Even though the lockdown was long overdue, it did take us all a while to accept the fact that we would be staying within the four walls of our home for 21 days. Looking on the brighter side, this can be those three weeks we get to do the things that were kept aside for the longest time. Let us dust it up!

Lockdown or not, my life revolves around food and so is it a necessity for everyone, thus it was the perfect time to list out a few easy to make delicacies that would encourage everyone to step into the kitchen. Let’s break down patriarchy one meal at a time.  Here we go:

1. Gur Ka Paratha/ Sugar Paratha / Sweet Chappathi: As simple as it gets. Before you roll out the paratha stuff it with some jaggery or sugar. Once cooked, the whole wheat bread would have sweet sticky insides. Such a treat.  Tap here for the recipe.
   
2. Simple Bread Pudding: Even though the classic one would need raisins and ground cinnamon, here is a recipe (tap on ‘recipe’ for the link) with which you can bake a slightly wobbly creamy goodness. All you need are bread, eggs, milk and sugar.
   
3. Onion Pakora/ Ulli vada: Onion Pakora is something that reminds us of the monsoons, but that is okay, there is no hard and fast rule as to when one should feast on it. In Kerala, you can spot ullivada at almost all tea stalls, except when the price for onion hits the metre. Recipe for Onion pakora & Ullivada 
   
   
4. Diamond cut / Namak para/ Maida biscuits: A versatile snack whose recipe can be altered as per your taste, sweeten it up or make it spicy- the choice is yours. Sweet diamond-cut reminds me of my Aachi (grandmother), she used to stock them up and feed them to me during the days of my exam, guilty pleasures. Recipe for sweet and savoury.
   
   
5. Bombay Toastie/ Bombay Sandwich: Play around with the vegetables you have at home and customise it. A nice toasted Indian sandwich that pairs beautifully with a strong cup of chai. Serve half a glass for the cutting chai effect. Though the recipe calls for a sandwich griller, a ‘dosa tawa’ or a non-stick pan works just fine, all you have do is to place a plate (for weight) on top of the bread while you grill the sandwich. Recipe here.
   
   
6. Egg Fingers: If there exists a dish called chicken fingers then why not replicate that with eggs! A crunchy and delicious deep-fried snack. Recipe here
   
   
7. Rava Kesari / Rava Hawa/ Sooji Halwa: A simple dessert that might take up some of your time, but isn’t that the reason that we are here? Save the surplus and enjoy it with your breakfast the next day. Recipe here
   
   
8. Pulimulaku/ Mulaku Varutha Puli: This literally translates to chillies and tamarind.  A gift to Kerala from the Tamizh community. This simple tangy and spicy gravy/side is all you need to down an entire portion of rice. (At home we add a few dates to play with the flavours) Recipe here  
   
9.  Khichdi: A one-pot meal that is made with rice and lentils, all you need is some pickle to go along. Easy and scrumptious meal. This is one of my favourite dishes after Biriyani, I have some beautiful memories associated with a hot bowl of dal khichdi. Recipe here 
   
   
10. Aval Nanachathu (sweet flattened rice flakes) and Poha (savoury flatted rice flakes): In Kerala, we use the red aval (flatted rice flakes) which is made from the red rice (Chamba Ari) and in the North and Central India the one used is made of white rice. Aval Nanachathu is served as a snack whereas Poha is usually consumed for breakfast. If you have aval left at home, do check out these two simple recipes. Recipe here: sweet/ savoury 

PS: Do click on the italicised words for the recipe links

It is going to be 21 – long days. Read books, cook, learn a new instrument, talk to plants, watch movies, exercise, create content, do whatever, but please do not sit idle. Make sure you do not step out, this situation is beyond us. Stay at home, let us give due importance to our health and mental fitness. Love and light.