7 Must-Try

Indo-Japanese Fusion

Dishes: Paneer Tempura, Curry Ramen, And More

Curry Ramen

A little curry, a little ramen, and a whole lot of Indo-Japanese fusion magic. Ramen is a Japanese noodle soup dish featuring wheat noodles in a savoury broth, typically flavoured with soy sauce or miso. The recipe uses Yippee Korean Style Multipurpose Masala and curry powder, along with desi herbs and spices such as ginger, cumin, and coriander, to add a distinct Indian flavour to the broth. You can also add coconut milk for a creamier mouthfeel. 

Ingredients

For the curry broth

• Oil: 1 tsp

• Garlic, minced: 1 tsp

• Ginger, minced: 1 tsp

• Curry powder: 1 tsp

• Yippee Korean Style Multipurpose Masala: 1 tsp

• Coconut milk: ¾ cup (optional, for creaminess)

• Water or vegetable/chicken stock: 1½ cups

• Soy sauce: 1 tsp

• Salt: to taste

• Black pepper: a pinch

For assembly:

• Ramen noodles, cooked: 2 cups

• Protein (grilled chicken or paneer): ½ cup

• Soft-boiled egg: 1 (halved)

• Green onions, chopped: 2 tbsp

Recipe

• Prepare the broth: Heat oil in a pot on medium heat. Add garlic and ginger, sauté for 10–15 seconds. Add curry powder and Yippee Korean masala and toast briefly before pouring in the coconut milk (if using) and stock/water. Season with the soy sauce, salt, and pepper at the end. Bring the mix to a boil, then simmer for 5–6 minutes

• Cook the noodles: Boil ramen noodles as per package instructions. Drain and set aside (do not overcook)

• Prepare the protein: Grill or pan-sear chicken or paneer with a little salt and pepper until cooked. 

• Assemble, garnish, and serve: Place cooked noodles in a bowl. Pour hot curry broth over the noodles. Add protein and the halves of a soft-boiled egg. Garnish with chopped green onions, and serve it immediately, while hot. 

Wasabi Samosa

Wasabi, the thick, spicy, green soy-based paste, isn’t just the standard condiment for sushi. It’s also an excellent ingredient for adding a touch of sharp heat to a dish. Like this Indo-fusion snack, wasabi samosa. Here, the traditional filling of peas and potatoes is mixed with a pinch of wasabi, then stuffed into samosa wrappers. 

Ingredients

• Potatoes, boiled and mashed: 2 medium

• Green peas: ½ cup

• Wasabi paste: ½–1 tsp (adjust to taste)

• Green chilli, finely chopped: 1

• Ginger, grated: 1 tsp

• Cumin seeds: 1 tsp

• Coriander powder: 1 tsp

• Garam masala: ½ tsp

• Salt: to taste

• Oil: 1 tbsp (for cooking filling)

• Samosa wrappers or dough

• Oil: for deep frying

Recipe

• Prepare the filling: Heat oil in a pan on medium heat. Add cumin seeds and let them splutter. Add ginger and green chilli, sauté briefly. Add peas and cook for 2–3 minutes. Stir in mashed potatoes, coriander powder, garam masala, salt, and wasabi paste. Mix well and cook for another 2–3 minutes. Let it cool.

• Shape the samosas: Fill the samosa wrappers with the prepared mixture by adding 1 tsp of the mixture to the centre. Fold into triangles, and seal the edges properly.

• Fry and serve: Deep fry in medium-hot oil until golden brown and crisp. Serve hot with chutney or soy-based dip. 

Masala Tamagoyaki

Tamagoyaki is a classic Japanese omelette. It is a layered, dense, and rolled omelette with a sweet and savoury flavour. The tamagoyaki meets a desi masala omelette, with a rich blend of spices and herbs, in this masala tamagoyaki recipe. The Indo-fusion dish brings together two distinct styles of cooking the same core ingredient – eggs!

Ingredients

• Large Eggs, thoroughly whisked: 3–4

• Indian Masala

  • Onions, finely chopped: 1

  • Tomatoes, finely chopped: ½ 

  • Coriander leaves, chopped: 1 tbsp

  • Green chillies, finely chopped: 1-2

  • Turmeric powder (for colour): ½ tsp

  • Red chilli powder: 1 tsp

  • Garam masala: 1 tsp

• Salt: to taste

• Black pepper: a pinch

• Ghee or oil: for cooking

Recipe

• Prep the eggs: In a bowl, crack the eggs and whisk them thoroughly with salt, turmeric, red chilli powder, garam masala, chopped onion, tomato, coriander, and green chillies.

• Heat the pan: Heat a rectangular Tamagoyaki pan over medium-low heat and grease it lightly with ghee or vegetable oil.

• Pour and roll: Pour a thin layer of the egg mixture into the pan, covering the bottom. Once the egg sets slightly but is still moist, start rolling it from one side to the other. 

