Category: Breakfast

Breakfast

Corn Sandwich – Golden Grains, Toasted Stories

Puspa

☕ Chapter One: The 5-Minute Café That Lives in My Kitchen

There’s a little café in my kitchen. It doesn’t serve fancy foam art.
But it knows me better than any menu ever has.
When I walk in tired, late, or just hungry for something warm —
It hands me this: a corn sandwich.

Simple.
Golden.
Filled with cheese, a little green, and that quiet kind of joy that says,
“You’re home.”

🛒 What You’ll Need – No Rules, Just Balance:

1 cup boiled sweet corn (fresh or frozen)

¼ cup capsicum, finely chopped

2 tbsp onion, finely chopped

1–2 tbsp mayonnaise (or hung curd for a lighter feel)

½ tsp black pepper

Salt to taste

½ tsp chili flakes or chopped green chili

A pinch of chaat masala (if you’re that person)

Bread slices – white, brown, multigrain, pav, whatever hugs you best

Butter – for toasting

Cheese slice or grated cheese (optional, but you already know you’re adding it)

🔥 How to Make It – The Easy Love Story:

1. Make the Filling
Mix corn, capsicum, onion, mayo, salt, pepper, chili, and chaat masala.
Taste. Smile. Adjust.

2. Assemble the Toast
Spread the mix on bread. Add cheese if you’re in the mood. Top with another slice.

3. Toast It With Feeling
Butter a pan. Toast the sandwich till golden and slightly crispy.
Flip gently. Let the cheese melt a little. Let it smell like Sunday.

4. Slice & Serve
Cut into triangles, squares, or keep it whole like an honest hug.
Serve with ketchup, chutney, or just warm memories.

💭 Why I Keep Coming Back to It:

It’s what I make when I don’t want to think

It’s what I crave when I miss mom and hostel at the same time

It’s the recipe I never write down — just feel, taste, adjust

It turns “just bread” into something soft and golden and worth sitting down for

Breakfast

Vegetable Cheela – My 10-Minute Magic for Busy Mornings

Puspa

🌄 Intro / Story Section:

In every Indian kitchen, there’s that one recipe — quick, reliable, and always open to interpretation. For me, it’s Vegetable Cheela. Whether it’s leftover veggies or rushed mornings, cheela comes to the rescue like a warm, crispy hug.

My mother called it “desi pancake” when feeding it to us as kids. She’d toss in whatever vegetables were lying around — a bit of grated carrot, chopped onions, maybe some spinach if we were lucky — and serve it hot with green chutney.

Now, it’s part of my own morning rhythm. Wholesome, customizable, and ready in minutes.

🥕 Vegetable Cheela Recipe

Serves: 2
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 10 mins

🛒 Ingredients

  • 1 cup besan (gram flour)
  • ¼ tsp turmeric
  • ½ tsp ajwain (carom seeds)
  • 1–2 green chilies, finely chopped
  • ½ tsp red chili powder (optional)
  • Salt to taste
  • Water (enough to make a pourable batter)

🥕 Vegetables (add what you have):

  • ¼ cup grated carrot
  • ¼ cup finely chopped onion
  • ¼ cup chopped spinach/coriander
  • ¼ cup capsicum or cabbage (optional)

👩‍🍳 Instructions

  1. Make the Batter:
    In a bowl, mix besan, turmeric, ajwain, chili powder, salt. Gradually add water to make a smooth, lump-free batter.
  2. Add Vegetables:
    Toss in your chopped/grated veggies. Mix well.
  3. Heat the Pan:
    Heat a tawa or non-stick pan. Lightly grease with oil.
  4. Cook the Cheela:
    Pour a ladleful of batter and spread it gently like a dosa.
    Drizzle a little oil around the edges.
    Cook until golden on both sides.
  5. Serve Hot:
    With green chutney, ketchup, or curd.

💡 Tips & Variations

  • You can also add grated beetroot or zucchini.
  • For extra crispness, rest the batter for 10 mins.
  • Skip chilies for a kid-friendly version.

❤️ Closing Note

Vegetable Cheela isn’t just a recipe — it’s a reminder that something warm, filling, and colorful can still be fast and fuss-free. Try it once, and you’ll keep coming back to it — just like I do.

Breakfast

Lemon Rice – A Tangy Hug in Every Spoonful

Puspa

🍋 Intro / Story Section:

Some days call for simplicity — a meal that doesn’t demand effort but delivers comfort in every bite.

