Modern Indian Menu Template

While crafting a modern Indian menu design with Menuzen is straightforward, you still need to consider some essential things while you’re at it. First, look at the Indian menu items you already have in your restaurant and decide if you can modernise them. Can you tweak the flavours for a more international feel? Could you add new dishes that reflect the traditional cooking techniques yet make them relevant to today’s customer palates?

You’ll also want to consider how the dishes are presented — do they look appetising? How’re the colours and textures of each dish playing off each other? Also, be sure to pay attention to portion sizes and plating options — it’s often better to have several small plates than one giant entrée. Once you’ve made all these decisions, using Menuzen’s templates and tools to create an exquisite menu full of flavours that will wow your customers becomes a breeze.

Modern Indian cuisine still revolves around traditional Indian recipes but with innovative twists and foreign influence. In most cases, the chances of these dishes turning out perfectly rest on the chef’s shoulders — only one with the right expertise and creativity can curate the best modern Indian recipes.

That said, here are the three most popular modern Indian dishes:

1. Eggplant Paneer Masala Curry

This flavorful Indian dish combines eggplant and paneer (a type of Indian cheese) in a spicy tomato-based sauce. The eggplant is often cooked until tender and combined with the paneer and a blend of aromatic spices to create a rich and satisfying dish before being served with rice or naan bread. To make the curry base, sauté onions in oil until translucent before adding garlic and ginger paste. Add your favourite spices and diced tomatoes; stir in paneer cheese chunks and cubed eggplants. Simmer until everything is cooked through before serving hot!

2. Tomato Salad With Cumin & Lime

This simple salad dish is made with diced tomatoes, cumin powder, lime juice, and other seasonings. The tomatoes are tossed with the cumin, lime juice and other ingredients and served chilled. It’s a refreshing and healthy dish that’s easy to prepare and goes well as a side dish or a topping. To make, start by dicing up tomatoes and adding them to a bowl. Sprinkle on some cumin, lime juice, a pinch of salt, and freshly chopped coriander for added flavour. Serve chilled for best results, and don’t forget to take an appealing picture to add to your modern Indian menu template of choice.

3. Spicy Oven Roasted Potatoes

In this dish, potatoes are cut into wedges and coated with a mixture of spices and oil before being baked in the oven until crispy. The spices can vary but often include paprika, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder for a spicy kick. It’s a simple and flavorful side dish that can be paired with various main dishes. To make it, start by preheating the oven to 218 degrees Celsius. Cut potatoes into cubes, toss with oil and your favourite Indian spices, spread onto a greased baking sheet, and bake until golden brown.

onsidering that this cuisine has Indian roots, your modern Indian menu isn’t complete if it doesn’t include some authentic dishes from the country.

Here are the three top traditional, modern Indian dishes you’re likely to come across:

1. Kala Chana Chaat

This is a popular street food in India, made with black chickpeas (kala chana) that are boiled and then mixed with various spices and toppings. To make it, you’ll need to cook the black chickpeas until tender, then mix them with spices such as cumin, coriander, and chaat masala. Add toppings such as diced tomatoes, onions, and more coriander. The dish is served cold and garnished with lemon juice and chaat masala.

2. Kung Pao Paneer

Kung pao paneer is a popular Chinese-inspired dish featuring cubed paneer cheese cooked in a spicy sauce with peanuts, vegetables, and Sichuan peppercorns. The mere sight of this combo on your menu is enough to make diners drool, so be sure to add an image of it to your modern Indian menu template. The dish is made by marinating the paneer in a mixture of soy sauce and cornstarch, then stir-frying it with vegetables like bell peppers and onions. A typical sauce for this dish includes oyster sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and chilli flakes. This dish is usually served over rice and garnished with chopped peanuts.

3. Shishito Pepper Pickle

This pickled vegetable dish is made using shishito peppers as the main ingredient. The peppers are blended with vinegar, sugar, and salt to create a flavorful pickling liquid. They’re then left to marinate for a few days before being served as a garnish or side dish. To make this flavourful modern Indian dish, start by blanching the peppers; then, mix vinegar, sugar, and salt in a pot, and bring it to a boil. Place the peppers in a jar and pour the hot liquid over them. Seal the jar and let it sit in the fridge for a couple of days before serving.

Listed below are the popular modern Indian flavours as well as the dishes that feature them:

• Cumin: Often used in curries and spice blends, you can find it in dishes such as chana masala, aloo gobi, and biryani.
• Turmeric: A staple in Indian cuisine, this spice is used as a colourant and for its anti-inflammatory properties. Dishes that utilise it include dal makhani, saag paneer, and chicken tikka masala.
• Coriander: Often used fresh and dried, it’s commonly found in chutneys, curries and spice blends.
• Mustard seeds: These are commonly used in tempering and can be found in dishes such as sambar, kadhi, and dosa.
• Fenugreek: Often used in pickles, curries, and spice blends; you may find it in dishes such as methi chicken and aloo methi.

Korean chicken skewers with tzatziki are an excellent choice if you’re thinking of adding a foreign twist to your modern Indian menu design. Not only does this dish come with an exotic flair, but it’s also easy to make and adds an exciting flavour to your meal. The delicious mild tzatziki balances out the spice of the gochujang.

To prepare this dish, mix soy sauce, gochujang, garlic, sesame oil, and honey until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined. Then, marinate half the chicken in the mixture for at least three hours before grilling. Once cooked, brush additional sauce onto the meat.

Make the tzatziki by mixing yoghurt, minced cucumber, garlic, parsley, mint, and lemon juice. Serve the chicken with the tzatziki and pickled vegetables like radish, cucumber or carrot for a flavorful balance.

For presentation purposes, you can skewer several pieces of chicken onto bamboo or wooden sticks to create an exciting display that your diners can’t resist. Spicy Korean chicken skewers are a unique dish that packs a punch of flavour and can be easily tailored to fit any restaurant’s needs.

Once you’ve decided on the menu items you want to include, it’s time to think of some modern Indian menu design ideas. You want your menu to be attractive and easy to read, so your diners can easily find what they’re looking for.

Here are a few tips to help you design the perfect modern Indian menu:

• Pay attention to text size and font: You want to ensure that all of your text is legible, so consider using a font size of 10–12 for headings and 8–10 for body text.
• Think about the organisation: Organising your menu items into categories can help customers quickly find what they want. Consider separating dishes by type (vegetarian, non-vegetarian, vegan) or spice level (mild, medium, spicy).
• Use photos sparingly: Photos can be a great way to draw attention to certain dishes, but don’t go overboard with them — too many pictures can be distracting and add bulk.