Dabba goal

We are at that point in the pandemic where we are neither here nor there. It's like a baby learning how to walk, but not run yet. On one hand, we are being told that offices can reopen with limited staff. But on the other, the housing societies of most of these staff members are refusing to allow domestic help. So, their tryst with the kitchen continues. People have to make their own dabbas, what with there still being a bit of a question mark over takeaway food. But that doesn't mean you have to make do with just daal, chawal, roti and sabzi, day in and day out. Honey Thaker, head nutritionist at online platform purenutrition.me, suggests these two recipes to add zing to your tiffin, ensuring that taste and health go hand-in-hand.

Protein-packed sandwich

Wheat flour and besan add the protein component to this roti sandwich, with jeera, ajwain, hing and the mint in the green chutney making it easier to digest. "Enjoy it guilt-free," Thaker says.

Ingredients

• Sattu/besan flour - 1.5 tbsp Millet flour/wheat Flour - 30gm (2 tbsp)
• Tomato - 1 small, finely chopped
• Onion - 1 small, finely chopped
• Green chilli - 1, chopped Coriander leaves - 2 tsp, finely chopped Salt (can add pink salt) - To taste
• Jeera - 1/4th tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4th tsp
• Ajwain - 1/4th tsp
• Red chilli powder - 1/4th tsp
• A pinch of hing

Method

Add the tomato, onion, green chilli and coriander leaves. Mix water to give it a dosa batter/paste-like consistency. Knead the wheat flour (or any millet flour like nachni or jowar) with water and a pinch of salt into the dough to make a roti/paratha. Flatten it into a roti (5-6 inch) and cook both sides on a flat pan/tawa (leftover roti can be used too). Apply the besan paste on one side of the roti, covering it entirely, and place it on the tawa greased with a tsp of ghee. Allow the besan to cook; meanwhile, apply the remaining paste on the top side of the roti. Put a lid on it to cook under steam. Apply a tsp of ghee/oil on the uncooked top side and place it on the tawa to let it cook. Once both sides cook well, cut it into four to six parts and serve with green chutney (coriander and mint) or curd.

Chilli baked eggs

This recipe is a tasty and effortless one, since it doesn't need any special ingredients. Thaker adds, "It's the perfect low-carb, moderate-fat and high-protein meal."

Ingredients

• Oil - 10 ml
• Ghee - 2 ml for greasing
• Garlic - 5 gm, finely sliced
• Onion - 20 gm, chopped
• Hot chilli flakes/crushed dry red chillies - 15 gm
• Tomatoes - 100 gm, chopped
• Eggs - 2
• Cheese - 50 gm
• Salt and pepper - To taste

Method

Add oil to a pan and heat. Sauté garlic, onion and chilli flakes and cook until it's light brown. Add tomatoes and simmer it for about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and pour the mixture into a baking dish that is greased with ghee. Crack the eggs one by one into the dish. Sprinkle the grated cheese on it and season with salt and pepper. Bake it at 200 degrees Celsius for approximately 15 minutes. Remove the baking dish from the oven and let it settle for a couple of minutes. The dish can be eaten with brown bread or roti.

Store these tips for your tiffin

Honey Thaker

• If you're using plastic boxes to store your food, check the quality of the plastic. It's best to stay away from them completely and use glass or steel containers instead.
• Instead of aluminium foil that is known to have cancerous properties, use butter paper to pack food in your dabba.
• Avoid items that can spill, like buttermilk or watery gravies, in your dabba.

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