The lockdown made all of us except the essential services staff stay home for some time. Its extension has led many of us into wondering how to make the best use of this time. To help with that, here are some recipes that you can easily try at home with few ingredients. Make these dishes with your family to bond with them and enjoy the delicacies together!
Dalgona Coffee
Ingredients:
- Coffee powder - 2 tbsp
- Sugar - 2 tbsp
- Boiling water - 2 tbsp
- Cold milk - 2 cup
- Ice cubes as required
Method:
- Take a bowl and mix equal quantities of coffee powder, sugar and hot water.
- Using a whisker or hand blender, blend the coffee mixture until it is light, frothy and creamy.
- Add cold milk and ice cubes in a glass and add this whipped coffee over it.
- Serve chilled.
Single Ingredient Ice Cream
Ingredients:
- Bananas - 2
Method:
- Peel and cut the bananas into roundels.
- Freeze the Bananas for at least 4 hours (ideal duration-overnight).
- Take out the frozen bananas and churn in a blender until smooth.
- Take out the mixture and freeze for another 30 mins.
- Add toppings of choice or as per availability.
Leftover Dal Chawal Arancin
Ingredients:
Leftover cooked rice - 200 gms
Leftover dal - 150 gms
Chopped onion - 30 gms
Chopped garlic - 20 gms
Chopped ginger - 20 gms
Chopped green chillies - 15 gms
Chilli powder - 10 gms
Processed cheese - cubes-3 nos
Chopped coriander - 15 gms
Refined flour (maida) - for coating
Bread crumbs - for coating
Oil
Method:
- Heat oil in a pan and saute the chopped onion, ginger, garlic and chillies.
- Add chilli powder and cook well.
- Now add the rice and dal and mix thoroughly.
- Adjust the seasoning.
- Finish with chopped coriander.
- Take off the pan and cool down.
- Grate the processed cheese and keep aside.
- Make the dal chawal mixture into balls and stuff the cheese in the centre.
- Add water to the refined flour to make a slightly thick slurry.
- Dip the dal chawal balls into the slurry and coat with bread crumbs.
- Deep fry them until golden brown.
- Serve with choice of ketchup or chutney as per availability.
Immune Booster Dose
Ingredients:
- Orange juice - 150 ml
- Honey - 1 tbsp
- Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
- Garlic minced - 1-2 flakes (optional)
- Ginger grated - 1/4 tsp
- Pepper powder - 1 big pinch
- Hot water - 1 tbsp
Method:
- Mince the garlic and set aside for 10 minutes.
- This allows the formation of enzymes and ensures maximum benefits.
- Then just whisk together all ingredients and drink.
Homemade Peanut Butter & Chocolate Spread
Ingredients:
- Peanuts (peeled) - 400 gms
- Dark Chocolate
- Oil - 15 ml (only if necessary)
Method:
- Dry roast the peanuts in a pan until brown.
- Melt chocolate available at hand in a microwave or on a double boiler.
- Grind the peanuts in a food processor until it starts leaving oil and becomes smooth.
- If it does not become smooth then add 15 ml oil to fasten the process.
- Once the mixture becomes smooth, add the melted chocolate and mix well.
- Store in an airtight jar and enjoy with bread or toast.
Orange Mint Green Tea
Ingredients:
- Fresh mint leaves - 1 tbsp
- Green tea leaves - 1 tbsp
- Ginger (thinly slices) - 1 tbsp
- Honey - 2 tsp
- Orange - 2 slices
- Water - 250 ml
Method:
- Bruise the mint between your fingers. Place the mint, tea, ginger and honey in a teapot.
- Pour boiling water over the tea while stirring to mix the ingredients.
- Cover the tea and let it rest for 10-12 minutes.
- Strain the infused hot tea.
- To serve, place an orange slice and mint sprig in a mug, then fill with tea and drink hot.
Maggi Cheese Fritters
Ingredients:
- Maggi - 2 packets
- Processed cheese - 2 cubes
- Chopped onion - 50 gms
- Chopped coriander - 15 gms
- Refined flour (maida) - 50 gms
- Semolina (rava/suji) - 100 gms
Method:
- Cook the Maggi without the tastemaker.
- Ensure that it is not completely cooked.
- Cool it down and mix the tastemaker, grated cheese, chopped onion and chopped coriander.
- Mix refined flour and water into a thick slurry.
- Make balls out of the Maggi mixture, dip it in slurry and roll it in the semolina.