• Layer: Push the rolled egg to one side, re-oil the pan, and pour another thin layer of egg mixture. Ensure the new layer flows under the existing roll. Roll it over the new layer again. Continue this process until all the egg mixture is used and a thick roll is formed.

• Finish and serve: Remove from the pan, let it rest for a minute, and slice into 1.5 cm thick pieces. Serve hot. 

Matcha Gujiya

Indo-fusion dishes are not a one-way street where you introduce only classic Indian ingredients into Japanese dishes; the reverse works just as well, and this matcha gujiya proves it. Offering a fusion twist on the traditional Indian sweet, matcha gujiya combines the crispy gujiya pastry with a vibrant green matcha-infused khoya filling. The addition of matcha powder offers an earthy, less-sweet flavour profile compared to classic gujiya. 

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour: 1 cup

• Ghee: 3 tbsp

• Warm water: to knead the dough

• Grated khoya: ½ cup

• Jaggery powder: ½ cup

• Matcha powder: 1 tbsp

• Chopped nuts (almonds/pistachios): ½ tbsp

• Oil: for frying

Recipe

• Make the dough: Combine 1 cup all-purpose flour, 3 tbsp ghee, and warm water to create a stiff dough; let it rest for 30 minutes.

• Make the filling: Mix 1/2 cup grated khoya, 1/2 cup jaggery powder, 1 tbsp matcha powder, and chopped nuts.

• Assemble the gujiya: Roll the dough into small circles, place 1 tbsp of filling in the centre, fold, and seal the edges (use a fork for shaping).

• Fry the gujiya: Deep fry in oil over medium heat until golden brown, or bake at 200°C until crispy. 

Recipe variations: You can incorporate rose water with matcha for a matcha-rose fusion. Alternatively, a coconut-based filling with matcha can be used for a slightly different texture.

Tandoori Sushi Rolls

There really is no Japanese dish that’s made a wider global impact than sushi. Tandoori sushi rolls take on the classic in a creative twist, resulting in one of the most flavourful Indo-Japanese fusion dishes on the list. Here, seasoned sushi rice and nori are combined with smoky, spiced tandoori-marinated proteins (chicken, paneer, etc.). 

Ingredients

• Sushi rice, cooked: 2 cups

• Nori sheets: 4–5

• Paneer or chicken: 200g

• Yoghurt: ½ cup

• Tandoori masala: 1–2 tbsp

• Lemon juice: 1 tbsp

• Ginger-garlic paste: 1 tsp

• Cream cheese: ½ cup

• Cucumber, sliced: 1

• Onion, thinly sliced: 1

• Rice vinegar (optional): 1 tbsp

• Oil or butter: for cooking

Recipe

• Marinate and cook the protein: Marinate paneer or chicken in yoghurt, tandoori masala, lemon juice, and ginger-garlic paste, then cook. Let it rest for at least 30 minutes, then grill or sear until cooked and slightly charred.

• Prepare the sushi rice: Season cooked sushi rice with rice vinegar for a Japanese-style flavour, or a light mix of ghee and spices for a more Indian profile. 

• Assemble the rolls: Place a nori sheet on a bamboo mat. Now, spread an even layer of rice, add the cooked tandoori protein, cream cheese, and sliced vegetables.

• Roll, slice, and garnish: Roll tightly using the mat, slice into equal pieces, and garnish with fried onions or chopped coriander. Serve immediately.

Desi Miso Soup

A traditional Japanese soup, miso soup is made with miso in a dashi stock, and served as part of a meal of rice, soup, and side dishes. The existing variations retain the base, but may include additional ingredients depending on the region. It’s also what makes this one of the easier Indo-Japanese fusion dishes to try, because the base flavour remains the same. For an Indian-style miso soup, blend traditional Japanese miso paste with Indian aromatics such as ginger, garlic, green chillies, and turmeric. 

Ingredients

• Miso paste: 2 tbsp

• Water or dashi stock: 2 cups

• Tofu cubes: ½ cup

• Spring onions, chopped: 2 tbsp

• Ginger, grated: 1 tsp

• Garlic, minced: 1 tsp

• Green chilli, slit: 1

• Turmeric powder: a pinch

• Soy sauce: 1 tsp (optional)

Recipe

• Prepare the base: Heat water or dashi stock in a pot over medium heat. Add ginger, garlic, green chilli, and turmeric. Let it simmer for 3–4 minutes.

• Add miso: Lower the heat and dissolve miso paste in a small bowl with warm broth, then add it back to the pot. (Do not boil after adding miso.)

• Add tofu and finish: Add tofu cubes and let them warm through. Stir in soy sauce if using. Garnish with spring onions and serve hot.

Mix It Like It’s Hot!

The best Indo-Japanese fusion comes from balancing contrasting flavour profiles, such as local spices like turmeric or curry powder with sauces like miso paste, wasabi, teriyaki, etc. Another way to blend the two is to bring different textures together in one dish, or to pair bold spices with gentle textures, like a delicate egg custard topped with fiery rasam. Ultimately, these Indo-fusion dishes are just another reason to bring in a little experimentation to your daily meals.