If you’re trying to plan what to eat at home for the next few weeks due to the current situation, you are at the right place. I’m sharing 30 Indian Pantry Recipes (Breakfast, Snack & Rice Recipes) for emergencies, quarantine and busy weeknights.
While practicing social distancing, it’s likely that you are all looking for pantry staple recipes. We all are aware of the disaster of coronavirus and COVID-19 quarantines. Due to the current situation, there is an increasing fear of a possible shortage in the food supply. I thought I’d share what my family is stocking up on in our pantry, as well as some easy recipe ideas!! I have compiled a list of all of my favourite recipes made with pantry staples that are easy-to-make.
Below you’ll find a list of everything I like to keep on hand in my pantry. You’ll always have something ready to cook no matter what the situation is….Keep a well-stocked pantry but not a stockpile!!
What Ingredients Are Required For Indian Pantry Recipes?
There are many opinions about pantry staples during emergencies. I’m only giving below (hope I didn’t miss any) what I consider essentials in my pantry during the emergencies and foods that I consider to keep on hand for some simple, everyday Indian meals….of course dominated by mostly South Indian meals!!
PANTRY STAPLES TO KEEP ON HAND
- Grains: Mainly Rice (but can store quinoa, bulgur, oats, pasta)
- Dry or Canned Legumes: lentils, chickpeas, beans
- Flour: Chapati Atta (Whole wheat flour) & other basic flours like Besan & Rice flour
- Semolina/Sooji, Vermicelli & Poha: They can be used to prepare several quick and easy dishes, which can make for light meals.
- Basic Indian spices: Every Indian household has their Masala Dabba for dry spices & spice powders
- Basic fresh items: Potatoes, Onions, Sweet Potatoes, Garlic
- Any Cooking Oil, Ghee, Salt & Sugar
- Tea and Coffee: A must for my daily dose of booster in the morning.
- Milk Powder: It is not possible to store milk for longer time, hence a can of milk powder as an alternative
- Dates, Nuts and Seeds: Dates, Nuts and nut butters, along with super seeds like chia, flax & sunflower
REFRIGERATOR & FREEZER STAPLES
The fridge and freezer are great for keeping fresh produce because in times of crisis, we still need vegetables!
- Vegetables: If not anything, at least store Tomatoes, Carrots, Ginger, Green Chilies, Lemon/Lime (these can be stored for longer)
- Coriander, Mint & Curry Leaves: Many recipes call for coriander, when in hand it’s fine, if not you can easily skip as it is mainly used for garnishing and you don’t lose the main flavour. Similarly many South Indian recipes call for curry leaves, you can skip !!
- Ginger-Garlic Paste: A must in my kitchen!! Make a batch & store some in the fridge and freeze the rest. Get recipe here.
- Eggs: When refrigerated, they can have a 5 week shelf life. I’ve included recipes with eggs in the recipe round up below
- Meat: Store some meat items like chicken (fresh or frozen) depending on your family needs.
- Fruits: Fruits are the best form of handy and insta food. Store some bananas, apples, oranges and more in your refrigerator. Bananas, not only curb your hunger pangs instantly, but also boost energy. Oranges give us our daily dose of vitamin C and help in fighting seasonal cold and flu.
- Frozen Items: Peas, mixed veggies, Paneer, Spinach, Grated Coconut. Buy them frozen or freeze them yourself (First freeze in a single layer on a sheet or plate and then transfer to an airtight container).
Please note, don’t worry if you are missing out on some ingredients. Sometimes you can skip or substitute that ingredient….Just try to get creative!!
Note: Use these recipes as a guide, feel free to tweak ingredients according to your available stock. If you are a novice cook, not sure what to replace if a certain ingredient is not available, please feel free to ask me in the comments!!
Indian Pantry Friendly Recipes:
Breakfast/Snack
Breakfast Items:
Pantry Ingredients You’ll Need: Urad dal and rice. You can check out the recipe to make Idli and Dosa batter HERE. Pairs well with Sambar and Chutney. This also freezes well!
Pantry Ingredients You’ll Need: Urad dal and rice. Oil to make dosas. You can check out the recipe to make Idli and Dosa batter HERE. Pairs well with Vegetable Sambar and Peanut Chutney. Other Variations are: Masala Dosa, Vegetable Uttappam, Onion Uttappam, Paniyaram, Uppu Huli Dosa.
Pantry Ingredients You’ll Need: Urad dal and raw rice. You’ll also need some basic fresh produce, like onions and green chillies, but you can use frozen if you need to. Pairs well with Sambar and Ginger Chutney. Other Variations are: Allam Garelu & Garelu Chicken.
Pantry Ingredients You’ll Need: Raw rice and grated coconut. Oil to make dosas. Pairs well with any Chutney or Chicken Curry.
