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In the wake of the lockdown in the country, home is our only refuge. It is definitely not an easy time as we have to do everything on our own from cleaning to cooking. Don't worry as we have the perfect and easy menu for you to cook at home. Here are a few recipes for you to make for you and your family.
Breakfast Meal - Besan Cheela
Besan cheela is a savoury pancake made using gram flour (besan), spices and herbs. If you like veggies, then add some to make it more nutritious.
Besan Cheela Recipe:
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
INGREDIENTS NEEDED
- 1 cup besan (gram flour)
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 tomato, finely chopped
- ¼ cup chopped coriander leaves
- 1 green chilli. finely chopped
- ½ inch ginger finely chopped
- ½ tsp carom seeds (ajwain) or cumin seeds (jeera)
- 2 to 3 pinches of turmeric powder (Haldi)
- ¼ tsp red chilli powder (Lal Mirch powder)
- ½ to ⅔ cup water or as required
- salt to taste
- oil as required
INSTRUCTIONS
- To make the batter
- Take 1 cup besan in a bowl. Add rest of the ingredients except for water and oil.
- Add 1/2 cup of water. And whisk it well. Add a little more water to it if the batter looks thick.
- Make a smooth flowing consistency and break any lumps while you mix the batter.
- To make the besan chilla
- Heat a tawa on a low flame. Spread a little oil on it.
- Spoon one ladles full of batter on to the tawa. Using the back of the ladle, spread the batter gently.
- Cook the cheela on a low flame and drizzle a little oil on the edges of the cheela.
- Continue cooking until its base turns light golden. Now flip it and cook the other side till it turns light golden.
- Remove from tawa and fold it. Serve the besan chilla hot with any chutney of your choice.
Lunch Meal - Lobia
Lobia masala curry is a Punjabi dish with an onion-tomato base with spices. It has a little tanginess from the tomatoes.
Lobia recipe:
Preparation time: 40 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
INGREDIENTS NEEDED
- 1 cup lobia
- ½ inch ginger (adrak), finely chopped
- 2 to 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 tomatoes, finely chopped
- 1 or 2 green chillies, chopped
- ½ tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder (Haldi)
- ½ tsp red chilli powder (Lal Mirch powder)
- ½ tsp garam masala powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder (dhania powder)
- 3 cups water
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 to 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
- salt to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
- Soak the lobia overnight. Drain the lobia and rinse using water. Drain it again and keep aside.
- Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add cumin seeds and let it crackle. Now, add the chopped onions.
- Saute till the onions turn golden in colour. Add the chopped ginger, garlic and green chillies. Saute it.
- After this, add the chopped tomatoes and stir well. Add all the spices including the turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder and garam masala.
- Stir it well and saute it on a low flame, till the tomatoes soften and the tomato-onion mixture leaves the sides of the cooker.
- Add the lobia or black-eyed beans to the mixture and stir well. Then add 3 cups of water, salt and stir it.
- Pressure cook till the lobia is cooked. If you soaked it for only one hour, cook it for 8 to 9 whistles but if you soaked it overnight then it will take less time to cook.
- Check the lobia once it is cooked. Let it simmer without covering it. It should get a little thick. Mash some beans to thicken the lobia masala gravy.
- Now, add 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves. Serve lobia masala with rotis or rice.
Dinner Meal - Curd rice
Curd rice is a popular South Indian dish served along with a South Indian thali. It is basically curd mixed with cooked rice, herbs and tempered masala.
Curd rice recipe:
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
INGREDIENTS NEEDED
- ½ cup regular rice
- 1.5 cups water for pressure cooking
- 1 cup fresh curd
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 green chilli, chopped
- 1 tsp finely chopped ginger
- 1 tsp chopped curry leaves
- 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
- For tempering
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- ½ tsp urad dal, optional
- 5 to 6 curry leaves - chopped
- ⅛ tsp asafoetida (hing)
- For garnishing
- 1 to 2 tbsp pomegranate arils - optional
- 1 tbsp coriander leaves
INSTRUCTIONS
- To cook the rice
- Rinse ½ cup rice for 3-4 times in water. Add the rice in a pressure cooker.
- Add water to the cooker and Stir it. Pressure cook the rice for about 8 to 9 minutes till the rice is cooked and becomes soft.
- Remove the lid when the pressure settles on its own. Now check if the rice is done. It should be softer than what we cook every day.
- Using a spoon, mash the rice. Then close the cooker and allow it to cool down and come at room temperature.
- To make the curd rice
- Add fresh curd and milk to the rice. Mix well and if there are lumps, break them properly. Use a spoon or masher to break the lumps.
- Now add finely chopped ginger, finely chopped curry leaves, chopped green chillies and chopped coriander leaves to it.
- If you want, then you can fry the ginger and curry leaves in the tempering instead of directly putting in the rice.
- Add salt to the rice and mix properly. Keep it aside.
- To temper the curd rice
- Heat a small pan and add sesame oil in it. If you don't have the sesame oil, then use the peanut oil or sunflower oil.
- Add mustard seeds to the pan and let them crackle on a low flame.
- Add the urad dal. It is an optional step. Keep stirring till it becomes golden in colour.
- Then add the curry leaves and asafoetida. Mix well.
- Now Switch off the flame and pour the tempering on to the curd rice mixture immediately. Now mix well.
- Serve it topped with some coriander leaves or pomegranate arils.
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