One of the most souls satisfying meal is a simple combination of Dal-Tadka, Aloo-Gobi, Vegetable Raita, and Jeera rice with Chapati, Roti or Phulka. This complete meal can be put together in under 90 minutes with simultaneous preparations. Dal Tadka and Aloo-Gobi are the main lentil and vegetable dishes in this meal.
This meal plan includes the following five dishes:
- Dal Tadka – Lentils with tempered spices
- Aloo-Gobi – Potato and cauliflower dish
- Vegetable Raita – Yogurt with chopped vegetables and spices
- Jeera Rice – Fried Rice with cumin seeds
- Chapatti / Phulka / Roti – Indian whole wheat thin and soft flatbread
If you look carefully at the presented meal plan, each dish has unique ingredients. Also, apart from basic spices, none of the main ingredients are repeated. This is a true sign of a well-balanced family meal. It is true that we eat with our eyes. Therefore, this perfect Indian meal is a collection of vibrant colors. With this meal plan, your dinner table will be decked with dishes that emanate enticing flavors and aromas.
Each family member has their own preferred combination of included dishes. Kids love dal-chawal, while grownups may choose dal-roti and sabji. Store the left overs in fridge and pack for lunch the next day.
A Well-balanced Dal and Vegetable Meal Plan
This spread provides approximately 56% of daily protein requirement for a 2000 calories diet intake.
- Dal Tadka: In Hindi, “dal” means lentils or a meal made from them. Either way, those tiny beans are packed with protein, fiber, vitamin B6, and folate. Dal tempered with spices acts as an anti-inflammatory and balances the rest of the meal.
- Aloo Gobi: This potato-and-cauliflower combo gets high marks for taste and heart healthiness, especially with all that turmeric, ginger, garlic, and cumin in the mix. While we all know that potatoes are rich in potassium, vitamins, and fiber, the cauliflower is actually the unsung hero in this dish of aloo-gobi. It comes with an excellent nutrition profile and is a perfect choice for those who are trying to lose weight.
- Mix-Veg Raita: Raita is a condiment/side dish typically made of yogurt plus some combination of vegetables, spices. In Indian cuisine yogurt is, more often than not, savory. It’s eaten with every meal, and it’s flavored mostly with freshly roasted cumin seeds or crisped-up curry leaves. Raita if full of probiotics, proteins, and calcium that are beneficial for strong bone development.
- Whole Wheat Roti: Roti is an Indian bread which is made out of wholewheat flour. A Roti (chapati) is a powerhouse of nutrients. You could get it all from this bread – Vitamin B, E & minerals such as copper, zinc, iodine, manganese, silicon, potassium, calcium and other mineral salts.
- Jeera Rice: It is a popular north India dish which is made up of basmati rice and cumin seeds. Jeera or the cumin seeds come with many benefits such as an aromatic spice with several medicinal value since ages.
So, there you have it- an easy and healthy Indian meal plan that you and your loved ones can enjoy this season.
“For pleasure has no relish unless we share it.”
― Virginia Woolf, The Common Reader
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