- Deep fry until golden brown.
- Serve with your choice of chutney or mayonnaise and enjoy with a hot cup of tea.
Turmeric Pumpkin Soup
Ingredients:
- Red pumpkin - 150g chopped
- Split red lentils - ½ cup
- Washed vegetable stock - 1 cup
- Small onion - 1 (peeled and roughly chopped)
- Coconut oil - 1 tsp
- Garlic and ginger - 2 tbsp (peeled and roughly chopped)
- Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
- Chilli flakes - ½ tsp
- Coconut milk - 2 tbsp
- Fresh lime juice - 1 tbsp
- Salt to taste
- Chopped coriander for garnishing
Method:
- In a large saucepan over high heat, cook onions in coconut oil till softened.
- Add the aromatics: garlic, turmeric, ginger and chilli and cook till fragrant.
- Add pumpkin, lentils and stock and bring to boil.
- Cover and reduce to simmer to cook for 20 minutes or till the pumpkins and lentils are soft.
- Once cooked, use a blender to puree the soup. Return to stoke and add coconut cream and heat through.
- Just before serving, add lime juice and salt
Parle and Bournvita Mug Cake
Ingredients:
- Parle G biscuits (can be replaced with any other non-cream biscuit of choice) - 15 to 18
- Bournvita (can be replaced with Horlicks) - 2 tbsp
- Sugar - 1 tbsp
- Lukewarm milk - 180 to 200 ml
- Mixed dry fruits (optional)
Method:
- Crush the biscuits into a fine powder.
- Add sugar and Bournvita and mix well Gradually add lukewarm milk and make into a thick batter ensuring that there are no lumps.
- Add mixed dry fruits (if available).
- Pour the batter into your favourite coffee mug up to 3/4 the mug.
- Microwave it for 2 mins and enjoy the nostalgic 2 mins mug cake.
Mango Orange Smoothie
Ingredients:
- Frozen mango - 1/2 cup
- Orange juice - 1 cup
- Sugar - 1 tbsp
- Sabja - 1 tbsp (optional)
- Ice cubes - 4-5
Method:
- Soak Sabja in warm water for 10-15 min and drain.
- Place all the ingredients in a blender and make a smoothie.
Smoky Bell Pepper Dip
Ingredients:
- Red bell pepper - 1 large
- Garlic - 2-3 flakes
- Roasted walnuts/almonds - ¼ cup
- Lemon juice - 2 tbsp
- Honey - 2 tsp
- Roasted cumin powder - 1 big pinch
- Cinnamon powder - ¼ tsp
- Red chilli flakes - ¼ tsp
- Olive oil - ½ tsp
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Roasted sesame seeds - ¼ tsp (for garnish)
- Coriander leaves
Method:
- Roast the bell pepper on fire and keep it in a bowl of water for 5 minutes.
- Remove the charred peel and rinse again in water. Finely chop the bell pepper.
- Add all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Season with olive oil, sesame seeds and coriander leaves.
- Serve the dip with salad sticks or any of your favourite snacks.
Cheesy Quinoa Roasti
Ingredients:
- Boiled quinoa - 100 gms
- Grated cheese (any processed cheese) - 2 cubes
- Chopped onion - 50 gms
- Chopped coriander - 25 gms
- Boiled potato - 50 gms
- Black pepper - 5 gms
- Salt - to taste
- Oregano - 5 gms
Method:
- Boil the quinoa and ensure that it is cooked completely.
- Cool the quinoa and mix potato, chopped onion and chopped coriander.
- Add seasonings and mix everything together.
- Heat a pan. Put butter and flattened the mix on the pan.
- Cook the Roasti from both sides until golden brown.
- Put cheese in the end and let it melt on the Roasti.
- Enjoy with any dips.
Steamed Sprouts Dumplings
Ingredients:
- Mixed sprouts (or sprouts of choice) - 200 gms
- Chopped onion - 30 gms
- Chopped ginger -10 gms
- Chopped garlic - 10 gms
- Chopped green chillies - 10 gms
- Chopped coriander - 20 gms
- Chilli powder - 10 gms
- Besan - 75 gms
- Salt - to taste
- Chaat Masala - 10 gms
Method:
- Drain the sprouts of any moisture and mix with all other ingredients, except for chaat masala.
- Make into small balls and keep aside.
- Steam the balls in an idli steamer for 6 to 8 mins.
- Take out and sprinkle Chaat Masala.
