Tasty tiffin recipes: Methi Theplas, Tomato Garlic Macaroni & more

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!

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