Kickstart February with warm and wholesome breakfast recipes from Chennai's home chefs

As February is observed as the National Hot Breakfast Month, here are seven recipes to help you give a hearty start to your day
Image used for representational purposes only.
Image used for representational purposes only.

CHENNAI : How many times have we heard, ‘Eat breakfast like a king’? While in the run of life, many skip the first meal of the day, why not start the month of February by inculcating the habit of starting your day with a plate of hot breakfast? It can not just elevate your mood but is also energetic, healthy, and wholesome. As we get ready to enter the shortest month of the year, Anushree Madhavan, Aparna U, Devrishi, and Sonu M Kothari bring you a few recipes that are easy to make at home.

Mehti na dhebra - Sangeetha Bagani, home maker

Ingredients

  • Bajra flour: 1 cup

  • Wheat flour: 1/2 cup

  • Salt to taste

  • Pinch of hing (asafoetida)

  • Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp

  • Coriander powder: 1 tsp

  • Sesame seeds: 1 tbsp

  • Sugar: 1 tsp

  • Ajwain (crushed): 1/2 tsp

  • Ginger (crushed): 1 tsp

  • Green chilli (chopped): 1

  • Handful of chopped methi leaves

  • Oil: 2 tbsp

  • Yoghurt: 1/2 cup, approx

Method

  • Mix bajra flour, wheat flour, salt, hing, turmeric powder, coriander powder, sesame seeds, sugar, and crushed ajwain.

  • Add crushed ginger, chopped green chilli, chopped methi leaves, and oil. Mix well.

  • Gradually add yoghurt and knead the dough until smooth and pliable.

  • Drizzle oil over the dough and knead for 2-3 minutes.

  • Divide the dough into portions, make smooth balls, and roll into 6-7 inches diameter circles.

  • Heat a tawa and cook each rolled dhebra for 30-40 seconds on a side.

  • Flip, apply ghee, and cook until golden spots appear. Repeat for the other side.

Avocado Rosette sandwich - Khushboo Bafna, founder of Kitchen Dairies

Instagram @kitchendiaries_bykhushboo

Ingredients

  • Bread (toasted): 4

  • Avocados (sliced thinly): 2 small

  • Coriander: 3 tbsp

  • Mint leaves: 8

  • Turmeric: 1/2 tsp

  • Green chilli: 1 small

  • Onion (finely chopped): 1 small

  • Tomato (deseeded and chopped): 1 small

  • Lemon juice: 1 tbsp

  • Salt: 1/2 tsp

  • Chaat masala: 1/2 tsp

  • Red chilli powder: 1/4 tsp

  • Toasted sesame seeds to garnish

Method

  • In a mortar and pestle pound coriander, mint, turmeric, and green chillies until they form a smooth paste.

  • On the toasted bread, spread the paste and make a rosette with avocado, sprinkle some salt and black pepper on top of it.

  • Finally, put the chopped tomatoes and sprinkle chaat masala.

Beetroot/Spinach Poori - Joyadrita Ragavendran Chatterjee, home chef

Ingredients

  • Beetroot/spinach (puréed along with salt): 1

  • Sugar

  • Green chilli: 2

  • Whole wheat flour or any healthy flour of your choice

  • Salt

  • Carrom seeds

  • Oil for deep frying

Method

  • Mix everything and make a soft dough. Sprinkle

  • some oil and keep it covered.

  • Make small balls out of the dough, roll them into circles and deep fry them.

  • Serve beetroot/soinach poori with any curry or pickle.

Daler Porota (Lentil stuffed flatbread) - Joyadrita Ragavendran Chatterjee, home chef

Ingredients

  • Leftover dal

  • Onion (chopped): 1

  • Green chilli (chopped): 1

  • Coriander leaves (chopped)

  • Salt and sugar to taste

  • Roasted jeera powder: 1 tsp

  • Whole wheat flour: 2 cups

  • Oil/ghee to fry the flatbreads

Method

  • Mix dal, chopped onion, green chilli and coriander leaves, salt, sugar, jeera powder, and whole wheat flour to make a soft dough.

  • Roll into semi-thick rotis, and shallow fry them with ghee/oil.

  • Serve hot with tea and pickle.

Open Toast - Radhika Madhavan, homemaker

Ingredients

  • Bread slices: 4

  • Chopped vegetables: 1 cup

  • Grated paneer: 1/2 cup

  • Chilli flakes and oregano

  • Salt: a pinch

  • Ghee/Butter: to toast

Method

  • Heat a tawa. Once hot enough, turn it to low heat.

  • Apply ghee/butter on one side of the bread slices.

  • On the top of the slice add a mix of chopped vegetables (can use onion, tomato, capsicum, and corn).

  • Generously garnish with grated paneer and sprinkle some red chilli flakes, oregano and salt.

  • Place the ghee/butter-applied side of the bread on the tawa.

  • Close the tawa with a lid and let the bread cook.

  • Do not flip. Use a spatula to take the bread off to check if it has turned crisp.

  • Once it has turned crisp to your liking, remove it.

  • You can have it as is or cut it into triangles or squares.

CHILLA - Nia Crystal Franklin, student

Ingredients

  • Besan: 1 cup

  • Onion: 3

  • Ajwain: 1/2 tsp

  • Green chilli: 1

Method

  • Take a cup of besan, add salt according to your taste and mix it with water.

  • Chop onions, green chilli, and coriander leaves into small pieces.

  • Add ajwain to the bowl and mix it with the chopped ingredients.

  • The batter should be thick and loose in consistency (similar to a dosa batter).

  • Heat the pan and put some oil. Pour the batter like a dosa. Flip and cook both sides.

  • You can also add any vegetables in the batter to make it healthier

Golaruti (whole wheat pancake/crepe with seasonal vegetables) - Joyadrita Ragavendran Chatterjee, home chef

Instagram @foodofjoyflavoursofbengal

Ingredients:

  • Chopped vegetables of your choice

  • Whole wheat flour: 1 cup

  • Gram flour: 1 tbsp

  • Salt and sugar to taste,

  • Black pepper

  • Ghee/refined oil to fry the crepe.

Method

  • Mix vegetables, whole wheat and gram flour, salt, sugar and black pepper.

  • Heat an iron skillet, spread the batter evenly, and sprinkle some oil/ghee on the sides.

  • Cover and cook until both sides are done well.

  • Serve hot with ketchup or any chutney of your choice.

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