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Copyright © 2025 Foodies Only
6 Min
21/01/2026
Indian kitchens have been using the slow cooking technique for years. It is used to simmer the dal, curries and dum biryanis. Before pressure cooking paved its way into Indian kitchens, the slow cooking technique was used in India, and gradually it is again making its way back into the kitchens. This article looks at Indian dinner recipes that are cooked best with slow cooking techniques. Dive deeper to know more.
The technique of slow cooking is not new to India. Way before the pressure cooker made its way to Indian kitchens, slow cooking was popular. Some dishes, like Nihari in North India and payasam from South India, require slow cooking. The slow cooker recreates the process of slow cooking with modern convenience. You have to put in the ingredients and set the time for the dish, and it will cook on its own as you carry out your daily activities without having to constantly check.
Slow cooking is also beneficial for health, as it preserves the nutrients that cooking at high pressure might not preserve. Slow cooking also helps to retain the structure and taste of the dishes. For example, dal holds its structure well, and payasam holds its sweetness, and the spices do not overpower or get diluted entirely with the help of slow cooking. For those who really want to keep the original taste and structure of dishes alive, have enough time and the habit of planning meals, slow cooking is the best method!
Learn about some Indian dinner recipes that taste the best with the help of slow cooking.
Slow cookers and pressure cookers serve complementary roles in the kitchen, with the only difference being the time required to cook. A pressure cooker uses high pressure and steam formed inside to cook food, and it gets ready in minutes. This technique is ideal for dals, beans, and rice when you have limited time. A slow cooker, on the other hand, uses steady heat and takes several hours to cook the dish. It is perfect for curries, meats, and one-pot stews, which require flavours to develop gradually.
A pressure cooker is about speed. While slow cooking is more about depth. If you love a dish that has depth in flavour, a slow cooker might be your thing, but if you have limited time, you might want to opt for a pressure cooker. Read below which dishes will taste the best when slow-cooked.
Dal makhani is the OG dish, which needs slow cooking. To achieve the creamy texture of dal makhani, slow simmering is the most important thing, and a slow cooker can do this job easily. Dal makhani requires black lentils and kidney beans, which need slow cooking. Butter and cream can also blend beautifully with spices with the help of a slow cooker. Dal makhani can be a great dinner recipe, slowly cooked throughout the day, and will get a perfect texture by dinner time. You can pair it with rotis or steamed rice.
Did you ever wonder why chicken curry tastes better the next day? It is because of the additional time it gets to absorb the flavours and spices. Well, this can happen on the same day if you cook the curry in a slow cooker. Marinated chicken, onions, tomatoes, and all the spices stew well together in a slow cooker, absorbing the flavours from each ingredient and spice. The meat will easily get separated from the bone, and the gravy will be filled with flavours. This slow-cooked chicken curry will make for an amazing dinner, enough to make you forget the pressure-cooked chicken curry.
A rich vegetable korma will make vegetarians fall in love with slow cooking. To make this, add cauliflower, beans, carrots, and peas to the slow cooker and let it all simmer well in coconut milk with ground cashews, which creates a mildly spicy and satisfying curry. You can pair this with parathas, appams, and even bread for dinner.
Rajma is another curry that deserves to be cooked slowly. Slow cooking lets the kidney beans soften until they melt in the mouth, along with all the spices and the onion-tomato paste. Once you taste the slow-cooked rajma curry, you will immediately notice the difference between curry cooked with the help of a pressure cooker and a slow cooker. There’s a high probability that it might just taste the way your grandma cooked it, slowly and with patience. Pair it with phulka, paratha or rice for a delicious dinner.
Dum biryani is made with an elaborate cooking process, which can be simplified with the help of a slow cooker. All you have to do is add layers of marinated meat, or vegetables, rice, fried onions and let it cook for a longer time on a steady heat, just like the dum phuket method. This slow-cooked biryani will allow you to experience the rich flavours of saffron, meat or vegetables, ghee, and a variety of spices beautifully encapsulated in each bite!
A slow cooker is yet to be popularised in Indian kitchens, but the technique is not new to India. A slow cooker is the ultimate tool that can give Indian dinner dishes like dal makhni, dum biryani, and rajma the OG flavour that it is popular for!
