Farah Khan's Favourite Recipes: Cook Like Bollywood’s Foodie Icon!

We all know Farah Khan for Om Shanti Om, Main Hoon Na and giving Bollywood numerous unforgettable dance numbers! But besides being a director, choreographer, writer, producer, actress and dancer, she’s a foodie and well-known for the incredible food she brings to the sets. With a lot of encouragement from her fellow Bollywood stars and her cult following, she started a YouTube channel showcasing recipes and a glimpse of her life off the set. On the occasion of her birthday, Local Samosa brings you her top recipes from Fun with Farah or rather Food with Farah, which she hosts along with her trusted sidekick, her cook, and her sue chef Dilip.

Yakhni Pulao

After being hounded by everyone for the recipe for her world-famous-in-Lokhandwala Yakhni Pulao, she shared the recipe with her fans. This dish originated in Persia and was introduced to India by the Mughals. The word "yakhni" comes from the Persian word for "store of food" and refers to the covered clay pot in which the dish was originally cooked. Also, she finally shared the secret to her yummy recipe. Usually made with mutton, in this video, she uses chicken which was available.

Green Chicken Shorba

The word Shorba is said to be derived from the Arabic word Shurbah, which means soup, and originated in the Middle East. This hot soup or stew is popular and Farah’s recipe is even more so, she says. She claims that you can even call it Dhaniya Chicken (coriander chicken), considering the amount of the green leafy herb that goes into the recipe.

Lemon Pie

Farah shares her recipe for lemon pie, a simple, easy and fattening one. It’s her favourite. You can call it a Key Lime Pie or Lemon Pie. The base of the pie is made of biscuit crumbs. She says that if you like ginger, go for ginger snaps. She picks a pack of digestive biscuits for the recipe.

Butter Chicken

Who doesn’t know Butter Chicken! While Dilip shares how vegetarians can skip the onion, Farah shares a Butter Paneer version as an alternative. The origin of butter chicken is debated, with one story linking it to the Moti Mahal restaurant in Daryaganj, Delhi, where it was supposedly created to satisfy unexpected diners. However, Kundan Lal Gujral's grandson claims his grandfather invented both butter chicken and tandoori chicken by using a tandoor for savoury dishes.

Nariyal Chicken

After fans saw Farah bringing Nariyal Chicken for Manisha Rani, an Indian dancer, she was asked to share the recipe for it. Which she did, gladly. She actually makes two types of Nariyal Chicken in the video, one with shredded coconut and another with coconut milk. Nariyal chicken, a coconut-based dish, is known by various names like Nadan Kozhi Curry, Kuku Paka, and Curry Chicken, reflecting diverse regional influences.

Roast Chicken

Ever heard of a roast chicken that’s neither cooked in an oven nor in a tandoor? Well. Farah’s is and it’s cooked in a pot with water. Roast chicken is a dish with a rich history that can be traced back to Roman times and has evolved over the centuries in many regions.

Crispy Surmai Fry aur Ghee Wali Dal

This one is Farah’s family favourite. The dal she mentions is yellow moong dal which is called ghee wali dal in her household. And that recipe is originally Sunita Kapoor’s, wife of Anil Kapoor. 'Surmai' is a Maharashtrian term for the Seer Fish or King Fish or King Mackeral in English.

Anda Akuri

Akuri is Parsi-style scrambled eggs popularly relished for breakfast in Parsi households. This recipe shared by Farah was her late mother’s favourite. In this dish, she adds potatoes, onion, tomatoes, mirchi (green chillies) and dhaniya (coriander). Another ingredient that goes in the recipe is cheese!

Spicy Amritsari Aloo Wadiyan

Aloo Wadiyan is a traditional North Indian dish that features potatoes (aloo) and sun-dried lentil dumplings (wadiyan). Urad dal wadiyan is the star of the dish. They are small and spicy with potatoes added to balance the taste.

Anda Curry

Anda curry, or egg curry, originated in Awadh when a chef experimented by covering a hard-boiled egg with minced mutton and frying it. Modern versions have removed the meat but kept the signature chunky gravy, with regional variations such as a spicy, tomato-rich version in Andhra Pradesh. Farah’s recipe uses roasted shredded coconut along with onion, garlic and ginger.