In most Indian households, dal and roti are staples, especially for lunch or dinner. They make a satiating meal comprising carbohydrates, protein, and a few other essential nutrients. Pair this combo with a dry vegetable, pickle, rice, chutney, and a refreshing drink, and you will have a balanced meal that not only will be nutritious but wholesome.
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However, what do you do when you have extra dal and roti in the refrigerator? Can you reuse it to make another dish? Yes, you can make a whole new dish by combining leftover roti and dal. The multipurpose ingredients can be repurposed to make a variety of quick snacks in the evening. Here are some recommendations for you.
Dal-Roti Sandwiches
Instead of using bread, use roti as a base for the sandwich. Add some more spices to the dal and blend it to make a thick dip. Apply it all over the leftover roti and layer it with lettuce leaves, freshly sliced vegetables, cheese slices, and your favourite dressing. Top it with another roti and toast it on a hot tawa. You can also half-cut a roti in the middle, and keep stacking ingredients in every quadrant before folding them in and roasting the wrap on a tawa with a little bit of butter.
Dal-Roti Chaat
If you have ever created chips using tortilla wraps, you can definitely remodel leftover dal-roti into a lip-smacking bowl of chaat. Microwave roti first by keeping it in a bowl. In a few minutes, it will take the shape of the bowl and achieve a crispy texture. Pour leftover dal into the well and top it with boiled chana, chopped tomatoes, onions, green chillies, and cucumber. Garnish with chutneys, curd, sev, and freshly chopped coriander leaves before serving.
Dal-Roti Cutlets
Break roti into smaller pieces and mash it with dal to make a gooey paste. Add potatoes, onions, chickpeas, carrots, and other vegetables to the mix and combine them. Top this mixture with salt to taste, black pepper powder, and red chilli powder. Grease your palms and make small cutlets with your hands. Coat these cutlets with bread crumbs and either shallow fry or air fry them. Enjoy with your favourite chutney or sauce.
Dal-Roti Soup
First, tear apart the roti and microwave the pieces until they are crispy. In a pan, boil finely chopped vegetables and add them to the dal simmering in another pot. Let the ingredients combine and cook well. You can use a blender to mix them well. Once the soup thickens, garnish it with coriander leaves, top it with black pepper powder, and throw in crispy roti-like croutons. Enjoy this at night.
Dal-Roti Salad
To make dal-roti salad, you need to microwave the roti until it is crispy. Toss in vegetables in a salad bowl and prepare the dressing using dal. Add a drizzle of lemon juice and crumble roti on the top. It can be a lightweight meal for dinner. You can make it more nutritious by adding crushed dried fruits and nuts on top.