Shelf-Help with Foodhall: Ration-Time Recipes in the Age of Corona (2024)

I imagine it’s going to be a while before this Foodie’s Diaries pen her next restaurant review or chronicle any travel adventures. If there’s one glaring lesson emerging from the hot mess we’re in, it’s about how we’ve taken life and simple pleasures for granted.

As we blur through lockdown, we’re realising the value of items that were once deemed basic, be it milk and bread or fruits and veg. With supply chains choked and rations hard to come by during these uncertain times, it’s never been more important to adopt a zero-waste approach.

To look for a silver lining, there’s never been a better time either to get creative and comfortable in the kitchen, as we seek escape from lockdown blues. Thank goodness then for #ShelfHelp from Foodhall India, our favourite gourmet and lifestyle store. Here they’ve shared deliciously-simple tips, tricks and recipes (including one for a three-ingredient chocolate mousse!), to help make the most of what’s easily available on hand in our pantries and larders!

Apple Pie Sauce

Everyone has some just past-their-prime fruit lying in a basket on the kitchen counter. Before you even think of binning those bruised apples, bookmark this recipe for a simple 3-ingredient apple sauce which provides jars of comfort and warmth that can be folded through oatmeal, topped on toasts or even eaten as is.

Ingredients:

• 4 chopped apples
• 1 pc cinnamon stick
• Honey to taste

Method:

Combine the apples with a few teaspoons of honey in a large pot. Throw in the cinnamon stick and cook for about 20-30 minutes, mashing the mixture to break it down until it has softened. Continue cooking until the juices have evaporated in the pan and the mix has cooked down to a rough paste-like consistency.

Allow it to cool completely. Then, remove the cinnamon stick and blend until smooth. Adjust the sweetness with more honey if required.

You can store your apple pie sauce in jars (they’re good for 3 days in in the fridge), whipping it out to elevate your breakfast, lunch, snack or even dessert! We recommend it folded into oatmeal with peanut butter; frozen into popsicles or even smeared over toast.

Oat Pancakes

Fibre-rich and filling, these quick and easy oat pancakes will keep your little onesoccupied in the kitchen and nourished at the same time. The best part? Get your budding chefs thinking of healthy fruit toppings, nuts & seeds, or nut butters that keep the honey and syrups at bay!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup oat flour
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 1.5 tsp baking powder
• oil for cooking

Method:

First, add in all the dry ingredients (oat flour, baking powder and sugar). Next, top it with the wet ingredients (eggs, essence and milk). Whisk the batter until it all comes together with a consistency. Allow the batter to rest for 10 minutes before you start cooking.

Scoop the batter onto the pan and drizzle some oil around it, letting it cook until bubbles start to form on the surface. This is your cue to flip the pancake, letting it cook for another minute or so on the other side and voilà.Stack the pancakes in a tall heap on a plate and top off with your preferred condiments, such as honey, peanut butter and strawberries!

Kotthu Paratha

A popular street food, this fiery snack is as versatile as it is simple – toss in the veggies and masalas of your choice for a completely customisable repurposed roti riot that makes deliciously-thrifty use of your leftover ingredients.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp ghee
• 2 onions, thinly sliced
• 2 green chillis, finely chopped
• 1” piece of ginger, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 tomatoes, finely chopped
• ½ tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 4 eggs
• 8 rotis, shredded
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 3 tsp coriander, finely chopped
• Lemon wedges, to serve

Method:

Heat up the ghee and add mustard seeds (wait for the pop). Add onion, chilies, curry leaf, ginger and garlic and soften. Then add tomatoes and spices and cook down. Crack in the eggs & scramble. Toss in the parathas and season well. Serve with coriander.

Chocolate Mousse

This no-cook, four-ingredient chocolate mousse is a crowd pleaser, and how. Get your little ones to put on their Chef hats and get just a little bit messy in the kitchen. The result is as delicious as it is decadent and will add just the dash of comfort needed to your day!

Ingredients:

• Dark chocolate, chopped, 170g
• Whole milk, 120ml
• Greek yogurt, 240ml
• Orange liqueur, 1tbsp (optional)

Method:

Bring the milk to a boil in a heavy bottom saucepan. Pour over the chopped chocolate and stir until the chocolate melts. Whisk the Greek yogurt until smooth and then gently fold the yogurt into the chocolate mix until incorporated. Next, add in the orange liqueur and mix gently. Finally, spoon the mix into individual ramekins or a glass bowl and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before serving.

An updated version of the recipe is available, here.

Follow @FoodhallIndia for more #ShelfHelp Hacks to help you get the most of your pantry essentials!