In present times, it is more than likely that most people will, at some point, live by themselves. No longer does processed cheap food, quick-fix noodles and savory oats suffice. Reality TV with cooking segments offer a lot of low-budget, speedy recipes with easy-to-obtain ingredients. Say a polite goodbye to processed food and a robust hello to nutritious and quick recipes that won’t burn a hole in your pocket.
Today, young men and women are a lot more independent than earlier generations. Work and/or studies take up most of one’s time, leaving a small window of time to cook meals. Leading healthy lives, too, has become a way of life for most. Two-minute noodles, oats, chips and other processed foods have little to do with eating a nutritious meal.
Here are some recipes that can be adjusted to one’s preference.
1. Egg/Tuna Salad MeltÂ
Ingredients
- Tinned tuna/eggs boiled, shelled and chopped – 1 cup
- Mayonnaise – 1 ½ cup
- Spring onions – ½ cup, chopped finely
- Green chili – 1
- Mustard sauce to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Corn – ½ cup, optional
- Whole wheat/ multigrain bread – 4+ slices
- Butter – For spreading
- Tomato – 1 (medium), sliced
- Cheese slices – 1-2 slices per sandwich
- Lettuce leaves – 6-7
Method
- Combine mayonnaise, eggs/tuna, onions, green chili and condiments of your choice.
- Mix well.
- Spread the desired amount of butter on the bread slices.
- Place the lettuce leave and tomato slices on the bread.
- Add 1 tbsp of the mayonnaise mix over the lettuce and tomato.
- Spread evenly.
- Add the cheese slices last.
- Grill the sandwich in an oven or a sandwich maker.
- Eat hot.
Tips:
- The sandwich can be eaten without grilling too.
- Use Tabasco or any other condiment that appeals to your palate.
- Eat with a side of baked potato wedges.
2. Baked Potato Wedges
Ingredients
- Potato – 3, washed and cut into wedges with skin
- Olive oil – 3 tbsp
- Herbs (rosemary/thyme/parsley/oregano) – 1½ tsp
- Garlic – 3 cloves, minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees C.
- Place wedges in a large bowl.
- Add the olive oil, herbs, garlic salt and pepper.
- Toss the wedges till well coated.
- Bake the wedges until soft on the inside and crispy on the outside, about 30 minutes.
- Turn the wedges once to cook on the other side 15 minutes into the baking time.
- Serve hot.
3. Spicy Scrambled Egg
Ingredients
- Eggs – 2, beaten
- Onion – 1 (small), chopped
- Cumin seeds – ½ tsp
- Chili – 1, Chopped
- Tomato – 1 (small), chopped
- Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
- Red chili powder – ¼ tsp
- Butter – 1 tbsp
- Oil
- Coriander leaves – handful
- Milk – 2 tbsp
Method
- Beat milk into the beaten eggs.
- Sauté onion, cumin and chili, in 2 tbsp of oil, till onions are soft.
- Add tomato, turmeric and chili powder and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the butter and eggs.
- Cook till soft and water has evaporated.
- Garnish with coriander leaves.
- Eat with any kind of bread.
4. Homemade Veg/Chicken Frankies/Kathi Roll
Ingredients
- Ready to eat chapattis/parathas – 2-3
- Peas – ¼ cup
- Onions – 1 cup
- Potato – 2 cups, boiled and grated
- Paneer/Chicken – ½ cup, grated and shredded or in chunks respectively
- Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
- Greens chili – 1
- Ginger-garlic paste – 1 ½ tsp
- Tomato – 1 (medium)
- Oil
- Ghee
- Salt to taste
- Chaat masala – 1 tsp
- Garam masala – 1 tsp
- Coriander leaves – ÂĽ cup
Method
- Make the chapattis on a tawa.
- Spread ghee on the rotis.
- Keep the rotis
- Add cumin seeds to oil in a pan.
- Sauté onions, salt and chili until onion is golden.
- Add garam masala.
- Add the ginger-garlic paste followed by the tomato.
- Cook till the raw smell of the paste is no longer evident.
- Add the remaining vegetables of your choice.
- Cook until the vegetables are well cooked but not mushy.
- Take off the heat.
- Place the roti of choice on a plate.
- Add adequate filling to the center.
- Add coriander.
- Roll tightly.
- On a tawa, cook the rolls on each side till brown and crispy.
- Sprinkle with chaat masala on the rolls.
- Consume immediately if you like the rolls crispy.
Tips:
- You can add cooked leftover vegetables or leftover chicken.
- Spread beaten egg on the paratha and cook till egg is done and covers the one entire side of the roll.
- Using the vegetable mix, you can make cutlets by rolling into balls, dipping them in egg wash/flour with water and finally rolling them in breadcrumbs. Shallow-fry till both sides are brown.