Pantry Ingredients You’ll Need: Wheat flour, baking poowder, salt, sugar, ripe banana, milk and oil to make dosas. Other Variations are: Neer Dosa, Masala Dosa, Uppu Huli Dosa.
Main Pantry Ingredients You’ll Need: Sprouts, Idli Dosa Batter, cumin seeds and oil to make dosas. You’ll also need some basic fresh produce, like onion, ginger, garlic and green chillies. Coriander & curry leaves are optional.
Pantry Ingredients You’ll Need: Green moong dal, raw rice, urad dal, cumin seeds and oil to make dosas. You’ll also need some basic fresh produce, like onion, ginger and green chillies. Coriander & curry leaves are optional. Serve with Ginger Chutney. Other Variations are: Neer Dosa, Masala Dosa, Uppu Huli Dosa.
Pantry Ingredients You’ll Need: Semolina, Oil/, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, dry red chillies, lentils and nuts. You’ll also need some basic fresh produce, like onion, ginger and green chillies. Coriander & curry leaves are optional. Other Variations are: Rava Kesari, Mango kesari (Sweet Versions)
Snacks Items:
Pantry Ingredients You’ll Need: Kidney beans, grated coconut (fresh or frozen), few spices for spice powder and tempering stuff. Other Variations are: Chickpea Sundal
Pantry Ingredients You’ll Need: Fresh, frozen or canned Corn Kernels, Oats, Cumin seeds, Chickpea Flour and oil for deep frying. You’ll also need some basic fresh produce, like onion, ginger, chives and green chillies. Coriander & curry leaves are optional. Other Variations: Masala Vada, Sprouts Vada, Medu Vada.
Pantry Ingredients You’ll Need: Rice flour, Butter, Cumin seeds, chana dal, sago and oil for deep frying. You’ll also need some basic fresh produce, like ginger and green chillies. Curry leaves are optional. Other Variations: Thattu Vadai
Pantry Ingredients You’ll Need: All purpose flour, butter, red chilli powder, cumin seeds and oil for deep frying. Other Variations: Shakkarpara or Sweet Cut Diamonds.
Pantry Ingredients You’ll Need: Puffed rice, oil, dry red chillies, peanuts, turmeric powder, asafoetida and oil. You’ll also need some basic fresh produce, like garlic pods and curry leaves. Other Variations: Kara Boondi Mixture
Pantry Ingredients You’ll Need: Chickpea flour/besan, rice flour, red chilli powder, cumin seeds, cooking soda or baking powder and oil for deep frying. Other Variations: Masala Vada, Sprouts Vada, Medu Vada. You’ll also need some basic fresh produce, like onion, ginger, mint and green chillies. Coriander is optional.
Pantry Ingredients You’ll Need: Dosa batter, All purpose flour, semolina, cooking soda, cumin seeds and oil for deep frying. You’ll also need some fresh yoghurt and basic fresh produce, like green chillies. Coriander & curry leaves are optional. Other Variations: Punugulu
Indian Pantry Friendly Lunch/Dinner:
Rice Recipes – One Pot Meals
Khichdi Recipes:
Main Pantry Ingredients You’ll Need: Rice, Moong Dal, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, oil and dry spices for seasoning. You’ll also need some basic fresh produce, like onion, green chillies, some fresh or frozen veggies and ginger garlic paste. Coriander and mint are optional.
Pantry Ingredients You’ll Need: Rice, Moong Dal, black pepper, cumin seeds, ghee, oil and asafoetida. You’ll also need some basic fresh produce, like Curry leaves. Other Variations: Sweet Pongal
Variety Rice:
Pantry Ingredients You’ll Need: Rice, sesame oil, turmeric powder, lentils, peanuts, dry red chillies, tempering spices and asafoetida. You’ll also need some basic fresh produce, like lemon, ginger, green chillies and curry leaves. Coriander is optional. Other Variations are: Rava Pulihora
Pantry Ingredients You’ll Need: Tamarind rice paste, rice, sesame oil, turmeric powder, dry red chillies, lentils, peanuts, tempering spices and asafoetida. You’ll also need some basic fresh produce, like, ginger, green chillies and curry leaves.
Pantry Ingredients You’ll Need: Rice, oil, tempering spices, urad dal, dry red chillies, cashews and asafoetida. You’ll also need some fresh yoghurt and milk. You’ll also need some basic fresh produce, like ginger, green chillies and curry leaves. Coriander is optional.
Main Pantry Ingredients You’ll Need: Rice, sesame oil, turmeric powder, lentils, cashews, peanuts, tempering spices and asafoetida. You’ll also need some basic fresh produce, like mango, ginger, green chillies and curry leaves. Coriander is optional.
