Indian Recipes for Students Abroad

Easy Indian Recipes for Students Abroad

Written by: Anamika Singh

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Published on

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Time to read 5 min

Food is likely one of the things you miss the most if you recently relocated overseas for academic purposes. Eating out can get expensive, and homesickness can make you crave simple Indian food even more.

That’s where quick, easy-to-cook Indian recipes become a lifeline. Consider this article as your treasure trove of numerous simple, easy, and quick Indian meal ideas! Moreover, the good news is you don't need a lot of cooking experience or fancy skills to follow these recipes.

Important Pantry Items for Easy Indian Cooking Overseas

Cooking becomes far less stressful once you have the essentials. Here is a ready list of staple cooking ingredients you need in your kitchen:

Flours & Grains

  • Atta, or Whole Wheat Flour: Atta is the foundation of all rotis and parathas. You can have fresh bread ready in a matter of minutes if you have some on hand.
  • Basmati Rice: When you are too exhausted to prepare anything else, this light, aromatic rice is ideal for pulao, biryani, or simply curd rice.
  • Rice Flour: Rice Flour is excellent for savory pancakes and crispy dosas. You can also make some yummy on-the-go munchies with rice flour.
  • Semolina (Rava/Sooji): A hero for a quick fix! Sooji becomes halwa when you are craving something sweet, uttapam for dinner, or upma for breakfast.

Pulses and Legumes

  • Lentils (Moong, Masoor, Toor, and Urad): Lentils are the staple comfort food in every Indian home. Even the most difficult day can be improved with simple Indian food, such as dal with rice.
  • Kabuli Chana (Chickpeas): You can add them to salads for protein, roast them for a crispy snack, or make chana masala.

Roots and Vegetables

  • Tinned Diced Tomatoes: On days when fresh tomatoes are either unavailable or too expensive, tinned diced tomatoes can be an ideal fallback option.
  • Onions, Garlic, and Ginger: Ah! The holy trinity of Indian food! Most Indian curries lose their flavor without them.
  • Potatoes: Potatoes are inexpensive, satisfying, and incredibly adaptable. It is one of the basic ingredients of many fast Indian recipes like sandwiches, parathas, and curries.

Spices

  • A tiny spice box gives you a big hand while cooking. To give your food a truly Indian taste, you only need to add cumin, coriander, turmeric, mustard seeds, garam masala, red chili powder, asafoetida, cardamom, and green chilies.

Basics & Oils

  • Limit yourself to one or two preferred oils (olive, sunflower, or mustard). If you want a true desi taste, add ghee. Naturally, you should always have sugar, salt, and jaggery on hand.

Easy Indian Recipes for Students Abroad

You need recipes that don't take up a lot of time when classes are late or assignments are piling up. Check out these quick Indian recipes ideal for active students.

Options for a Quick Breakfast

  1. Besan Chilla

    Consider the Besan Chilla to be a type of Desi pancake prepared with vegetables and chickpea flour. You can get breakfast on the run by rolling it up and serving it with salad or chutney.

  2. Poha

    This 15-minute poha recipe is light and fluffy. Add the rinsed, flattened rice, peas, lemon juice, and sautéed onions. It keeps you satisfied till lunch and is nutritious.

  3. Moong Dal Chilla

    Made with ground moong dal, this pancake is high in protein. It goes well with chutney if you add some coriander or green chili.

  4. Instant Semolina Uttapam

    Combine yogurt and rava, garnish with spices, peppers, tomatoes, or onions, and cook as you would a pancake. It doesn't require fermentation and is vibrant and satisfying.

Simple Ideas for Lunch and Dinner

  1. Fast Veg Biryani

    Don't be alarmed by the moniker. Simply combine rice, vegetables, and spices, then let it steam to create a festive-tasting and smelling supper.

  2. Veg Khichdi

    Khichdi is one of the best, easy-to-cook Indian recipes! This one-pot meal is a bowl of comfort after a long day, consists of rice, dal, and a few vegetables.

Learn more about - Easy Recipes for Lunch and Easy Recipes for Dinner

  1. Chana Masala

    It’s a spicy tomato gravy prepared with chickpeas. Chana provides you with a good protein boost and goes well with rotis or rice.