Lemon Rice was that dish in our home. It made frequent appearances after festivals, when leftover rice needed a new life, or on lazy afternoons when no one felt like cooking but everyone craved something homemade.

I remember watching my mother swirl mustard seeds in hot oil, the air filling with the earthy aroma of curry leaves and asafoetida. A squeeze of lemon at the end always made the whole kitchen smell like sunshine.

To this day, Lemon Rice remains my go-to reset meal — simple, soulful, and bright.

🍚 Recipe: Lemon Rice

Serves: 2
Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 10 mins

🛒 Ingredients:

  • 2 cups cooked rice (preferably cooled or leftover)
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1 tsp urad dal
  • 1 tsp chana dal (optional)
  • 1–2 green chilies, slit
  • ½ tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
  • 8–10 curry leaves
  • 1–2 dry red chilies
  • 2 tbsp roasted peanuts or cashews
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • Salt to taste
  • Fresh coriander for garnish (optional)

🔪 Instructions:

  1. Prep Rice:
    If using freshly cooked rice, let it cool a bit to avoid mushiness.
  2. Temper Spices:
    Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
    Add urad dal, chana dal, peanuts, red chilies, and sauté until golden.
  3. Aromatics:
    Add curry leaves, green chilies, turmeric, and a pinch of hing. Mix well.
  4. Add Rice:
    Gently add the rice and mix until the yellow color coats every grain evenly. Add salt to taste.
  5. Finish with Lemon:
    Turn off the heat. Squeeze in the lemon juice and mix gently.
  6. Serve Warm:
    Garnish with coriander (if using) and enjoy with papad or pickle.

💡 Tips:

  • Use day-old rice for the best texture.
  • Add grated coconut for a South Indian touch.
  • Adjust lemon juice at the end — always taste and tweak!
  • Serve with curd, papad, or a spicy pickle for a full plate.

❤️ Closing Note:

Lemon Rice is a celebration of simplicity — zesty, golden, and comforting. Whether it’s lunchbox nostalgia or a quick dinner fix, this dish always reminds me that even leftovers can taste like love.

Breakfast

Steaming Up Mornings: My Mother’s Masala Poha with a Side of Love

Puspa

There’s something about Indian mornings — the clanging of the tawa, the hiss of tadka, and the smell of curry leaves that can wake you up better than any alarm.

Growing up, our Sundays always began with the sizzle of Masala Poha. My mother would be halfway through her chai, hair tied in a loose bun, already orchestrating magic in the kitchen. She believed breakfast wasn’t just the first meal — it was the mood-setter for the day.

As kids, we didn’t need clocks. The aroma of mustard seeds popping was enough to tell us it was time to get out of bed.

🍛 Recipe: Masala Poha

Servings: 2
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes

🛒 Ingredients:

  • 1½ cups flattened rice (poha) – thick variety, rinsed and drained
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1 small potato, diced and boiled or parboiled
  • 1–2 green chilies, chopped
  • ½ tsp mustard seeds
  • ½ tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 6–8 curry leaves
  • 2 tbsp peanuts (optional, but highly recommended)
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • Salt to taste
  • Fresh coriander for garnish
  • Sev or bhujia for topping (optional but so good!)

🔪 Instructions:

  1. Prep the poha: Rinse the poha in a colander under running water. Let it sit and drain. It should be soft but not mushy.
  2. Tempering: In a pan, heat oil. Add mustard seeds and let them crackle. Toss in curry leaves and peanuts. Sauté until peanuts are golden.
  3. Aromatics: Add onions and green chilies. Cook till onions are translucent.
  4. Spice it up: Add turmeric, potatoes, and salt. Mix gently.
  5. Add poha: Fold in the soaked poha. Mix well and cook for 2–3 minutes on low heat.
  6. Final touch: Switch off the heat. Squeeze lemon juice. Toss.
  7. Garnish: Sprinkle with coriander and top with sev if desired.

💡 Tips:

  • Add some grated coconut if you like a South Indian twist.
  • Want it spicy? A little red chili powder works well too.
  • Don’t skip the lemon juice — it lifts the whole dish!

❤️ Closing:

This simple masala poha isn’t just food — it’s a hug from my childhood. It reminds me that even the busiest mornings can begin with something warm, nourishing, and made with love.

Give it a try, and maybe share it with someone special.