World Food Day 2024: Healthy yet tasty recipes from Indian moms’ kitchens because home is where the health is

No matter how many exotic dishes you taste, "Maa ke haath ka khaana" is something that can never be forgotten. Almost every Indian mom has that one special dish that makes the entire family want to eat to their heart's content. On the occasion of World Food Day today, we connected with a few Indian moms and asked them their special yet nutritious dish that gets their families' attention. Read on to know some healthy yet tasty recipes and try them out yourself!

Archana Singh recommends Rava potato bites

Archana Singh, a homemaker hailing from New Delhi, recommends Rava bites for a quick, healthy and delicious snack. All you need is 500 grams rava (a type of flour made from durum wheat), 50 grams cheese and 50 grams mashed potato. You also need some salt, oregano and chilly flakes, as per taste.

Now, to make the potato bites, boil some water and put oregano, salt and chilli flakes. Now, lower the flame and start adding rava to this boiled water mixture. Add the rava gradually and keep mixing till it gets thicker and you get a dough. Now, remove this from the flame and let it cool. Once the dough cools down, make small bite-sized balls and add grated cheese and mashed potatoes to them.

Take these bites and deep fry them. For a healthier recipe, you can opt for the air fryer.

Meenakshi Sharma recommends home-made uttapam

Who doesn't love the Indian version of pancakes, Uttapam? And they are really easy to make. Meenakshi Sharma, a teacher by profession, rarely gets time in the kitchen but when she does, her favourite go-to healthy snack is uttapam.

You’ll need some idli batter prepared the previous day, along with a cup of chopped onions, tomatoes, spinach, and cilantro. You’ll also require half a cup of grated carrots and two tablespoons of vegetable oil. These simple ingredients will come together to create a nutritious and flavourful dish

Start by combining the idli batter with the chopped vegetables in a bowl. Then, heat a non-stick pan with a little vegetable oil. Pour a ladle of the batter onto the pan, ensuring it remains thicker than a dosa. You will know that the batter is cooked when you notice little circles appear on it. Once you spot them, flip the uttapam and cook from the other side. Allow the uttapam to cook for about five minutes until the vegetables are slightly crisp. Serve hot, pairing it with coconut or groundnut chutney, or sambar for added flavour.

Sumeeta Bindra recommends this veggie rice bowl

Sumeeta Bindra, another teacher hailing from New Delhi, swears by this veggie rice bowl recipe to satiate your hunger pangs in a quick and healthy way.

For this Veggie Rice Bowl recipe, you’ll need one tablespoon of oil, about 6-7 garlic cloves, a bowl of your preferred vegetables, salt, oregano, a tablespoon each of chilli flakes and pizza pasta sauce, 1.5 cups of milk, and a slice of cheese. For the rice, gather another tablespoon of oil, 5-6 garlic cloves, some coriander leaves, and a bowl of boiled rice.

Start by sautéing the vegetables with garlic, adding salt, chilli flakes, and cooking for a minute. Then, stir in the pizza pasta sauce, milk, and cheese, letting everything simmer until well combined. Set this aside. For the rice, sauté the chopped garlic and coriander leaves, seasoning with salt and pepper before mixing in the boiled rice. Finally, serve the sautéed veggies and rice together in a bowl for a hearty meal.

Archana Kumar recommends roasted makhana

Archana Kumar, a homemaker from New Delhi, feels nothing is better than some makhanas for those hunger cravings.

To prepare roasted makhana, you’ll need two cups of makhana (fox nuts) and one tablespoon of cow ghee. Begin by heating a pan and adding the makhana along with the ghee. Roast them on a medium flame for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure they become crispy and evenly roasted. Once done, sprinkle one teaspoon of Himalayan pink salt over the roasted makhana, and they’re ready to be served as a crunchy, healthy snack.