Try these simple dishes using ingredients found at home

As people are not allowed to go out of their houses, purchasing perishable commodities are difficult. While you may have stocked up your fridge with perishable fruits and vegetables but it does not last for more than a week. So we have come up with some of the food options that you can make without using perishable vegetables. This will give you an idea of how you can cook your own food at home during this lockdown. We have prepared a proper daily menu for you guys that you can follow with a few of your own variations. 

Breakfast Meal - Idli 

Eating Idlis for breakfast is one of the best and healthy food options. Idli can easily be prepared using rice or Rava batter. If you don't have readymade idli batter then you can easily prepare it at home using simple ingredients. Idli can be served with either chutney or sambhar or with both.

Idli Recipe:

Preparation time: 9 hours

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS NEEDED:

1. 2 cups of Rice
2. 1/2 cup Urad dal (Whole or Split)
3. ¼ cup thick poha (flattened rice)
4. ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi seeds)
5. 2 cups water for soaking rice
6. 1 cup water to soak urad dal
7. ½ cup water to grind urad dal or as per requirement
8. ¾ to 1 cup water to grind rice or as per requirement
9. 1 teaspoon rock salt (sendha namak)
10. Add oil as required to the idli moulds
11. 2.5 cups water to steam the idlis

INSTRUCTIONS:

To soak the rice and dal: 

1. Pick and rinse the rice and poha. Mix both
2. Add water to it and mix well. Cover it to soak for about 4 to 5 hours.
3. In another bowl, rinse the urad dal and methi seeds. Soak them in water for about 4 to 5 hours.

To make the idli batter:

1. Drain the soaked urad dal and reserve the leftover water.
2. Grind the urad dal and methi seed along with ¼ cup of the reserved water. Then, add the remaining ¼ cup of water. After this, Grind the mix until you get a smooth fluffy batter.
3. Put this batter in a bowl and keep it aside.
4. Grind the rice until you get a smooth batter.
5. Mix both the dal and rice batters together and add salt to it. Mix it well.
6. Cover and let it ferment for about 8 to 9 hours or more as per the requirement.
7. After the fermentation process, the batter becomes double in size and it rises.

To steam the idlis:

1. Grease the idli moulds using a little oil.
2. Pour the batter in the moulds and steam the idlis in either a pressure cooker or the steamer. 
3. If you are using the pressure cooker, remove the whistle.
4. Steam the idlis for approximately 12 to 15 mins or until it is done.
5. Serve the hot idli along with coconut chutney and sambar.

Tip: You can store the leftover batter in the refrigerator for some days.

Lunch Meal - Kadhai Aalo and Chapattis

Kadhai Aalo is a simple dish that can be served with Chapattis and makes a good nutritious lunch. 

Kadhai Aalo Recipe:

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS NEEDED:

1. 300 gms Baby Potatoes (boiled and peeled)
2. Cumin seeds - 1& 1/2 tsp
3. Asafoetida (Hing) - 1/2 tsp
4. Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
5. Salt
6. Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
7. Coriander seeds - 1 tsp
8. Red Chillis - 2
9. Black peppercorns - 6 or 7
10. Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
11. Coriander leaves chopped - 1 tbsp
12. Mustard oil - 1 tbsp
13. Kasoori Methi - 1 tsp
14. Garam masala - 1 tsp

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Firstly, roast the red chilli, 1 tsp cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, black pepper on the Tawa until it gives an aroma.
2. Make a powder of these roasted ingredients and keep aside.
3. Heat the oil in a Tawa. Add asafoetida (Hing) and 1/2 tsp of cumin seeds.
4. Add the baby potatoes to it once the seeds start to splatter. Then add salt and turmeric to it and stir.
5. Add the grounded masala to the potatoes and cook on medium to slow flame for about 10 minutes.
6. Keep stirring it so that the masala covers the potatoes.
7. Cook until the potatoes are crispy. Add the kasoori methi, garam masala and lemon juice to it and serve with hot chapattis.

Dinner Meal - Tomato Rice

Try our tomato rice recipe with a tangy flavour for the perfect dinner. Serve the tomato rice with papad and raita.

Tomato Rice Recipe:

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS NEEDED:

1. Boiled Rice - 2 cups
2. Urad Dal - 1/2 tsp
3. Channa Dal - 1/2 tsp
4. Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
5. Curry Leaves - 6 to 7 leaves
6. Capsicum chopped - 1/2 cup
7. Red chillis - 1
8. Ginger Garlic Paste - 1/2 tsp
9. Onions chopped - 1
10. Tomato Puree - 2 tbsp
11. Tomato, finely chopped - 1
12. Mint leaves - 3 to 4 leaves
13. Salt - as per taste
14. Cumin powder - 1 tsp
15. Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
16. Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
17. Sugar - 1/4 tsp (optional ingredient)
18. Oil - 1/2 tbsp

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Heat oil in a pan and add urad, channa dal for tempering.
2. Add curry leaves, mustard seeds and red chilli to it.
3. Then add onions and saute for about 2 mins. Add ginger-garlic paste to it.
4. Cook for a min and then add capsicum and tomatoes to it. If you want, you can also add sugar to it. 
5. Add salt and cumin powder to it. Then add the tomato puree and cook for about 2 mins.
6. Add the garam masala and the cooked rice to this mix along with the mint leaves. Cover it and let it cook for another 2-3 minutes.
7. Turn off the flame and let it be as it is. The rice will soak all the masala.

previous

कुछ समय पहले कुछ राज्यों सहित दिल्ली में 31 मार्च तक का लॉक डाउन घोषित हुआ था लेकिन 24 मार्च 2020 को रात 8 बाके प्रधानमंत्री मोदी ने 21 दिन का लॉक डाउन पुरे देश में घोषित कर दिया। इसी के चलते लोग सभी जरुरी सुख सुविधाओं जैसे उपचार, राशन आदि को चिंता में आ गए।

next

coronavirus has been a major problem across the globe since the last month. it is a communicable disease with spreads majorly through droplet infection that’s through sneezing, coughing. the prime minister himself has announced a 21-day lockdown across the country.