- Enjoy the healthy snack with your choice of dip.
Pomegranate Yoghurt Smoothie
Ingredients:
- Bananas - 2
- Pomegranate juice - ½ cup
- Pomegranate seeds - 3 tbsp
- Yoghurt - ½ cup
- Vanilla essence - ¼ tsp (optional)
Method:
- Grind the bananas and pomegranate seeds in a grinder.
- Add pomegranate juice, yoghurt and vanilla essence.
- Serve chilled.
Pan Pizza
Ingredients:
- Maida - 2 cups
- Garlic - 2 cloves (finely chopped)
- Baking soda - 1 pinch
- Pizza sauce or tomato puree - 4 tbsp
- Grated cheese - 2 tbsp
Method:
- Mix maida, water and baking soda to form a dough.
- Roll and spread the dough to make the pizza base.
- Spread tomato puree or pizza sauce over the base.
- Add cheese and your choice of toppings or as per availability.
- Place the pizza on a pan, cover it and set the flame at high.
- Let it cook till the cheese melts.
Banana Cake
Ingredients:
- Butter - 125 gms
- Bananas - 2
- Egg - 1
- Milk - ¼ cup
- Flour - 1½ cup
- Baking powder - 2 tsp
- Salt - ½ tsp
- Sugar - ¾ cup
- Vanilla essence - 1 tsp (optional)
Method:
- Mix flour, baking powder and salt together.
- In a saucepan, melt butter, sugar and vanilla.
- Remove the saucepan from heat and put mashed bananas.
- Add egg and mix well.
- Stir in the flour mix, add milk and mix lightly.
- Bake in the oven or preheated pressure cooker for 40 minutes.
- Let it cool and your cake is ready to serve.
Banoffee Shots
Ingredients:
- Banana - 1 (sliced)
- Cookie crumble - 100 gms
- Milkmaid - 100 gms
- Honey - 50 gms
- Peanut crumble (chikki) - 50 gms
- Chocolate sauce for garnish
Method:
- Soak the banana slices in honey and refrigerate.
- Double boil milkmaid for about 15 minutes till the color changes and you can smell the sweet caramel fragrance.
- Assemble all ingredients layer by layer inside a shot glass with loads of caramel and serve chilled topped with chocolate sauce.
Chickpea and Poha Dosa
Ingredients:
- Soaked chickpea (overnight) - 1 cup
- Soaked poha (30 min) - 1/2 cup
- Soaked raw rice (4 hrs) - 1/4 cup
- Salt - to taste
- Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Method:
- Put all ingredients in a blender and add water just to blend properly.
- In a hot skillet pour a spoonful of batter and spread into a thin circle. Drizzle oil on the sides and cook until the dosa turns out crispy.
- Enjoy with tomato or any other chutney.
Oreo Fudge
Ingredients:
- Oreo Biscuits - 1 pkt
- Milky Bar chocolate - 100 gms (can be replaced with Dairy Milk to make dark chocolate fudge)
- Milk - 300 ml
- Sugar - 150 gms
- Butter - 150 gms
Method:
- Mix butter, sugar and milk in a pan and put the mixture on low heat.
- Keep whisking to ensure it doesn't stick to the bottom and no lumps are formed.
- Once the sugar is completely mixed, add chopped Milky Bar.
- Keep whisking until the chocolate is completely melted.
- Take the mixture off the gas and add Oreo biscuit pieces.
- Take a deep tray or container and spread some butter on it.
- Put the mixture in the greased tray and garnish with some more pieces of oreo.
- Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
- Cut into squares and indulge in the goodness of the fudge.
Poha Parfait
Ingredients:
- Curd - 120 gms
- Poha (pressed rice) - 40 gms
- Milk -100 ml
- Cornflakes - 30 gms
- Honey- 30 gms
- Assorted dry fruits - Optional
- Orange (or any other available fruit)
Method:
- Hang the curd in muslin (or any other) cloth to drain the water.
- Soak Poha in milk for 10-12 mins.
- Dice the orange (or any other fruit) and keep aside.
- Whip the hung curd with 10 gms honey until its smooth and does not have any lumps.
- In a mug/glass, add a layer of soaked poha, curd, cornflakes, 10 gms of honey and orange.
- Repeat the procedure to make another layer.
- Top with some more orange, dry fruits (if available) and drizzle 1 tsp of honey.
- Refrigerate for 30 mins.
- Enjoy the healthy and exquisite Poha Parfait.