Nationwide lockdown has been imposed in India till 15th April, 2020, to prevent further spreading the Coronavirus pandemic. During this period, groceries and medicine shops are operating to cater to the public's demand of essential goods. However, many people are trying to hoard supplies and spreading panic by buying more staple goods than are necessary. Celebrity Nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar took to social media to share how this is not needed at all. Indian cooking, according to her, involves the use of certain staples in the kitchen, which can be put to maximum use.
In the video that Rujuta Diwekar shared on social media, she says that it is a complete myth that superfoods are only those that are expensive or difficult to procure. There are a number of foods that are already present in every Indian kitchen and can be used in multiple ways to cook a range of dishes, according to Rujuta Diwekar. It is the best practice to avoid panic shopping and eke out the maximum benefits from every grain possible, and Rujuta Diwekar had some suggestions in the same respect. Take a look at the video she shared on her Instagram profile:
"Indian food All-rounders. A short lesson on how we can make a huge variety of delicious and healthy meals from just a few Indian foods," wrote Rujuta Diwekar in the post's caption. She believes that the lockdown period is perfect to actually review, relearn, revive and rethink our diet and how we utilise our daily kitchen essentials. There were five major ingredients that she talked about in her video, along with ideas for dishes which can be created with them. Take a look:
- Rice - Can be used to make Dal rice, Rice flour chapatti, Dahi rice, Kheer, Pulao, Murmura, Jhal Muri
- Poha - Can be consumed with Doodh, Dahi, Kanda Poha, Chivda
- Wheat - Can be used to make Chapati, Parantha, Namak Para, Poori, Mathri, Halwa, Dalia
- Dal - Can be used to make Dal Soup, Moong Dal Dosa, Chilla, Halwa, Barfi, Laddoo, Dal Chutney
- Ragi - Can be used in Roti, Kheer, Halwa, Laddoo, Dosa
Apart from these, there are only a number of spices and condiments that are needed to complete the requirements of Indian cooking, which include salt, oil, ghee and sugar. Rujuta Diwekar also suggested that the immunity-boosting properties of spices such as Dalchini, Jeera etc. get amplified when combined with all-rounder foods rather than being consumed with water.
(Also Read: 'The Quarantine Plan' By Nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar May Sort Out Your Weekly Diet Woes)
With these simple recipe ideas utilising basic Indian food all-rounders, a diverse and varied quarantine plan for the whole week can be created as advised by Rujuta Diwekar. She mentioned the importance of choosing dishes which are in keeping with the regions' cultural practices and can be made on a practical and day-to-day basis. With a little bit of creativity and innovation, quarantine menus and meals can undergo a complete transformation!