5 Quick & Easy Immunity-Boosting Recipes To Try During The Lockdown

Stressing about how to keep the new-found virus at bay? While it’s imperative to stay at home & follow instructions issued by our govt., here's how you can do your bit to combat the disease. The simple trick is to boost up your immune system! In addition to sleeping well & staying hydrated, having a stronger immune system to deal with the dreadful COVID -19 is the best way to cope up.

And while we're under a lockdown & have nowhere to go, it is the perfect time to learn these quick & easy immunity-boosting recipes. It not only allows you to hone your cooking skills but also ensures a productive time. Let’s get cooking these top 5 immune-boosting recipes.

1. Carrot and spinach soup

The combination of carrot & spinach makes for a healthy soup that is super delicious in taste and easy to make too. These two ingredients are a powerhouse of vitamins, minerals & iron, thus ensuring the boost in your metabolism.

Ingredients

• 2 cups boiled carrot (peeled and chopped)
• 1 cup boiled spinach
• 1 cup boiled potato (peeled and chopped)
• 3 ½ cups water
• 1 tbsp spring onion white part
• 1 tsp oregano
• Salt and chilli flakes to taste
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Method

For the broth

• In a food processor blend the potato with carrots and 2 cups of water, Sieve the mixture

How to proceed

• In a non-stick vessel heat the olive oil. Add the spring onions, oregano and sauté for 1 minute
• Add spinach and sauté for ½ minute
• Add the broth, 1 ½ cups water, salt and chilli flakes to taste and cook for 2 minutes
• Serve hot

2. Kabuli Chana Salad

Tired of chole masala? Try this chole recipe in the form of a salad then! It's easy to make & acts as an immunity-boosting recipe that is super-easy to put together when you have those 4 PM snack time cravings.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup white chickpeas (Kabuli chana)
• 2 tsp chaat masala
• Salt to taste
• 1 cup curds
• ½ cup masala sev
• ½ cup tamarind (imli) chutney

Method:

For the chickpeas:

• Soak the white chickpeas in water overnight
• Add enough water to the white chickpeas and cook in a pressure
• cooker till done.
• Remove from the pressure cooker and allow the white chickpeas to cool.
• Add the chaat masala and salt to the chickpeas and mix well.
• For the curds
• Stir the curds in a cup till they form a smooth texture

To serve

• Put the white chickpeas (Kabuli chana) in a serving bowl
• Spread the tamarind chutney on top of the chickpeas
• Spread the curds on top
• Garnish with masala sev and serve

3. Moong Dal Chilla

Nutritious and tasty; this immunity-boosting recipe is a must-try for all moong dal lovers. This preparation can be eaten either as a healthy snack, a starter or even as a main course.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup split green gram (green moong dal)
• ½ tbsp gram flour (besan)
• ¼ tsp ginger paste
• ¼ tsp chopped green chillies
• ¼ cup boiled green peas
• ¼ cup boiled carrots (peeled and chopped)
• Salt to taste

Other Ingredients:

• 1½ tbsp oil for cooking
• For serving
• Tamarind chutney
• Coriander chutney

Method:

• Soak the green moong dal in 2 cups of water for 3 to 4 hours
• Drain well, add 3 tablespoons of water, ginger paste, green chillies and process in a mixer
• Add carrots, green peas, gram flour and salt to taste to the mixture and mix well
• On a non-stick tawa, heat the oil and make small circular moong dal chillas
• Cook each chilla on both sides till well done
• Serve hot with green coriander chutney or tamarind chutney

4. Beetroot Halwa

Gajar Ka Halwa is definitely our go-to recipe during the winters. But, if you're craving for something sweet during summers, Beetroot Halwa is the answer. Also known as chukundar in Hindi, beetroot is your immunity-boosting ingredient during this lockdown summer!

Ingredients:

• 4 cups grated beetroot (approx. 5 beetroots)
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 5 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp cardamom powder
• 2 tbsp finely chopped chashew nuts (fried or roasted)
• 1 ½ cups full fat milk

Method:

For the beetroot:

• Wash the beetroots in running water. Peel them and slice off the bottom part.
• Grate the beetroots

How to proceed:

• Heat the ghee in a nonstick frying pan
• Add the grated beetroot and cook for 3 or 4 minutes stirring occasionally
• Add the sugar, milk, cardamom powder and cover with a lid and let it simmer for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally
• Remove the lid, stir continuously and cook till the liquid mostly evaporates
• You can deep freeze the halwa and use at your convenience

To serve:

• Serve hot garnished with cashew nuts

5. Methi ka subzi with besan ka dhapka

Along with methi being the facilitator for weight-loss, reducing bowel movements & controlling diabetes, it is also rich in proteins & high in fibres. So, make this nutritious vegetable with the addition of besan or gram flour dhapakas for a tasty meal.

Ingredients

• 2 cups chopped methi (fenugreek ) leaves
• 1 tbsp oil
• A pinch of asafoetida ( hing)
• 1 cup water
• Salt and chilli powder to taste

• For the dhapkas
• ½ cup besan ( chick pea flour)
• A pinch of asafoetida ( hing)
• 1/4tsp turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp dhania powder
• Salt to taste
• 3 tbsp water

Method

For the dhapkas

• Mix all the ingredients together

How to proceed:

• In a vessel heat the oil, add the hing, methi and stir for 30 seconds
• Add the water, salt and chilli powder to taste. Cook for 3 minutes
• Form small dhapkas and add to the vegetable
• Cook for 3 to 4 minutes
• Serve hot

Renu Dalal, daughter of the late legendary chef and cookbook author Tarla Dalal is the author of the books Simple and Delicious Vegetarian Recipes and Modern Vegetarian Recipes.