Lockdown recipe ideas for Indians living in Abroad. When the lockdown was announced in India, I posted a collection of Simple Indian recipes. Recently I have been getting messages from my friends that they are not getting Indian grocery | vegetables in their country. Even in Hongkong, we don’t get Indian vegetables after the lockdown in India. Thankfully we are getting Indian grocery here so far without any limitations. But in many countries, people are running out of Indian grocery and surviving on local veggies.
While I was sharing lockdown recipe ideas to my friends, living abroad, I thought I will make a blog post on this which will benefit most of the Indians. Most of the time, as Indian groceries and veggies are available, we never explore the local produce. After moving to Hongkong, I started trying the local vegetables here.
Coming to the lockdown recipe ideas, many of them told they are running out of Toor dal. We usually make rasam or sambar using toor dal. You can definitely make sambar and rasam using Moong dal. Usually Moong dal we get in local supermarkets in most of the places outside India. You can make Lemon rasam and Garlic rasam using cooked moong dal water.
With some knowledge of the veggies we get in most of the countries, i am giving you all these ideas. Feel free to add your suggestion in the comment section, which may benefit others.
The common veggies we get outside India are beetroot, radish, cucumber, potato, sweet potato, onion, tomato, garlic, ginger, chow chow (choyate), Ridge gourd, pumpkin, Winter melon, Sweet corn, frozen green peas, Tofu, cabbage, capsicum, eggplant, snow peas, Edamame, Coriander leaves, Mint leaves, Spinach… Wow, a huge list right. I know surely we will miss our very own kovakkai, avarakki, fresh coconut, curry leaves, drumstick. But during these difficult times aren’t we blessed with such a huge list of veggies, let’s use them in our day to day cooking.
We can make poriyal, kootu, vathakuzhambu using beetroot. Instead of coconut, you can use the dehydrated coconut flakes available in the local supermarkets. This can be used in kootu and kari. Cabbage can be used in making kootu with moong dal. We can make pasta instead of rice, by adding lots of veggies to that. You can make Indian style pasta if you are bored with Italian spices. Tofu can be replaced with paneer and can be used in curries.
Spinach can be used in pasta, lasagna, poriyal(the same way we make murungai keerai poriyal). Cucumber, lettuce, cooked red kidney beans along with pan fried tofu can be used to make salads.
Coming to the grocery | dried items, we can make Rajma masala (using red kidney beans) and pair it with rice or quinoa too. We can make healthy patties using cooked red kidney beans and have it along with burger buns as a meal. We get rice flour in most of the local supermarkets. You can make Akki roti using that. Keep stock of chickpeas, kidney beans, green gram, red gram, and other available lentils. You can sprout them and add them these sprouts can be used in making tikkis, dosa, salads, chaat, pesarratu, and adai.
Since rice availability is limited, Quinoa, couscous, pasta, noodles can be used in cooking a few times a week. You can use whole wheat pasta in case you are worried about the wheat pasta. In many countries, we get quinoa flour, which can be used in various ways. You can make that as Ragi adai. You can make pancakes using quinoa flour as well. We can make South Indian Ammini kozhakattai Puli upma, using quinoa flour too. You can make dosa using quinoa flour by adding whole wheat flour, rice flour to it and make karacha maavu dosa.
Try making healthy wraps by stuffing your favorite veggies.
Check out some easy lockdown from Jeyashris Kitchen. Feel free to skip any ingredient if you don’t get them in your place. Try to include more veggies, fruits and whole grains in your food. I know many of them saying veggies are a bit expensive than usual, but as in this situation, we have to take care of our health by eating healthy food.
Breakfast recipes | Tiffin recipes- Some recipes can be used for Dinner too–Using Oats, Sprouts, quinoa, rice flour, bread – Click to Download PDF version of Lockdown Breakfast | Tiffin recipes
- Oats upma – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/oats-upma-oats-upma-recipe/
- Karacha maavu dosa – Use only whole wheat flour, quinoa flour or powdered oats and rice flour- https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/karacha-maavu-dosai-instant-dosa-recipe/
- Instant Oats idli- https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/oats-idli-recipe-instant-oats-idli/
- Puli upma- Can be made using rice flour or Quinoa flour – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/puli-upma/
- Pesarattu – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/pesarattu-recipe-pesarattu-dosa-recipe/
- Masala idiyappam – Instant Rice noodles can be used – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/masala-idiyappam-recipe-vegetable-sevai/
- Moong dal puttu- https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/moong-dal-puttu-savory-version-easy-breakfast-recipe/
- Samai upma – You can use quinoa instead of millet- https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/samai-upma-recipe-millet-recipes/
- Akki roti- https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/akki-roti-recipe-rice-roti-recipe/
- Thinai ven Pongal – Quinoa can be used instead of Millet- https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/thinai-ven-pongal-millet-recipes/
- Veg Bee Hoon- https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/vegetarian-fried-bee-hoon-recipe/
- Overnight Savory Oats- https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/overnight-savory-oats-recipe/
- Mango Overnight Oats – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/mango-overnight-oats-recipe/
- Moong flour savory pancake – Can replace quinoa flour- https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/savoury-pancake-recipe-moong-flour-pancake/
- Sprouts potato sandwich – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/sprouted-green-moong-dal-sandwich/
- Lemon poha – Poha can be replaced with Rice noodles – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/lemon-aval-recipe-quick-breakfast-recipes/
