How to Make Spicy Indian Breakfasts at Home

If you're looking to spice up your breakfast routine, Indian cuisine offers a variety of delicious and flavorful options that are sure to awaken your taste buds. Here’s how to make some popular spicy Indian breakfasts at home.

1. Masala Dosa

Masala dosa is a savory crepe made from fermented rice and lentil batter, filled with a spicy potato mixture. It’s crisp, delicious, and perfect for breakfast.

  • Ingredients: Rice, urad dal (split black gram), potato, mustard seeds, turmeric, green chilies, curry leaves, and oil.

Instructions:

  1. Soak rice and urad dal separately for 4-5 hours. Grind them together to make a smooth batter.
  2. Allow the batter to ferment overnight in a warm place.
  3. Boil and mash the potatoes. In a pan, heat oil, add mustard seeds, turmeric, green chilies, and curry leaves, then mix in the mashed potatoes.
  4. Heat a non-stick skillet, grease it, and spread a ladle of batter to form a thin crepe. Cook until golden brown.
  5. Fill with the potato mixture, fold, and serve with chutney.

2. Poha

Poha is a popular breakfast dish made from flattened rice, spiced up with turmeric and green chilies, and often adorned with peanuts.

  • Ingredients: Flattened rice (poha), mustard seeds, turmeric powder, green chilies, peanuts, curry leaves, and lemon juice.

Instructions:

  1. Wash the flattened rice in water and let it drain.
  2. In a pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds, allowing them to crackle.
  3. Add turmeric, green chilies, and peanuts, then stir for a minute.
  4. Add the poha, mix well, and cook for a few minutes. Finish with lemon juice and fresh coriander.

3. Upma

Upma is a savory semolina dish cooked with vegetables and a variety of spices, making it a nutritious breakfast option.

  • Ingredients: Semolina (sooji), mustard seeds, urad dal, chopped vegetables (like carrots, peas, and beans), green chilies, and curry leaves.

Instructions:

  1. Roast semolina in a dry pan until light golden, and set it aside.
  2. In the same pan, heat oil, add mustard seeds, urad dal, green chilies, and curry leaves.
  3. Add chopped vegetables and sauté for a few minutes.
  4. Pour in water (2:1 ratio of water to semolina), bring to a boil, then add semolina stir continuously until it thickens. Cook for a few more minutes.

4. Aloo Paratha

Aloo paratha is a stuffed flatbread made with whole wheat flour and spiced potatoes. It’s hearty and perfect for a filling breakfast.

  • Ingredients: Whole wheat flour, boiled potatoes, cumin seeds, green chilies, coriander, and ghee or oil.

Instructions:

  1. Make a soft dough with whole wheat flour and water, and let it rest.
  2. Mash the boiled potatoes and mix with cumin, green chilies, and coriander.
  3. Divide the dough and filling into small balls. Roll out the dough, place filling in the center, and seal it.
  4. Roll it out again and cook on a hot griddle with ghee until golden brown on both sides.

5. Idli with Sambar

Idlis are soft, fluffy rice cakes that are steamed and often served with spicy sambar (a lentil-based vegetable stew).

  • Ingredients: Idli batter (rice and urad dal), lentils, mixed vegetables, tamarind, and sambar powder.

Instructions: