Healthy Indian breakfasts

As children resume in-person schooling, here are some easy-to-make healthy Indian breakfast recipes offering balanced blends of carbohydrates, protein and vitamins – Parvathy Menon

Vegetable poha (4 servings)

Ingredients

½ cup chopped carrots and beans
¼ cup peas
2 cups flattened rice
2 tsp oil
¼ tsp mustard seeds
¼ tsp cumin seeds
¼ tsp turmeric powder
1 chopped onion
2 finely chopped sprigs of coriander leaves
¼ cup groundnuts
2 green chillies, chopped finely

Preparation guide

Soak the flattened rice in water.
Boil the carrots, beans and peas until well-cooked.
Heat a little oil, roast the nuts over low flame. When done, transfer to a plate and cool.
Heat the remaining oil, and add the mustard and cumin seeds.
Add the chopped onion, turmeric powder and green chillies.
Now add the boiled vegetables and stir.
Slowly, add the flattened rice, which will be soft by now.
Finally, sprinkle salt to taste and toss in the groundnuts and mix well.
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Health benefits: Groundnuts provide good fats such as Omega 3 and Omega 6, as well as protein. Flattened rice contains carbohydrates, providing much-needed energy.

Sweet daliya with jaggery (4 servings)

Ingredients

1 ½ cup broken wheat (daliya)
2 tbsp ghee
¾ cup crushed jaggery (or sugar)
¾ litre milk
10 cashewnuts
10 black raisins
10 green raisins
10 almonds
¼ tsp crushed or powdered cardamom

Preparation

Boil the milk and set aside.
Heat ghee in a pan and roast the daliya for 3-4 minutes. Wait until slightly brown, and you can smell a light fragrant aroma.
Add two cups of boiled milk and stir. When the milk reduces, add the remaining milk little by little, followed by jaggery and stir well.
Add the raisins and cook till the daliya is soft.
Slice or cut almonds, and break the cashewnuts.
Dry roast cashewnuts and keep aside. Also roast the almonds lightly.
Mix the cardamom and nuts well and serve warm.

Health benefits: This meal offers calcium, protein, healthy fats, antioxidants, carbohydrates and fibre. It is a perfect, balanced breakfast meal for children.

Roti egg roll (4 servings)

Ingredients

3 cups whole wheat flour
4 eggs
4 tsp oil
1 onion
1 green chilly (optional)
1 sprig coriander leaves
1 small tomato
Salt to taste
2 pinches chilly powder
100 gm paneer PREPARATION GUIDE
Chop the onions into tiny pieces.
Fry two tsp of onions, crush the paneer into small bits and add it. Sprinkle chilly powder and salt on it. Keep this mixture aside.
Knead the flour using warm water and a pinch of salt.
Whisk the eggs in a bowl.
Chop the tomato, green chillies and coriander leaves finely.
Make a thin roti, then pour the egg mixture on it.
As it begins to cook, sprinkle tomato bits, onion, coriander leaves and green chillies. When it is almost done, turn it over and cook.
Turn it over again, and spread the paneer mixture on it. Roll it, and serve with sauce. Make the rest of the rolls.

Health benefits: High fibre content enables healthy digestion and nutrient absorption. Eggs provide protein, choline and vitamin D. Paneer is rich in calcium and protein, providing sustained-release energy and protein.

Also read: Protein-rich meals