What are 10-minute Indian meal ideas on a tight budget?

Question

What are some 10-minute Indian meal ideas on a tight budget? Get a list of super-fast and affordable recipes for busy days.

Answer 1

Quick Indian meals on a budget include instant noodle upma, poha, vegetable rava upma, bread upma, dal tadka with rice (using pre-cooked dal), vegetable stir-fry with roti, masala oats, curd rice, and quick vegetable curry with rice. These options utilize readily available ingredients and require minimal cooking time.

Detailed Explanation:

Creating delicious and affordable Indian meals in just 10 minutes is entirely possible with a bit of planning and the right ingredients. Here's a breakdown of how to prepare some of the suggested dishes:

1. Instant Noodle Upma: Cook instant noodles as usual, but instead of using the flavor packet as is, temper mustard seeds, curry leaves, and chopped onions in oil. Add the cooked noodles and the flavor packet, mixing well.
2. Poha (Flattened Rice): Rinse poha and keep aside. Temper mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, and chopped onions in oil. Add turmeric powder, salt, and the rinsed poha. Mix well and cook for a few minutes until heated through. Garnish with coriander leaves and lemon juice.
3. Vegetable Rava Upma: Roast rava (semolina) lightly. Temper mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, and chopped onions in oil. Add chopped vegetables like carrots, peas, and beans. Sauté for a minute, then add water and salt. Bring to a boil, then slowly add the roasted rava, stirring continuously to avoid lumps. Cook until the water is absorbed.
4. Bread Upma: Cut bread into small cubes. Temper mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, and chopped onions in oil. Add chopped vegetables like tomatoes and capsicum. Sauté for a minute, then add the bread cubes, turmeric powder, and salt. Mix well and cook until the bread is lightly toasted.
5. Dal Tadka with Rice (using pre-cooked dal): If you have leftover cooked dal, simply heat it up. Prepare a tadka (tempering) of ghee, cumin seeds, red chili powder, and hing (asafoetida). Pour the tadka over the dal and serve with rice.
6. Vegetable Stir-Fry with Roti: Quickly stir-fry chopped vegetables like onions, capsicum, and tomatoes with spices like turmeric powder, chili powder, and coriander powder. Serve with roti.
7. Masala Oats: Cook oats with water or milk. Temper mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and chopped onions in oil. Add chopped vegetables like tomatoes and peas. Sauté for a minute, then add the cooked oats, turmeric powder, chili powder, and salt. Mix well and cook for a few minutes.
8. Curd Rice: Mix cooked rice with yogurt, salt, and a tempering of mustard seeds, curry leaves, and chopped green chilies in oil.
9. Quick Vegetable Curry with Rice: Sauté chopped vegetables like potatoes, onions, and tomatoes with ginger-garlic paste and spices like turmeric powder, chili powder, and coriander powder. Add water and cook until the vegetables are tender. Serve with rice.

Pro Tip:

Keep a stock of basic ingredients like lentils, rice, rava, poha, spices, and frozen vegetables. This allows you to quickly whip up a meal without having to make a trip to the grocery store every time. Pre-chopping vegetables on the weekend can also save valuable time during the week.