Theplas, Tomato Garlic Macaroni & other recipes

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.

Ashwin Bahulkar sent in this recipe for authentic Gujarati Methi Theplas:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups wheat flour
• 1/2 cup millet flour
• 1 cup chopped fenugreek (methi) leaves
• 3/4 cup curd, preferably sour
• 1/2 tsp chillie powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tbsp ginger garlic and chillie paste
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp oil (plus a little more for frying)
• Sesame seeds
• Salt to taste

Method of preparation:

• Chop up the methi leaves finely after washing them.
• Next, mix all the ingredients and knead to form a semi-soft dough.
• Break off pieces of the dough and roll into balls. Flatten these balls on a floured surface and using a rolling pin, round them into theplas (slightly thicker than chapattis).
• Using a griddle (tawa), heat a little cooking oil and place the theplas to cook one at a time, flipping till they are browned on both sides.
• Enjoy them with chutney or pickles.
• You can store these theplas for one or two days without refrigeration. You can also replace the methi in the recipe with dhania (coriander).

Here's how to prepare Macaroni/ Spaghetti in Tomato Garlic Sauce, by Shaswati Vaishnav:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 a packet of macaroni or spaghetti
• 200 ml water
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cooking oil
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1 tbsp brown vinegar
• 10 crushed peppercorns
• 10 finely-chopped cloves of garlic
• 2 tbsps olive oil
• 1 cube grated cheese

Method of preparation:

• Boil the macaroni/ spaghetti for 10-12 minutes till done and drain away the water immediately.
• Remove the macaroni to a colander and add a few drops of olive oil.
• In a non-stick pan, add the 2 tbsps of olive oil and heat on a medium flame. Add the chopped garlic and stir till brown.
• Add the boiled macaroni to the pan and stir well.
• Next, add in the tomato sauce and cook on a low flame till the sauce dries up.
• Add salt to taste and the crushed peppercorns.
• Add grated cheese on top and serve -- or in this case, pack up for work!

And here is Usha Krishnagiri's take on Spinach Rice:

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups rice
• 1 big bunch of spinach (palak) leaves
• 3 tbsps dessicated coconut
• 2 tbsps chopped coriander (dhania) leaves
• 4 green chillies
• 1 medium-sized onion, chopped
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric (haldi)
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• Salt to taste
• Cashew nuts cut into small pieces

Method of preparation:

• Cook the rice in a pressure/ electric cooker, using 3 cups of water. As the rice is boiling, you can prepare the spinach mixture.
• Chop up the spinach and set aside. Grind the coconut, coriander leaves, coriander powder, green chillies, onion and turmeric in a mixer to make a paste.
• Heat some oil in a deep frying pan and put in the cumin seeds. Once they are toasted, add the prepared paste and fry for three minutes.
• Now add the chopped spinach, cover with a lid and let cook for five more minutes. Add a little bit of water if necessary.
• Your rice should be cooked by now, too -- so add the rice and salt to the pan and mix well.
• Turn off the stove, sprinkle the cashew nuts on and mix again.
• Your spinach rice is now ready -- and it goes really well with cucumber raita!

Channel your inner chef and help people economise without compromising on their meals!