Under 30 Minutes, you can create these 3 amazing recipes

Name of the author: Safiyabegum Pirzada

Date: July 6, 2025

Category: Beginner Indian cooking

Categories: Short meals, Student Indian food, Masala Magic Kitchen, easy Indian food

No Time? No Problem! These are the quick, Easy, and Tasty Indian Recipes

I understand, you get home after classes and your head is spinning, your stomach is growling, and the last thing you need is to chop 10 vegetables or you waste many hours in the kitchen.

Here is the reason I am going to share 3 of my favorite Indian recipes, which are easy to make, cheap, and require 30 minutes or less to prepare.

The following are some of the dishes that I have cooked many times, sometimes in a hurry and sometimes when I am half-asleep. They have enabled me not to order a takeout meal and have guided me to be slightly more at home.

1. Dal Tadka

It is simple comfort food that an Indian student must be aware of: it is substantial, nutritious, and completely malleable.

Ingredients:

1/2 toor dal or moong dal (or you can mix both)

1-2 cups of water

1/2 tsp turmeric

Salt to taste

One part tempered:

1 tsp oil/ ghee

1tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

2 tablespoons (diced) garlic

half a dried chili or a pinch of paprika

Steps:

In a pressure cooker (2 3-whistle) or an Instant Pot, boil dal along with turmeric and salt.

Add a bit of oil in a small pan and preheat to add mustard seeds, cumin, garlic, and chili.

Add the hot tadka to the cooked dal. Rice or roti. Mix and serve.

Tip: To give it more flavor, squeeze some lemon on top or chop up some coriander.

Time: 20-25 minutes

2. Egg Masala Bhurji

An ideal protein-rich meal that requires minimal ingredients in the pantry.

Ingredients:

• 2–3 eggs

  
  

• A small onion (chopped)

  
  

• 1 tomato (Chopped )

  
  

• 1 optional: green chili

  
  

• A pinch of turmeric

  
  

• This is to 1/2 tsp red chili powder

  
  

• Salt to taste

  
  

• Cooking oil 1 tbsp

Steps:

Heat oil, add onions and green chili, and saute till they become golden.

Put in tomatoes, turmeric, chili powder, and salt- cook till tender.

Break the eggs, stir, and scramble.

Garnish with coriander and enjoy with bread or roti.

Watch the full video for step-by-step guide

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_ROcaSVVT0

Tip: Pop in some pav bhaji masala to give some additional zing.

Duration: 15 min

:

3. Poha (flattened rice dish)

Poha is bright, soothing and you can make it using any available veggies.

Ingredients:

1 cup poha

Half of an onion (chopped)

A quarter of a cup of green peas or veggies that are chopped

Chili green 1

Half tsp mustard seeds

pinch turmeric

Lemon juice, salt,

Curry leaves (where possible)

Steps:

Drain poha with water.

Heat some oil, add mustard seeds, curry leaves, onion, and chili.

Add vegetables, turmeric, and salt. Bake 2- 3 mins.

Add the poha and stir it. Stir and fry 2-3 min. Add lemon on top.

Time-saving tip: Sprinkle peanuts/ sev on top of it to add crunch.

Time: 15 20 minutes

Watch my YouTube video, Easy Tasty Poha Recipe

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOaGiImaj7s

Bonus Time-Saving Tips as a beginner:

You can freeze chopped tomatoes and onions in the fridge.

Make ginger garlic paste in advance and keep it ready

so as to avoid scrubbing burnt masala, use non-stick pans.

These Recipes keep me Alive Through My Freshman Year

And I did not prepare food daily as a child. This is why when I came to Canada, I was forced to acquire knowledge rather swiftly, the art of creating dishes that are simple, satisfying, and do not require numerous hours to create. These 3 meals are not just recipes, but rather they are my comfort zone, my “go-to” when all the other stuff in my life is too overwhelming.

And now? I wish they would also take their place in your kitchen tale.

You are going to choose the recipe first: Dal, Egg Bhurji, or Poha?

Leave a comment or tag your friend who can use some easy meals in their life!

have a 30-minute Desi dish of your own? Pass it on to me!