  2. Paneer or Egg Bhurji

    Simply put paneer or scrambled eggs in a pan and sauté them with spices and onions. It's spicy, delicious, and goes well with bread or rotis. It takes less than 15 minutes to prepare.

  3. Palak Paneer

    Paneer cubes and spinach are combined to create a creamy dish. It's scrumptious, nutritious, and one of those meals that instantly puts you at home.

  4. Rotis

    Without rotis, no dinner feels complete. However, making rotis might feel overwhelming if you don’t cook often. But you have someone to take care of this!

Let Rotimatic produce fresh rotis for you instead of rolling and cooking them by hand. Buy Now

Midnight Cravings & Snacks

  1. Chivda or Spiced Roasted Chana

    For chivda, roast poha with peanuts, curry leaves, green chilies, and spices until crisp. For spiced roasted chana, toss roasted chana with salt, chili powder, and a dash of chaat masala. Prepare a large quantity and keep it in storage. It prevents you from reaching for chips and is crispy and nutritious.

  2. Bread Besan Toast

    Pan-fried bread coated in a batter made with chickpea flour till golden. Perfect with chai, besan bread toast is soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside.

  3. Veg Rolls

    Sauté some veggies, wrap them in a roti with chutney, and you’ve got a quick roll for any time of day. It’s a fast Indian recipe, but it is filling enough to be more than just a snack.

  4. Microwave Dhokla

    Quick, zesty, and soft in just a few minutes. Just mix besan (chickpea flour) with yogurt, water, ginger-chili paste, salt, and Eno fruit salt. Then, pour into a greased microwave-safe dish. Microwave for 3-4 minutes, temper with mustard seeds, curry leaves, and green chilies, and eat warm.

  5. Simple Sandwich

    Sometimes, all you need is bread, butter, and your favorite chutney or veggies to make a satisfying fix.

  6. Rice-Flour Veg Pancake

    Mix rice flour with grated veggies, green chili, ginger, salt, and water to make a smooth batter. Spread on a greased pan, cook both sides till golden, and eat hot with chutney.

Enhancements With Quick Condiments & Chutneys

Let’s be honest, chutneys are magic. They can turn a plain meal into something exciting in seconds. Try keeping a few of these handy:

  1. Tomato Chutney

    Tangy, spicy, and versatile, tomato chutney pairs well with parathas, rice, or even sandwiches. Sauté tomatoes, onions, garlic, and red chilies, then blend them smooth. Add a quick tempering for extra flavor.

  2. Classic Coconut Chutney

    It’s a creamy South Indian favorite that completes dosas, idlis, and vadas. Blend grated coconut, roasted chana dal, green chilies, and ginger with water. Finish with a tempering of mustard seeds and curry leaves.

  3. Onion Chutney

    Sweet, spicy, and tangy all at once! Onion chutney is a bold sidekick for rotis and evening snacks. Fry onions with red chilies and tamarind, then blend into a smooth chutney. Add a light tempering if you like.

  4. Peanut Chutney

    Nutty, creamy, and protein-packed, peanut chutney is a wholesome match for uttapam or dosas. Roast peanuts, garlic, and chilies, then grind with tamarind and salt. Temper with curry leaves and mustard seeds.

  5. Curry Leaf Chutney

    Aromatic and earthy curry leaf chutney goes perfectly with plain rice or idlis. Sauté curry leaves with garlic, chilies, and tamarind, then grind to a paste. Finish with a classic tempering.

  6. Mint-Coriander Chutney

    Mint coriander chutney is the ultimate spread for sandwiches, chaats, and rolls. It’s Fresh, green, and zesty. Grind fresh mint, coriander, green chilies, lemon juice, and salt into a smooth paste. Adjust tanginess with lemon.

So, now you know that you don't have to live on frozen food and noodles when you live overseas! Even on hectic days, you can eat healthily if you have a small supply of basic pantry items and a few easy-to-cook Indian recipes.

In addition to saving money, eating home-cooked meals helps you stay connected to your culture, which is something that every student away from home craves.

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