Taste the Blend: Innovative Recipes Celebrating Global Ingredients

Fusion, whether it is fusion clothing, fusion music or even fusion recipes, is all about experimenting with making a revolutionary new item from existing things, that often have little in common. 

Fusion recipes involve unique combinations of foods, from different cuisines, countries or flavour pallets and creating something so different from its original components. 

Fusion recipes are not for the faint-hearted, they are meant for those who are adventurous and experimental, and who love trying their hand at new unique food options.  Of course, like all experiments, they can be a hit or miss. 

We have curated a list of some “100% hit” fusion recipes that definitely deserve a place in your kitchen and your hearts! 

#1 Avocado Sev Puri 

Sev Puri is a typical chaat item from the streets of Mumbai and this meets the backbone of Mexican cuisine, the avocado! The final product is bound to be a roaring hit! 

This dish, where India meets Mexico is a treat for your taste buds, with some distinct flavours and textures of both cuisines that have come together as one. 

Serves: 2 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients: 

• 12 papdi (crispy maida puris) 
• 2 tbsp coriander and mint chutney 
• 2 tbsp tamarind chutney 
• 1 tsp chat masala 
• ½ cup nylon sev 

For Avocado: 

• 1 whole avocado mashed 
• 2 tsp finely chopped onion 
• 2 tsp finely chopped tomato 
• 1 tsp lemon juice 
• Salt to taste 
• 4 tsp pomegranate seeds for garnish (optional) 
• 2 tsp freshly chopped coriander 

Method: 

1. To prepare the avocado mix, in a mixing bowl add the mashed avocado, chopped onions, tomato, and lemon juice. 
2. Season with salt and pepper and keep aside. 
3. Arrange 6 papdis per plate, on each puri, and add the prepared avocado mixture. Add about ¾ tsp of the prepared mixture. 
4. Now pour the coriander and mint chutney over each puri. Followed by tamarind chutney. 
5. Generously sprinkle nylon sev over the dish. Then sprinkle some chat masala over it. 
6. Garnish with freshly chopped coriander and pomegranate seeds and devour! 

#2 Mexican Ragda Pattice 

Yet another super hit fusion of Mexican and Indian cuisine! Ragda Pattice is a beloved chat in India, and this recipe gives it a lip-smacking twist. Since the Mexican flavour profile is very similar to Indian, these fusions just never go wrong. 

This is a ‘must-try’. 

Serves: 3-4 servings
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

For Mexican Ragda:

• 2 cups soaked and boiled rajma (kidney beans) 
• 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
• 1 medium tomato, roughly chopped 
• 2-3 garlic cloves 
• 2-3 whole dried red chillies 
• Salt to taste 

For Pattice: 

• ½ cup finely chopped onions
• 1 cup mixed chopped vegetables (carrots, french beans, yellow and red bell peppers) 
• 1 cup boiled and mashed potato 
• 2 tsp cornflour 
• Salt to taste 
• 1 tsp red chilli flakes
• 1 tsp mixed herbs 
• ½ cup cornflour slurry (2tsp corn flour in 4 tsp water)
• ½ cup bread crumbs 
• Oil to fry 

For Garnish:

• 3-4 cheese slices 

Method: 

1. To prepare the Mexican ragda, in a mixing jar, add the dried red chillies, onions, tomatoes, and garlic cloves. Blend to form a smooth paste. 
2. In a saucepan, heat some oil, add the prepared mixture and cook until the raw smell wears off. Now add the boiled rajma and mix everything well. Season with salt and lightly mash a few rajma beans to thicken the ragda. 
3. Once everything is well cooked, turn off the flame and keep aside. 
4. To prepare the pattice, in a kadhai, add some oil, and chopped onions. Once they turn pink add the mixed vegetable. Stir and season with salt. Cover and cook until the vegetables are cooked well. 
5. Now add the mashed potato and season with salt, red chilli flakes, and mixed herbs. Mix to get a smooth and uniform mixture. Allow it to cool. Then add corn flour and mix well. 
6. Take small scoops of the potato mix and make circular disc-like pattice with it. 
7. Dip each patty in the cornflour slurry and coat with bread crumbs. 
8. Fry these in medium hot oil until they are golden brown. You can even alternately air-fry them. 
9. On a serving plate, pour the Mexican ragda and place 2-3 prepared pattice over them. While the pattice is still hot, quickly place cheese slices over them. So they melt well. Sprinkle some mixed herbs over it and serve hot. 