Pantry Ingredients You’ll Need: Rice, sesame oil, turmeric powder, dry red chillies, lentils, peanuts, tempering spices, puliyodharai mix (store bought or homemade) and asafoetida. You’ll also need some basic fresh produce, like, green chillies and curry leaves.
Pantry Ingredients You’ll Need: Curry leaves powder, Rice, oil, lentils, dry red chillies, tempering spices and asafoetida. You’ll also need some basic fresh produce, like, curry leaves.
Pulao Recipes:
Pantry Ingredients You’ll Need: Rice, Coconut milk (canned or fresh coconut milk extract), Oil/Butter/Ghee and dry spices for seasoning. You’ll also need some basic fresh produce, like onion, garlic pods and green chillies. Coriander is optional.
Main Pantry Ingredients You’ll Need: Rice, Ghee, cumin seeds and whole spices. Optionally you’ll need some basic fresh produce, like lemon.
Pantry Ingredients You’ll Need: Rice, Ghee and whole spices. You’ll also need some basic fresh produce, like onion, green chillies, some fresh or frozen veggies, mint, ginger garlic paste and Garam masala powder. Coriander is optional.
Rice Recipes for the Carnivores:
Non-Vegetarian Recipes
Pantry Ingredients You’ll Need: Eggs, Basmati Rice, Biryani spices, Oil and Ghee. You’ll also need some basic fresh produce, like onion, green chillies, mint, ginger garlic paste and Garam masala powder. Coriander is optional. Vegetarians can replace with any Veggies or Soya chunks.
Main Pantry Ingredients You’ll Need: Basmati Rice, Biryani spices, , few spice powders, Oil and Ghee. You’ll need fresh or frozen Chicken, some yoghurt and also need some basic fresh produce, like onion, green chillies, mint, ginger garlic paste and Garam masala powder. Coriander is optional. Vegetarians can replace with Veggies or Soya chunks.
Pantry Ingredients You’ll Need: Basmati Rice, Biryani spices, few spice powders, Oil and Ghee. You’ll need fresh or frozen Mutton/Lamb, some yoghurt and also need some basic fresh produce, like onion, green chillies, mint, ginger garlic paste and Garam masala powder. Coriander is optional. Vegetarians can replace with Veggies or Soya chunks.
Main Pantry Ingredients You’ll Need: Basmati Rice, Biryani spices, few spice powders, Oil and Ghee. You’ll need fresh or frozen Chicken, some yoghurt and also need some basic fresh produce, like onion, green chillies, mint, ginger garlic paste and Garam masala powder. Coriander is optional. You can also recreate this recipe with Mutton/Lamb. Vegetarians can replace with Veggies.
I hope that this list will be helpful!
And of course, stay tuned for many more pantry-friendly recipes to come in the weeks ahead!
Let’s hope every little thing is going to be alright! We’re going to get through this together. Hope all are taking good care! Stay indoors, be healthy & stay positive with a SMILE. Sending lots of love to you all ????????????.
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Happy Cooking 
Cheers!!
Padma
WOW !! this is such a wonderful collection of pantry essentials recipes all at one place. As the period is going on, so it is a best way to check from this and make to enjoy !
Thank you so much dear ????
That is a lovely collection of recipes!!! Much needed at this time. Love how you have listed for every meal!!! great collection!
Thank you ????
What a great collection of easy and staple ingredients recipes, all the recipes looks delicious and easy to prepare.
Thank you dear ????
Lovely collection of recipes for this crucial hour. All recipes are easy to make and look delicious.
Thank you Jaya ????
Amazing collection of recipes. People need some of these recipes now so that they can prepare meals with minimum ingredients.
Very true…Thank you ????
Such a wonderful collection of pantry essentials recipes roundup. Love the way you covered it course-wise.
Thank you ????
That is a very useful collection of Indian recipes for the times we are in. Love that you have covered all the different courses – there is something for everyone here.
Thank you so much dear ????
What a fabulous compilation of recipes with a grocery list as well, for these days. Perfect share!
Thanks Sandhya ????
What a wonderful collection of recipes Padma. I had no idea that eggs stay in the fridge for 5 weeks.. will stock up on more. Your list also has reminded me that I need to keep some grated coconut and tamarind. Kenya is entering the phase where we may expect a lockdown anytime.
Yes dear, sometimes I even extend it by a week!! Hope the situation gets better soon..stay safe dear…Thank you ????
Wow! this is one amazingly delicious roundup. I love these recipes and will need this list to do my menu plans too in other days.
What an apt time to have collection of super 30 recipes in these times of lockdown. All recipes look easy and delicious.
Thanks for sharing.
Thank you ????
Thank you ????
This is the high time when everyone is looking for such recipes which are worth trying during emergency. Such a great collection you have compiled with.
Thank you ????