Tag: Indian comfort food

Lunch & Dinner

🌾 Masala Oats Khichdi – Light, Comforting & Wholesome

Puspa

A Bowl of Warmth on a Busy Day

There are days when I need a meal that hugs from the inside — comforting, light on the stomach, yet nourishing. On those days, Masala Oats Khichdi is my go-to.

I first made it on a rainy afternoon when I had just oats and leftover moong dal in the kitchen. No elaborate prep, no fancy ingredients. Just simple things coming together in a pressure cooker. The first bite — warm, slightly spiced, with the goodness of vegetables — reminded me of the khichdi my mother made, only lighter and faster.

Since then, it has become a weekly staple. Especially during detox days or when I want to eat clean without compromising on taste.


🌿 Ingredients (Serves 2–3)

½ cup yellow moong dal (split)

½ cup quick oats

1 tablespoon ghee or oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 pinch of hing (asafoetida)

1 green chili (chopped)

1 small onion (finely chopped)

1 tomato (chopped)

½ cup chopped carrots

½ cup green peas

ÂĽ teaspoon turmeric powder

½ teaspoon coriander powder

Salt to taste

3 cups water

Fresh coriander leaves (for garnish)

Optional: 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste




🔪 Method

Pressure Cooker Method (Fastest):

1. Wash and soak the moong dal for 10–15 mins (optional for quicker cooking).


2. Heat ghee in a pressure cooker. Add cumin seeds and let them splutter. Add a pinch of hing.


3. Sauté green chili, onion, and ginger-garlic paste (if using) for 2–3 mins.


4. Add tomatoes, turmeric, and coriander powder. Cook until tomatoes turn soft.


5. Add chopped carrots and peas. Sauté for a minute.


6. Add moong dal and 3 cups of water. Pressure cook for 2 whistles.


7. Open the cooker and stir in oats. Simmer for 4–5 minutes until thick and creamy.


8. Adjust salt. Finish with a spoon of ghee and chopped coriander.



Pan Method:

Follow the same process in a deep pan. Simmer the dal with lid on until soft, then add oats and continue as above. Add more water as needed.




🍽️ Serving Suggestion

Serve hot with a dollop of ghee, curd or raita, and papad on the side. A wedge of lemon or mango pickle adds brightness. For a diabetic-friendly version, skip the ghee or go light and add more vegetables.

Breakfast

Meethi Paratha – Sweet, Ghee-Roasted Flatbread Just Like Maa Made

Puspa


🍯 A Taste of Childhood, Folded in Ghee & Sweetness

Meethi Paratha is the kind of dish that doesn’t need an occasion.
It could be a quick breakfast before school, a snack wrapped in foil for train journeys, or a warm surprise on a cold evening — all with that unmistakable smell of ghee + jaggery caramelizing on the tawa.

Soft, slightly crispy, and sweet with hints of saunf or cardamom — this paratha is simple joy on a plate.


🛒 What You’ll Need (Makes 3–4 parathas):

1½ cups atta (wheat flour)

2–3 tbsp jaggery (grated) or sugar

1 tbsp ghee (for inside + roasting)

½ tsp cardamom powder or crushed saunf (fennel seeds)

Water to knead

Optional: a pinch of salt




🍳 How to Make It – Sweet, Soft & Nostalgic

1. Knead the Dough

Mix flour, cardamom/saunf, and a pinch of salt (optional). Knead into a soft dough using water. Let it rest for 15 mins.

2. Roll & Fill

Roll a small dough ball into a circle. Spread a little ghee and sprinkle 1 tbsp jaggery/sugar evenly inside. Fold and roll again.

Tip: Fold into triangle or square for layers.

3. Roast on Tawa

Cook on hot tawa with ghee until golden brown spots appear and jaggery starts to melt inside.

4. Serve Hot

Enjoy as is, or with curd or a glass of milk — it’s satisfying either way!



❤️ Why Meethi Paratha Feels Like a Warm Hug

Ready in minutes

Perfect for kids or fasting days

Naturally sweet, no fancy ingredients

Because some recipes are made of memories

Snacks

Masala Maggi – The 2-Minute Legend With a Pinch of Masala

Puspa


🍜 Because Sometimes, You Don’t Want a Meal. You Want Maggi.

It’s not just noodles.
It’s late-night hunger.
It’s bunked lectures and hostel balconies.
It’s the dish that tastes better at midnight, during rain, and when shared from one bowl with four spoons.

Masala Maggi is spicy, quick, customizable, and always hits that just-one-more-bite spot.


🛒 What You’ll Need (Serves 1–2 hungry souls):

1 packet Maggi instant noodles

1½ cups water

½ tsp oil or butter

½ small onion, chopped

ÂĽ tomato, chopped

1 small green chili, chopped

1 tbsp green peas (optional)

ÂĽ tsp turmeric (for color and health!)

A pinch of red chili powder (for drama)

Fresh coriander, chopped

Optional: 1 cube cheese, grated




🍳 How to Make It – Maggi But Make It Special

1. Sauté the Veggies

In a pan, heat oil or butter.
Add onion, green chili, tomato, and peas. Sauté for 1–2 minutes till soft.

2. Add Water + Masala

Pour in 1½ cups water. Add the Maggi tastemaker, turmeric, and chili powder. Let it boil.

3. Drop the Noodles

Break the Maggi cake in half (or don’t, your call).
Add it to the bubbling broth. Stir and let it cook for 2–3 mins, stirring occasionally.

4. Finish With Flair

Turn off the flame while it’s still slightly saucy.
Garnish with coriander, maybe a cheese cube on top. Done!


❤️ Why Masala Maggi Is Forever

Done in 5–6 minutes flat

Takes any spice, veg, or mood you throw at it

Perfect for solo cravings or shared nostalgia

Because we all grew up on this yellow packet

Lunch & Dinner

Aloo Bharta – Spiced Mashed Potatoes, Odia Style

Puspa


🥔 The Simpler It Is, The Better It Tastes

No tempering.
No frying.
Just boiled potatoes, mashed with mustard oil, green chilies, and salt. That’s it.
And yet, somehow, it never fails to hit the spot.

Aloo Bharta is the most loved companion of Pakhala Bhata, eaten across Odisha in summers — a cool meal with bold soul.

This isn’t the buttery mashed potato from the West.
This is fire in your fingers, pungent with mustard oil, made with feeling more than measurement.


🛒 What You’ll Need (Serves 2–3):

2–3 medium boiled potatoes, peeled

1–2 green chilies, finely chopped

½ tsp grated garlic (optional but traditional in Odia style)

1 small onion, finely chopped (optional)

1–2 tbsp mustard oil (raw)

Salt to taste

Chopped coriander (optional)




🥄 How to Make It – No Pan, Just Hands

1. Mash It Your Way

Mash boiled potatoes in a bowl — by hand for authenticity.
Add chopped green chilies, garlic (if using), onion, and salt.

2. Add the Mustard Kick

Drizzle mustard oil generously. Mix well until everything blends into a smooth, spicy mash.

3. Serve with Heart

Best served with Pakhala Bhata, dal-chawal, or even plain roti.
Top with coriander if you like a fresh finish.



❤️ Why Aloo Bharta Is Forever a Favorite

No cooking needed — just boil, mash, mix

That sharp mustard oil bite makes it stand out

Easily adjustable — mild or fiery, your call

Because the simplest things often taste the best