Lunch dabba or the Lunch Box series in food carrier is always a healthy option as the food is prepared at home, likewise you will save your pocket as well as health. I hope many of you will agree to what i say. Before i start this, I would like to disclose that I prefer stainless steel instead of plastic as most of the Indian dishes has turmeric and the color of it will stain the box, and i somehow feel its not healthy to reheat or have food from that. And regarding lunch dabba series, I will try my best to provide what i know and can. Stay tuned to my page here as well as my instagram for the videos of dabba and their recipes on my stories.
My focus is to give healthy and quick lunch dabba meals that will be easy in making for all of us, and sometimes little pre-preparation will be a helpful task to achieve a quick cooking.
Let’s see what I have made for LUNCH DABBA-2
On my Dabba:
- Red Bean Pulao (Chori Pulao)
- Dal
- Vegetable Raita
This is an interesting rice, which gives a whole twist to the addition of healthy bean variety. And, sometimes with our daily life and routine we will not be able to focus consuming bean and lentils, and this way we can add it to our diet as well.
I always have thought pulao is standard with vegetables. I personally haven’t tried with bean or lentils. While curating this I made it simpler and easier so when you have to use this recipe as a lunch preparation, or to pack this for the dabba it shouldn’t be consuming much of your morning time. this as well it tasted great. Kids will love it and so people at any age. Without further ado let’s see how to make this.
Let us see the quick step here:
- Soak 1/2 cup of red bean overnight in warm water. The next morning rinse the water and refill and pressure cook this bean with one whistle. Once its cooked, allow it to cool down and strain the water and you can use this water for your plants too.(just saying)
- Then in a pan add 1 tablespoon ghee, Add whole garam masala items like bay leaves, cloves, 2 cardamom, Cinnamon sticks, Mace and star anise. Saute and then add handsful of mint leaves. Then add 1 chopped onion, Saute until the onions are translucent.
- Then add the cooked bean. and mix them for 2 minutes. Then prepare the mixture by grinding sliced coconuts, green chilies,garlic,fennel seeds. And add this to the onions and bean. add the required salt and mix well and let it stay that way for further 4 minutes on a low flame.
- I soaked 1 cup of basmati rice for 30 minutes already, now add the soaked rice to the pan and gently mix.
- Add 400ml of water, mix gently again and cover it with lid and cook this for 10-15 minutes by checking the rice in between. Don’t mix much while its in cooking process as it tends to break the rice while we use the spoon to mix. But, be mindful while trying to check. 🙂
- Once it’s done serve this hot with your favorite sides. But, here it goes to dabba for that allow it to get to warm temp and not hot and then pack the box without allowing the lid to sweat.
Notes:
You can use any bean variety instead of this red bean. For example you can use Kidney beans, black beans, butter beans etc.
You can also include vegetable like beans and carrots too in this.
Instead of grinding coconuts you can ignore that step if you don’t want to. As well if you don’t have fresh coconut substitute with dessicated coconuts.
Instead of grinding fresh garlics use the garlic paste, as well use ginger pieces to grind too or the paste of it.
I loved the addition of mint leaves. It enhances the flavor of rice. Try your best to add it. If not it is absolutely fine not to.
I excluded adding coriander leaves at the end, because too many greens in rice always won’t be comfortable for all to have especially from the Dabba.
Substitute ghee with butter/oil of your choice.
Instead of whole garam masala ingredients, you can substitute using garam masala powder. Or also choose to grind the whole masala items in the blender while grinding items I have mentioned above.
I have served this flavorful rice along with plain dal and vegetable raita.
I have the dal recipe in my blog, it should be appearing on my page before you see this post. 🙂
Also, I served this rice along with vegetable raita, keep reading for this quick recipe.
Vegetable Raita
This raita surely adds some veggies to your diet. If you are making some dish without vegetables, don’t have to worry as this being an add on or side will satisfy and completes your meal. There is no need to cook anything here.
In a bowl add 1 finely chopped onion, 1/2 big tomatoes finely chopped and 1/2 green capsicum finely chopped. Mix them together adding salt,1/4 teaspoon of red chili powder,a pinch of chaat masala powder. Add 1/2 cup of thick curd and stir. Garnish a little with fresh coriander leaves.
This goes well with Indian bread like stuffed paratha and naan, as well rice varieties and biryani also with South Indian rice recipes.
For further details and visual process do check my Instagram. I post reels and stories too.Don’t forget to check them out.
I will see you all soon in my next Dabba Series with one more easy delicious lunch idea (Dabba idea).
“Dabba Series” of videos in Instagram will be in my native language “Tamil”. For other lovely people who doesn’t understand the language, Read here or I have the ingredients and Tips on my Instagram stories later saved on Highlights under the highlight covered named Lunch Dabba Series. Also, check the story here on blog for Ingredient and tips.
The Homemade cooking 