What India Packs For Lunch: A Delicious Tour Through Tiffin Boxes Across States
So, if you are curious about what the country really eats at 1 pm, this guide takes you through packed favourites from across states and how to recreate them in your own kitchen.
11 Lunch Box Ideas From 11 Indian States:
1. Aloo Paratha With Pickle And Curd - Punjab/Haryana:
A classic that never fails to impress a foodie soul. Stuffed with spiced mashed potatoes, these parathas stay soft for hours. Use ghee for cooking and wrap in foil to retain warmth. Find the recipe here.
2. Rajma Chawal - Delhi/Uttar Pradesh:
Rajma in a mildly spiced gravy paired with steamed rice is comfort food at its best. Pack it in a thermos to keep it fresh and warm for longer. The recipe is here.
3. Paneer Bhurji Roll - Uttarakhand:
Scrambled paneer with onions and spices, rolled in a chapati, makes for a mess-free, protein-packed meal that is perfect to have on the go. Here is the recipe for you.
4. Thepla With Chunda - Gujarat:
Thepla stays fresh for hours and tastes delicious when paired with mango pickle. Add curd or besan to the dough to keep it soft. Click here for the recipe.
5. Varan Bhaat - Maharashtra:
Simple toor dal and rice topped with ghee makes for a light, nourishing and easy-to-digest meal that feels like a warm hug. Find the recipe here.
6. Goan Vegetable Xacuti With Rice - Goa:
A mildly spiced coconut-based curry loaded with seasonal vegetables. You can also use leftover sabzi, add xacuti masala to it, and make yourself a Goan lunch in no time. Here is the veg xacuti recipe for you.
7. Lemon Rice - Tamil Nadu:
This tangy, tempered rice with mustard seeds and curry leaves needs no reheating and stays fresh for hours. Find the recipe here.
8. Pulihora - Andhra Pradesh:
Tamarind rice with peanuts and spices. Quick hack: make a batch of pulihora paste and store it for easy meal prep. Recipe is here.
9. Ghugni With Luchi - West Bengal:
Spiced yellow pea curry with deep-fried flatbreads makes a perfect lunch for days when you want something decadent at work. The best part is it needs no reheating required. Click here for the ghugni recipe.
10. Chana Dal Pitha - Odisha:
Steamed rice cakes stuffed with spiced lentils, they are filling, mess-free and travel-friendly. Find the recipe here.
11. Baingan Bharta With Roti - Madhya Pradesh:
Add roasted peanuts on top for extra crunch, and do not forget a squeeze of lemon. Here is the recipe for baingan bharta.
India's Lunchboxes Are A Celebration Of Regional Flavours
These dishes are not just practical, they are packed with nostalgia, nutrition and the kind of taste that makes lunch the most looked-forward-to part of the day. Whether you are packing for school, work or a road trip, there is a tiffin idea here for every mood and every state of hunger.
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