt is a useful ingredient that allows you to enjoy a lighter version of the same flavor-packed meals you know and love. Look for a full-fat, flavorless Greek yogurt.

Cashew cream is a perfect vegan substitute for heavy cream in North Indian dishes. Add 2 tablespoons to half a cup of cashew cream to curries like Butter Chicken, Paneer Makhani, Chicken Tikka Masala, or Salmon Tikka Masala.

Typically, recipes will either call for heavy cream or fresh cream, sometimes called malai, but there's another ingredient you can use that might already be sitting in your refrigerator. The next time you're making a dish that calls for cream, like butter chicken or saag paneer, reach for some Greek yogurt instead.

TURMERIC. That is the go to spice in any South Indian kitchen to enhance a dish.

So, instead of cream, I use yogurt and butter (cream's close cousin) to get that rich and velvety tomato gravy for my Chicken Tikka Masala. If you are one of those people who love cream in their Chicken Tikka, then swap out the yogurt and add it. It's all good.

Substitute Cream with Cashews or Coconut Milk.

Blended cashews are commonly used in Indian cooking so it's a harmonious substitution.

What is the substitute for cream in paneer butter masala? To get the exact taste of cream, substitute it with cashew cream. To make your own, soak 15 cashew nuts in warm water for an hour and blend it until creamy, smooth and thick. Add this at the last step after you turn off the stove.

Add the sour cream and/or yogurt mixture and stir over medium-low heat until the mixture has heated through. If the sauce is too thick, you can add a little water to thin it. If you are using yogurt, or low-fat sour cream, be careful not to let the mixture simmer or it may curdle!

Can you substitute cream for anything? ›

You can make a stand-in for the heavy cream called for in a recipe where it will be mixed with other ingredients. Melt 1/4 cup unsalted butter in a large glass bowl and gradually whisk in 3/4 cup whole milk or half and half. You'll end up with 1 cup of a cream substitute. Use in soups, sauces, puddings, etc.

Yogurt can be a really good replacement for milk in recipes. As with sour cream, it'll add moisture and flavor, but also a bit of tang. You can stick to a one-to-one replacement, but try to steer clear of flavored yogurt.

If you can't find single or light cream then we suggest using heavy cream or whipping cream as an alternative.

The actual sweetness and creaminess of such curries meanwhile, usually comes from fried onions and either cashews and/or dairy products. Instead of (or in addition to) onion, ground coconut may be used. White poppy seeds and/or watermelon seeds are also used in some creamy sauces.

The easiest way to fix a bland and tasteless curry is by adding spices like red chili powder, cumin, coriander, garam masala, curry leaves and turmeric. Just make a quick tempering and pour over the curry to give it a nice punch of spices and herbs.

Garlic and ginger are maybe the most-loved ingredients in Indian cuisine. The combination of these two fragrant elements produce an aroma that is an integral part of the many Indian curry sauces, and adds a gorgeous depth and complexity to most of Indian cooking.

When it comes to adding cream to a sauce, many people assume that it's necessary in order to get a rich and creamy consistency. However, there are a number of alternatives to cream that can be used in sauces. One popular substitution is milk.

While cream and Greek yogurt are both dairy products, they have different textures and flavors, so substituting one for the other can affect the taste and consistency of the dish. In Tikka Masala, Greek yogurt is often used to provide a tangy and creamy base for the sauce, while cream adds richness and sweetness.