New Year 2024: Makhana Flax Seed Chivda, Potato-Zucchini Fritters and other easy recipes to make for breakfast

Are you just done with your New Year's Eve party, or have you just woken up from a fabulous party but are extremely hungry? The hunger pangs are here but can't be ignored. While making breakfast may seem like a daunting task, especially because you will have to take the effort to put it all together, Indian chefs say there are easier options and that can include options as simple as fried eggs and bread, and you can even add bacon to that. However, the festive season demands a touch of innovation even to classic dishes.

After Christmas, it is that time of the year when people have partied all night long on New Year's Eve, to welcome the new year. Imagine thinking of making breakfast after drinking, eating, and partying the whole night? It is going to become a difficult task, but chefs say you don't have to worry because there are a lot of ingredients in your kitchen that you can use to make your breakfast.

Keeping this in mind, mid-day.com spoke to these Indian chefs to help us with easy breakfast recipes. They not only share a version of the classic chivda but also remind how you can actually innovate with porridge, another breakfast favourite. They also share recipes for delicious fritters, but also tell you how to make use of leftovers from the party season to make your breakfast tasty.

Makhana and Flax Seed Chivda
Love eating healthy food? Paul Noronha, executive chef at ITC Grand Central in Parel suggests the easiest recipe with makhana and flax seeds. He shares, "New Year's Eve is the best time of the year, and we enjoy with our friends and family but after all the celebrations, we look for some easy snack or beverages to relish on. One snack which is easy and quite delicious to prepare is makhana and flax seed chivda, that I like and will vote for this NYE."

Ingredients:
Makhana 100 gm
Flax seeds 200 gm
Ghee 4 tbsp
Mustard seeds 1 tbsp
Cashewnuts 50 gm
Hing 1 tsp
Turmeric (optional) 1 tsp
Green chili (chopped) 4-5 nos
Dry coconut (sliced into flakes) 50 gm
Curry leaves 10-12 leaves
Sendha namak to taste
Sugar 1 tbsp

Method:
1. Heat half ghee in a kadhai. Toss the makhana in it on medium heat for a couple of minutes till it becomes crispy. Remove and keep aside.
2. Heat remaining ghee in a kadhai. Add mustard seeds, green chili, turmeric, hing, curry leaves, cashewnuts and dry coconut flakes. Fry this till golden in colour.
3. Add flax seeds and saute for a couple of minutes till crisp. Add makhana in this and add sendha namak and sugar. Taste for seasoning.

Carrot and Strawberry with Kala Namak, English Cucumber with Tartar, Watermelon with Cheddar cream
If you are feeling a bit festive and are still in for a treat, then Arun Kumar, executive chef at Araiya Palampur believes in making an elaborate dish with the simplest of ingredients in the kitchen. Especially if you are the kind who keeps different kinds of seasonal fruits, vegetables and cheeses. He shares,"The very next day of the new year would be tiresome because of last night's party. These pairings are inspired with easily available ingredients lying in our freezer and can be served anytime with no hassles. Putting these food elements together presents a well accompanied bouquet of flavours." While the tartare sauce is a hit to the palate, it is balanced with the cucumber. On the other hand, the cheddar cream is anamalgamation of rich and light sweet watermelon that gives a mellow taste on the palate.

Ingredients:
Carrot shavings 1 no
Strawberry whole 1 no
Black salt a pinch
Black pepper a pinch
Paired English cucumber 1 no
Tartar sauce 1 tsp
Watermelon, rectangle cut 1 no
Cheddar cream a tsp

Method:
1. Pair the carrot shaving with strawberry, kala namak, and black pepper in bite size.
2. Pair the English cucumber with tartar sauce.
3. Pair sweet and deseeded watermelon with cheddar cream.

Tangy Tomato Oats
One may think of many different breakfast options but there is nothing like the classic oats to enjoy on the first day of the new year, as it is simply a no-fuss dish. In fact, celebrity chef Kunal Kapur, who is associated with Saffola Oats, says the classic oats can be given a twist and the beauty of the recipe lies in its simplicity because you can make the dish with ingredients that are easily found in everyone's pantry. With a little bit of butter, onion, garlic, tomatoes, and masalas, it is all easily accessible any time of the day.