#3 Tikka Masala Pasta

In this fusion journey, Indian recipes take a trip to Italy! This classic Tikka masala sauce is used to prepare the iconic Italian dish, giving it a spin it didn’t know it needed! 

The rich tangy and lightly spiced Tikka masala gravy that is traditionally paired with chicken or paneer, gives the pasta the perfect flavour explosion! 

You have to try this to know it. 

Serves: 4-5 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients: 

• ½ inch cinnamon stick
• 8-10 whole peppercorns
• 1 tsp cumin seeds 
• 2-3 green cardamoms
• 3-4 cloves 
• 2 tbsp cooking oil 
• 1 big black cardamom (moti elaichi) 
• 2 bay leaves 
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped 
• 2 tomatoes crushed 
• 1 tomato finely chopped
• 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste  
• ½ tsp turmeric powder 
• 1 tsp red chilli powder 
• 2 tsp coriander powder 
• 1 whole green capsicum chopped into big pieces
• Salt to taste 
• 1 cup fresh cream 
• ½ tsp garam masala 
• 2 tsp kasuri methi 
• 3 cups whole wheat pasta (raw) 
• ½ cup freshly chopped leaves 

Method: 

1. Dry roast all the whole spices in a pan until they are fragrant. Let them cool and then using a blender, grind them to form a fine powder. 
2. In a kadhai, add some oil, add bay leaves and then add the onions sautee the onions until they are golden brown. 
3. Now add the ginger garlic paste and cook until the raw smell wears off. Add the finely chopped tomatoes and season with salt. Cook until the tomatoes are mushy. Also, add the chopped capsicum and stir them. 
4. Now add the turmeric powder, and red chilli powder along with the spice blend that was prepared. Cook and adjust the salt and spice levels. 
5. Next, add the crushed tomatoes and mix well. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. 
6. Boil your pasta in the meantime and strain them while they are al-dente. Spare some of the pasta water to be added later. 
7. Once the tomato gravy is perfectly cooked, add the fresh cream and stir it well. Finally, add the kasuri methi and give it a final stir. 
8. Once the pasta is boiled, add it to the prepared gravy and mix well. Add some garam masala and transfer it to a serving plate. Garnish with freshly chopped coriander and some remaining fresh cream. 
9. You can optionally add some chicken or paneer to the dish or even enjoy it as it is. 

#4 Rasmalai Cake 

We all love our Indian sweets and most of us even like the commonly prepared cakes. But when two of these favourite desserts are combined together, what we get is the best of both worlds! 

This dessert can even be called an Indian take on the famous “Tres Leches” as well! 

Serves: 8-10 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 50 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients: 

• ¾ cup vegetable oil (not strong flavoured) 
• 1 cup hung curd/yoghurt
• 1 cup powdered sugar 
• ½ cup milk 
• ½ tsp kewra extract 
• 2 drops of yellow food colour 
• ½ tsp cardamom powder 
• 3-4 strands of saffron
• 2 cups maida 
• 2 tsp baking powder 
• 1 tsp baking powder 
• 2 cups whipping cream 
• 8-10 pieces of Rasmalai 
• ½ cup slices pistachios (for garnish)
• ½ cup dried rose petals (for garnish) 

Method: 

1. Preheat the oven to 180’C and keep a cake tin greased and ready for us. 
2. In a small bowl, add some warm milk with a few strands of saffron and cardamom powder to infuse the flavour. 
3. In a large mixing bowl, add some yoghurt and add oil to it. Whisk the mixture till you get a uniform emulsion. 
4. Now sift in the maida along with baking powder and baking soda. Mix everything gently. Add the powdered sugar and mix gently. 
5. Next, add the kewra flavour essence to it. Once the cake batter is well formed, add it to the cake tin and place it in the oven to bake for 30-35 minutes or until the cake is perfectly baked. 
6. Once the cake is baked and cooled, poke small holes in the cake using a toothpick. Now very gently make a horizontal slice to divide the cake into two halves. 
7. Drizzle some of the ras malai liquid over the halves. 
8. To prepare the frosting, whisk the whipping cream to get soft peaks. Now add the food colour some of the ras malai liquid and the prepared infusion of saffron and cardamom powder. 
9. Whisk the whipping cream till you get a light yellow cream with light flavours. Cover the lower half with some prepared frosting. Place the upper piece of the cake over it. Beautifully spread the whipping cream on top. Decorate with chopped pieces of ras malai and garnish with chopped pistachios and dried rose petals. 
10. For the best effect, chill the cake for a few hours before consumption.