As all of us are [somehow] navigating our ways through the lockdown, the foodies around seem to be taking it pretty hard. I, for one, have been thinking of the time when ordering great food was the easiest task ever with some of our favourite restaurants being just a click away. However, as most of them remain closed as of now, there is a new type of restaurants I am eyeing these days. Confused? Well, of late, Instagram is sort of becoming our favourite haunt to get some food-high!
Right from an inundating array of banana bread to some really impressive one bowl meals, the Insta chefs seem to be at their productive best right now. Well, good for us, the ‘foodlorn’ folks, for this is the only source that’s helping our gastronomical fantasies at the moment. Also, all thanks to some of the really considerate cooking pros, we happen to have a ton of easy, basic-ingredient recipes at our disposal right now. You know where this is going, right?
Well, in the past month or so, I have bookmarked a crazy number of Insta recipes. Also, I have been giving them a serious try and while most of my three-ingredient cakes have tanked nicely, some of these recipes have really saved me from falling into the tasteless pits of my own mediocre cooking skills. From an easy salsa recipe to some delectable broccoli fritters, these recipes have presented themselves to me at the best time, have proved to be my palette saviours, and thus, deserve to be shared as much as for common good. Food and philosophy! Well, without much ado, here are five recipes from the ‘Gram that have helped me create my very own private restaurant during the lockdown.
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Biryani Jaise Beetroot Rice
True biryani connoisseurs know that it’s a crazy addiction and this is exactly the recipe for all those who are having some solid withdrawal symptoms. The Beetroot rice recipe attracted me for the sheer colour initially. However, one try on a rainy weekday evening and we have all been converted. Here’s the recipe:
Ingredients
Boiled Rice (2 cups)
Grated Beetroot (1 Cup)
Onions (1, large)
Large cardamom (2)
Cinnamon (2 units)
Bay leaf (1)
Cumin seeds (1 tbsp)
Cloves (3-5)
Salt (To Taste)
Red Chilli Powder (To Taste)
Coriander Powder (½ tbsp)
Turmeric (¼ tbsp)
Oil (For Cooking)
Method
- Add oil to the cooking vessel. Once it’s warm, add cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaf, cloves and cumin seeds.
- Follow this by chopped onions and let them cook until they turn translucent.
- Add the spices and mix well.
- Add the beetroot and let it cook for 4-5 minutes.
- Now add boiled rice to the mix. Cook for 4-5 minutes and serve with curd.
Here’s my twist
Make this a yummy and healthy meal by going generous on the veggies, add everything you can think of right from carrots to cabbages.
Aloo Pizza Squares For The Love Of That Cheesy Goodness!
There are currently two kinds of foodies right now: those who are pining for pizza and those who have figured out a way to get themselves cheesy feels! All thanks to our Insta restaurant, we easily fall in the second category and invite you to the zone with this fun (also, life-altering recipe). Here you go:
Ingredient
Potatoes (5, boiled)
All-Purpose Flour (200 gms)
Mozzarella Cheese (1/2 cup, grated)
Baking Powder (1 tsp)
Chopped Onion (1, finely chopped)
Carrot (½ finely chopped)
Capsicum (1/2 , finely chopped)
Pepper (1 tbsp)
Salt (To taste)
Red Chilli Flakes (1 tsp)
Pizza Seasoning (1 tsp)
Ghee or Oil (To Roast)
Method
- Mash potatoes to a smooth paste.
- Add chopped capsicum, carrot, onions, and the spices to the mashed potatoes. Mix well.
- Now add the plain flour and grated cheese to the mix and softly knead till you achieve a dough-like consistency.
- With the help of a rolling pin, flatten the dough and convert it into squares of 1-inch breadth and roast them on a no-stick pan.
Here’s my twist
Take some butter in a pan, heat it, and add a dollop of cheese. Heat the cheese till it melts and attains a golden brown tinge. Add this grilled cheese on the top of the pizza squares and I promise you, they’ll taste like heaven!
The Easiest Salsa Recipe
Fun and delectable, this one is sure to elevate your at-home culinary experiences with minimal efforts. Basic as it is, I gave this recipe a twist while giving it a go and the consequent burst of flavours really changed the game for me. You can have this salsa with stuffed paranthas, rice, bread, and even chapatis. Follow the recipe to see how it goes.
Ingredients
Garlic (4-6 cloves)
Green chillies (2)
Capsicum (1)
Salad Tomatoes (2)
Onions ( 1 Small)
Coriander (¼ cup)
Lemon (1)
Salt (To Taste)
Red Chilli Powder (To Taste)
Method
- Chop the tomatoes
- Crush the garlic.
- Add the tomatoes, garlic, and green chilies to the grinder and roughly grind the mix.
- Now transfer the mix to a bowl, add finely chopped onions, capsicum, and coriander to it.
- Add spices and mix again.
- Finish with a generous dash of lemon juice.
Here’s my twist
Roast the tomatoes, green chilies, and capsicum for a burst of flavours in this recipe.
Broccoli Fitters
Feel like whipping one of those recipes that look, gourmet, taste gourmet but are actually easy peasy to make? Broccoli Fritters is the answer! This gorgeous recipe is a must-try during the lockdown and can give even the restaurants a run for their money with all its yumminess. Here’s what you need to do.
Ingredients
Broccoli (2 cups, grated)
Egg (1)
Onions (1/2 cup, finely chopped)
Garlic cloves (2-4, crushed)
Mozzarella cheese (1/2 cup, shredded)
Flour (2 tbsp)
Salt (To taste)
Black pepper (To taste)
Oregano (1/4 tbsp)
Oil (For frying)
Method
1. In a bowl, mix the broccoli, egg, onions, garlic, cheese, flour, and seasoning. Roll softly, till you get an evenly moist mixture.
2. Make 1/2-inch thick patties out of this mix.
3. Heat the oil in a none stick pan and shallow fry these fritters unit golden brown and crispy.
4. Transform into a paper towel to drain the excess oil.
Here’s my twist
Make a liquid mix with 2 cups of vinegar, 2 cups water, salt, and 2-4 tbsp sugar. Overnight soak salad veggies like carrots, cucumbers, and onions in it and serve these pickled veggies with the fritters for the ultimate gourmet feel at home.
Old-Fashion Peanut Butter Cookies
What’s the point of having your own makeshift restaurant if you cannot even have make some nice, feel-good desserts? Now that we have heard of endless three-ingredient cakes, we thought of giving a nice three-ingredient cookie a try and boy, does this turn out to be a bomb, every damn time! Oh also, for the chai lovers, this is THE most coveted lockdown recipe right now. Here’s what to do:
Ingredients
Peanut butter (1 Cup)
Sugar (1/2 cup)
Egg (1)
Method
1. Beat all the ingredients together in a mixing bowl with the help of a wooden spoon or a whisking wand
2. Pre-heat the oven at 180c.
3. Roll the dough into tiny balls, place them on a dusted baking tray, and press them down with a fork.
4. Bake for 10-12 mins. Once down, leave them to cool and avoid touching touch them until they have cooled.
5. While they go well with everything, we highly recommend a cup of masala chai.
Here’s my twist
Add solid chunks of any of your favourite milk chocolates to the cookies to add fine texture and some rich chocolatey taste to your cookies. Alternatively, you can also fold some Nutella along with the other ingredients for a rich taste.
Didn’t we get you nicely salivating there? I hope, you had one hell of a visit to our Insta inspired restaurant. Try out these recipes and get your own lockdown restaurants going in no time!
Featured Image: Unsplash
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