Lunchbox/স্কুল টিফিন আইডিয়া

Ingredients

• 2 medium bananas Raw Banana Peels (peeled, cut into small pieces)
• 2 tablespoons Mustard Oil (for frying banana peels and other components)
• 1 teaspoon Black Cumin Seeds (also called kalonji)
• 5 cloves Garlic (minced)
• 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
• to taste Salt
• 1 teaspoon Sugar (optional, adds light sweetness to the puree)
• 1 cup Masoor Dal (Red Lentils) (rinsed)
• 2 medium Onion (1 for dal vorta (sliced & fried), 1 for curry (chopped))
• 3 pieces Green Chili (finely sliced; adjust heat to taste)
• 1 Egg (hard‑boiled, served on the side)
• 1 cup Chickpea Dal (Bengal Gram) (soaked 4‑6 hrs, then cooked)
• 1 medium Potato (peeled and diced)
• 1 cup Pumpkin (diced; any soft winter squash works)
• 1 tablespoon Ginger Garlic Paste (store‑bought or homemade)
• 1 teaspoon Red Chili Powder
• 2 tablespoons Fresh Coriander Leaves (chopped for garnish)

Instructions

1. Prepare Banana Peels

   Peel two raw bananas, discard the fruit, and cut the peels into small 1‑cm pieces.

   Time: PT5M

2. Boil Banana Peels

   Place the cut peels in a medium saucepan, cover with water, add a pinch of salt, and bring to a boil. Cook until soft, about 10 minutes.

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: 100°C

3. Fry Peels with Spices

   Drain the boiled peels. Heat 1 tbsp mustard oil in a frying pan over medium heat, add 1 tsp black cumin seeds, 5 minced garlic cloves, ½ tsp turmeric, and a pinch of salt. Add the peels and sauté for 5 minutes until lightly golden.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: medium

4. Blend into Puree

   Transfer the fried peels to a blender, add 1 tsp sugar (optional) and blend until smooth. Adjust salt if needed.

   Time: PT2M

5. Cook Masoor Dal

   Rinse 1 cup masoor dal. In a clean saucepan, add the dal with 2 cups water, a pinch of turmeric, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the dal is soft and most water is absorbed, about 15 minutes.

   Time: PT15M

   Temperature: medium

6. Fry Onion & Chili for Dal Vorta

   While the dal cooks, heat 1 tbsp mustard oil in a small pan, add 1 sliced onion and 1 sliced green chili. Fry until golden brown, about 5 minutes.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: medium

7. Combine Dal and Fried Onion

   Transfer the cooked dal to a mixing bowl, add the fried onion‑chili mixture, season with salt, and mash together with a spoon or potato masher to form a coarse vorta.

   Time: PT2M

8. Hard‑Boil Egg

   Place one egg in a saucepan, cover with water, bring to a boil, then turn off the heat and let sit covered for 10 minutes. Cool, peel, and set aside.

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: 100°C

9. Cook Chickpea Dal

   Drain the soaked chickpea dal. In a saucepan, add the dal with 3 cups water, a pinch of salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes.

   Time: PT20M

   Temperature: medium

10. Dice Potato and Pumpkin

    Peel and dice one medium potato and 1 cup pumpkin into 1‑cm cubes.

    Time: PT5M

11. Sauté Base for Curry

    Heat 2 tbsp mustard oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add 1 chopped onion and sauté until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add 1 tbsp ginger‑garlic paste and cook another 2 minutes.

    Time: PT5M

    Temperature: medium

12. Build the Curry

    Add 1 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp red chili powder, and the diced potato and pumpkin. Stir for 1 minute, then add the cooked chickpea dal. Pour in ½ cup water, cover, and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Adjust salt and add 1 tsp sugar for a subtle sweetness.

    Time: PT15M

    Temperature: medium

13. Garnish and Serve

    Turn off the heat, sprinkle chopped fresh coriander leaves over the curry. Serve the banana‑peel puree, masoor dal vorta, chickpea‑pumpkin curry, and the boiled egg on a plate with warm roti.

    Time: PT2M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

350

Protein

12 g

Carbohydrates

55 g

Fat

10 g

Fiber

8 g