Ingredients:
Tomato Oats 1 packet
Water 2 cups
Olive oil/butter 1 tbsp
Onion, finely chopped 1 small
Garlic cloves, minced 2 nos
Tomatoes, medium-sized, chopped 2 nos
Turmeric powder (as per taste) 1/2 tsp
Red chili powder(as per taste) 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder (as per taste) 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Chopped coriander leaves (cilantro) for garnish (optional)

Method:
1. Heat olive oil or butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onions and sauté until they turn translucent.
2. Add minced garlic to the pan and sauté for another minute until fragrant.
3. Add chopped tomatoes to the pan and cook until they soften and start breaking down, stirring occasionally.
4. Once the tomatoes are cooked and mushy, add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder, salt, and black pepper (as per the taste). Mix well and cook for a couple of minutes to let the spices blend with the tomatoes.
5. Pour water and bring it to a boil.
6. Add the masala oats to the boiling liquid, stirring continuously to prevent lumps. Reduce the heat to low and let the oats simmer for about 5-7 minutes or until they reach your desired consistency. Keep stirring occasionally.
7. Once the oats are cooked and have absorbed the flavours, remove the pan from heat.
8. Serve the tangy tomato oats hot, garnished with chopped coriander leaves if desired.

Leftover Roast Chicken, Roast Potatoes, and Veggies
Making the best of leftovers, chef Parikshit Joshi, who is the executive chef at Someplace Else, says you don't need to worry about breakfast because you will have a lot of leftovers in the fridge. It is also why he recommends making a dish out of leftover roast chicken, roast potatoes, and vegetables. While he says sandwiches and fruits, eating carbohydrates and proteins will help for hangovers, and everybody's pantry has eggs. He explains, "So fried or boiled egg is one such simple and quick recipe to make along with a toasted bread. Eggs counteract with the effects of acetaldehyde, the chemical that the body produces while it metabolises alcohol." However, you can also simply mince the leftover roast chicken, and serve it with roast potatoes and veggies to make a hearty meal.

Ingredients:
Roast chicken 300 gm
Roast potatoes 50 gm
Vegetables 50 gm
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Paprika powder 10 gm
Thyme 5 gm
Vegetable stock 500 ml
Leftover pasta 30 gm

Method:
1. Mince the chicken, cut roast potatoes and veggies in small cubes(brunoise).
2. Now heat the pan, add in mince chicken with some butter or oil, add in some garlic and onions chopped.
3. Now saute and add in stock and boil. Once it boils, add in chopped potatoes and vegetables and season with salt pepper and lemon juice.
4. Roughly chop pasta and put it in the broth.
5. A simple chicken broth with vegetables is ready with leftovers and is best for hangovers.
6. Can add some egg white as well if want to thicken a little bit and add more flavour.

Potato, Zucchini Fritters with Bacon and Fried Egg
Turn a classic fritter into an elaborate breakfast if you feel like treating yourself to a feast on the first day of the new year. Chef Gunjit Chawla, who is the corporate chef at Independence Brewing Company, says you can make a potato and zucchini fritter and serve it with bacon and fried eggs. It not only transforms the classic fritters but also the bacon and eggs.

Ingredients:
For the fritter:
Potato 100 gm
Zucchini 70 gm
Parsley 5 gm
Brussels sprout 50 gm
Bacon 60 gm
Eggs 2 nos
Paprika powder 5 gm
Olive oil 10 ml
Cherry tomato 30 gm
Salt 2 gm
Black pepper 3 gm
Butter 20 gm
Garlic 5 gm

Method:
1. Grate the raw potato and zucchini using a standard grater.
2. Add salt to the potato and zucchini and keep it aside, squeeze out the excess liquid then transfer it in a bowl.
3. Take a bowl and add potato, garlic, paprika, zucchini, parsley, butter, thyme, salt and pepper.
4. Heat butter in a non-stick fry pan over medium-high heat. Add potato-zucchini mixture and cook for 8-9 minutes. Cook it evenly from both sides.
5. Placed bacon in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Cooked for 3-4 minutes until crispy. Also sautee brussels sprouts and cherry tomatoes in a pan add seasoning.
6. To serve, place the fritter in a plate top with fried eggs and chopped parsley. Put bacon, Brussels sprout and cherry tomato on the side.
7. It is a perfect hangover breakfast that can be served with apple, celery, cucumber and lemon for detox.