We invited Get Ahead readers to share quick-fix office recipes with us -- easily-prepared foods that takes less than an hour to whip up before you head to work in the morning. We've been flooded with responses and as part of an ongoing series, present three lunch recipes that you can carry in your dabba.
Here's how to prepare Stir-Fried Prawns by Amita Manral:
Ingredients:
- 1 bowl medium size prawns
- 1 capsicum, chopped into bite-size pieces
For marinade:
- 4-5 curry leaves
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp chillie powder
- 1tsp garam masala powder
- 2 tsp coriander (dhania) powder
- 2-3 kokum soaked in water or 1 small tamarind soaked in water (use only the water)
- 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
- Salt to taste
Method of preparation:
- Clean and de-vein the prawns.
- Mix all the marinade ingredients and marinate the prawns in the mixture for 4-5 hours or overnight.
- Heat cooking oil in a wok, add the capsicum and fry for 5 minutes.
- Next, add the marinated prawns. Fry for 5 minutes and then cover the wok with a lid for 15 minutes. Keep stirring from time to time so that the prawns do not stick to each other. When the prawns start curling, it means they are done.
- Here's a tip -- stir-fried prawns go well with green pudina chutney.
Bhasmasur Rakshas sent in a recipe for Spinach Egg Scramble:
Ingredients:
- 3 eggs
- Half a bowl of spinach, washed and cut into bite-size chunks
- 1 medium onion, diced very fine
- 1 large tomato, diced into small pieces
- 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
- 6 tbsps sunflower oil
- Half a cup of chopped coriander
- 4 chopped green chillies
- 1 tbsp milk
- 1 tsp butter
- 1 tsp cumin seed or coriander powder
- 1 tsp red chillie powder
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- Salt to taste
- Turmeric to taste
Method of preparation:
- Whisk the eggs, milk, two chillies, half the tomato, coriander and a pinch of turmeric together till they froth and set aside.
- In a pan, heat the oil and fry the diced onions and remaining green chillies. Once the raw smell of the onions goes, add half a teaspoon of turmeric and 1 tsp of cumin seed or coriander powder and continue frying for 2 minutes.
- Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry until the onions change colour. Then add the remaining diced tomato, half the red chillie powder and salt.
- When the fried ingredients become soft and even, add the garam masala powder.
- Next, add some water, the chopped spinach and a little more chillie powder.
- Fry a little more, add some more water and put the lid on the pan. Allow it to cook for about 3-4 minutes.
- Once the spinach is cooked, add the egg mixture and salt and stir vigorously, continuously stirring until the mixture becomes homogenous and sizzling hot. Add in the butter as it cooks.
- Tip: If you want to have this dish with rice, don't cook for more than two minutes after the egg mixture is added. If you want to eat with parathas, cook until it is completely dry (for about 5 minutes after the egg mixture is added to pan).
And here's how to prepare Raw Mango Rice by Smitha Pai:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup cooked rice
- 1 small raw mango (grated)
- 1 tsp urad dal (split black gram)
- 1 tsp channa dal (Bengal gram)
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 3-4 sliced green chillies
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- A few curry leaves
- A pinch of asafoetida
- Salt to taste
- 2 tsps oil
Method of preparation:
- Heat the oil in a kadai; add the mustard seeds, urad dal and chana dal. Once the seeds start to splutter, add the asafoetida, curry leaves and green chillies.
- Next add the grated raw mango, turmeric powder and salt. Fry for 2 minutes.
- Add the cooked rice and mix all the ingredients well. Your Raw Mango Rice is ready to be packed into your tiffin box.
- And here's a tip -- don't use overcooked rice. Once it has been cooked, spread the rice out on a plate to separate the grains.
Do you have any quick-fix preparations that you'd like to share with us and other readers? It has to be something appetising and easily whipped up (in under an hour). Simply mail in your tiffin recipe ideas to getahead@rediff.co.in and we'll publish them right here on rediff.com
Channel your inner chef and help people economise without compromising on their meals!