Kick-Start Your Day With Four Grain-Based, Fiber-Packed Breakfast Recipes By Chef Meghna

Oats-Paneer Chilla

The traditional besan chilla is made more nutritious and filling with oats, veggies and protein-rich paneer. Enjoy with tea and a fruit of your choice.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup instant oats
• 1/4 cup + more water
• 2 tbsp gram flour (besan)
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp caraway seeds (ajwain)
• salt and black pepper as per taste
• 1 tsp chopped green chilies
• 1 tsp chopped ginger
• 1 small onion (finely chopped)
• finely chopped veggies (carrot, capsicum) as needed
• 1/2 cup finely chopped coriander leaves
• oil (for frying)
• Roughly crushed paneer as needed

METHOD

• In a mixing bowl, add the oats and 1/4 cup of water. Mix well and leave for 5 mins.
• After 5 mins, add more water if the mixture is too thick.
• To the oats mixture, add the gram flour, turmeric powder, coriander powder, caraway seeds, salt, chilies, ginger and onion. Mix well.
• Now add the chopped veggies and coriander leaves. Mix well.
• Heat a pan and spread some oil on it.
• Pour the batter on the pan to make 3–4 small chillas.
• Spread the batter and drizzle some oil around it.
• When the chillas turn dry, sprinkle some grated paneer on them. You can also add some chopped carrots and capsicum.
• Sprinkle some black pepper and salt.
• Flip the chillas and cook the other side until golden brown.

Aloo Moonglet

Surprise your family this weekend with aloo moonglet or moong dal omelet—a no-egg omelet loaded with crispy potatoes and the goodness of lentils!

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup yellow split mung lentils (moong dal), soaked in water for 4 hours
• less than 1/4 cup water
• 2–3 garlic cloves (chopped)
• chopped green chilies as per taste
• a small piece of ginger (chopped)
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• salt and black pepper as per taste
• some finely chopped coriander leaves
• some finely chopped spring onions
• 1 tsp Eno fruit salt
• oil (for frying)
• some thinly sliced potatoes
• some thinly sliced onions

METHOD

1. Grind the soaked mung lentils with water, garlic, chilies and ginger into a smooth batter. If the batter is too runny, add 1–2 tsp of semolina (suji/rava) or gram flour.
2. Mix in the turmeric powder, salt, coriander leaves and spring onions.
3. Now add Eno fruit salt (to make the batter light).
4. Heat a nonstick pan and pour 1 tsp of oil.
5. Place a few thinly sliced potatoes. Sprinkle some thinly sliced onions on them.
6. Sprinkle some salt and black pepper.
7. Cook on medium flame for 5–7 mins. Flip the potato slices.
8. Now pour the mung batter, and spread it to cover the potatoes.
9. Drizzle 1 tsp oil on top, cover it and cook it on a medium flame.
10. Cook the moonglet until it turns golden brown on both the sides.

Oats-Suji Pizza

Pizza for breakfast? Why not? Make Sunday mornings more fun with these made-from-scratch mini pizzas.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 1.5 cups rolled oats (or instant oats)
• 3 tbsp semolina
• salt as per taste
• 1/2 cup water, plus extra
• 2–3 tsp oil (to roast the pizza base)
• pizza sauce (store-bought or homemade)
• some finely chopped colorful veggies (bell peppers, onions, sweetcorn)
• shredded mozzarella cheese as per taste
• pizza seasoning as per taste

METHOD 

1. Grind the oats into a fine powder in a mixer.
2. Transfer the powder to a mixing bowl. Add the semolina and salt. (For gluten-free pizza base, use gram flour instead of semolina.)
3. Add water, mix well and leave the mixture for 10–15 mins. If the batter becomes very thick, add more water for a thinner consistency.
4. Heat a pan, pour a spoonful of batter on it and make 5–6 small rounds at a time.
5. Drizzle some oil around each pizza base and cook for 7–8 mins.
6. Flip them and press on them to get a flatter base.
7. Once they are all cooked, lower the flame.
8. Spread the pizza sauce on each base, and sprinkle some chopped veggies.
9. Top it with some cheese and pizza seasoning.
10. Now cover the pan and cook for 5 mins until the cheese melts. Yummy mini pizzas are ready!

Hotteok (Korean Pancake)

Treat yourself and your family to a leisurely breakfast with hotteok, a popular Korean street food.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS 

• 1 cup lukewarm water
• 1 tbsp sugar + some sugar for the stuffing (optional)
• 2 tsp instant yeast (or 1 tsp fresh yeast)
• 1 tbsp oil + 1 tsp oil + 1/4 cup oil
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (maida)
• salt as per taste
• some chopped green chilies
• 1 cup boiled noodles
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1/2 cup chopped carrots
• 1 small capsicum (chopped)
• 1 small onion (chopped)
• sweetcorn as needed
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp roasted sesame oil

METHOD

Making the dough

1. In a mixing bowl, pour the lukewarm water.
2. Mix in 1 tbsp of sugar, the yeast and 1 tbsp oil.
3. Add the flour once you see the water bubbling.
4. Add salt, mix well and leave it for 30 mins to 1 hour to ferment.

Making the stuffing

1. Heat a pan and add 1 tsp oil.
2. Add the chilies.
3. Add the boiled noodles, soy sauce, some sugar (optional), salt and mix well.
4. Now add the chopped carrots, capsicum, onion, sweetcorn, black pepper and sesame oil. Mix well and turn off the stove.

Making the pancake

1. Heat another pan and pour 1/4 cup of oil.
2. Apply some oil on your palms, take some dough and spread it on your palm with your fingers.
3. Add a spoonful of the stuffing in it and seal the edges of the dough to form a ball.
4. Place the pancake on the pan and cook it on low to medium flame until golden brown. Flip the pancake and flatten it gently while frying. (It takes 7–8 mins for each side to cook well.) Serve hot.