- Yogurt sandwich – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/yoghurt-sandwich-recipe-curd-sandwich/
- Nutella fruit sandwich – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/nutella-fruit-sandwich-recipe-kids/
- Cabbage paneer sandwich – Paneer can be replaced with Tofu – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/paneer-and-cabbage-sandwich-paneer/
- Paneer sandwich – Paneer can be replaced with Tofu- https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/paneer-sandwich-easy-sandwich-recipes/
- Mediterranean Sandwich – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/grilled-mediterranean-vegetable-sandwic/
- Corn capsicum toast – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/corn-capsicum-cheese-toast/
Main Course – Using Rice | Pasta |Noodles | Quinoa – This includes salad recipes, curries, and gravies too. I haven’t included Parathas in this list, assuming you don’t atta in your place. If you have access to Whole wheat flour in the local supermarkets, please check out paratha recipes from Jeyashri’s kitchen. Click to download the PDF version of Lockdown Lunch | dinner recipes
- Carrot rice – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/carrot-rice-recipe/
- Lemon rice – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/lemon-rice-lemon-rice-recipe/
- Peanut rice – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/peanut-rice-recipe-lunch-box-recipes/
- Milagu sadam- https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/milagu-sadam-recipe-bachelors-recipe/
- Millet Bisibelabath- Replace with quinoa – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/millet-bisi-bele-bath-recipe-mille/
- Millet veg pulao – Replace with Quinoa – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/millet-veg-pulao-recipe-millet-recipes/
- Mexican fried rice – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/mexican-fried-rice-recipe/
- Chilli garlic fried rice – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/chilli-garlic-fried-rice-recipe/
- Sweet corn fried rice – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/sweet-corn-fried-rice-recipe/
- Chole masala – no onion no tomato – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/cauliflower-masala-recipe/
- Capsicum masala – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/capsicum-masala-recipe-bell-pepper/
- Rajma masala – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/rajma-masala-recipe-red-kidney-beans-masala/
- Yellow dal – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/simple-yellow-dal/
- Carrot dal – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/carrot-dal-fry-recipe-side-dish-for-roti-chapati/
- Ridge gourd dal – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/ridge-gourd-dal-recipe-peerkangai-dal/
- Garlic dal – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/lasooni-dal-tadka-recipe-garlic-da/
- Green moong dal – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/green-moong-dal-subzi-recipe/
- Ginger lemon rasam – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/ginger-lemon-rasam-south-indian-rasam/
- Garlic rasam – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/garlic-rasampoondu-rasam/
- Capsicum sambar with moong dal – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/capsicum-sambar-recipe-paasi-paruppu-sambar/
- Kootu- Replace with any veggie who get in your place – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/kothavarangai-kootu-cluster-beans-kootu/
- Broccoli stir fry – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/broccoli-stir-fry-recipe/
- Potato podimas – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/potato-podimas-recipe-no-onion-no/
- Mushroom pepper fry – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/mushroom-pepper-fry-mushroom-recipes/
- Oven roasted veggies – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/oven-roasted-vegetables-recipe/
- Cabbage Subzi – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/cabbage-sabzi-for-chapati-north-indian/
- Thai style noodles – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/thai-style-noodles-recipe-millet-noodles/
- Roasted bell pepper pasta – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/roasted-bell-pepper-pasta-easy-pasta/
- Pasta in white sauce – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/pasta-in-white-sauce-pasta-recipes/
- Mushroom pasta – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/mushroom-pasta-in-white-sauce-easy-pasta-recipes/
- Pumpkin pasta – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/pumpkin-sauce-pasta-penne-pasta-in/
- Pasta Primavera – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/pasta-primavera-recipe-easy-pasta/
- Veg Lasagna – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/veg-lasagna-recipe-easy-lasagna-recipe/
- Agilo olio pasta – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/pastamania-style-agilo-olio-pasta/
- Schezwan fried rice – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/schezwan-fried-rice-recipe-veg-schezwan/
- Thai green curry – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/thai-green-curry-vegetarian-thai-green/
- Veg Hakka noodles – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/vegetable-noodles/
Snacks recipes – Click here for PDF version of Lockdown snacks
- Baked Jacket potato – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/baked-potato-with-cheese-jacket-potato/
- Bruschetta chaat – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/aloo-channa-chaat-bruschetta-bruschetta-chaat-recipe/
- Momos – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/momos-recipe-veg-momos-recipe/
- Biscuit toppings – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/biscuit-topping-with-video-mothers/
- Chocolate cheese sandwich- https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/chocolate-cheese-sandwich-grilled/
- Mango Chia pudding – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/mango-chia-pudding-mango-recipes/
- Rice pakoda – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/rice-pakoda-recipe-rice-pakora-rice-fritters/
- Eggless bread pudding – https://www.jeyashriskitchen.com/eggless-bread-pudding-with-custard-sauce-easy-dessert-recipes/
We have lots of vegetarian recipes in Jeyashri’s kitchen, which includes soups, salads and many more recipes. Do check Jeyashri’s Kitchen recipe Index
