What to cook today!!! Here are some ideas for a whole month! Mine is a vegetarian Indian household and here is some of what I make for my meals. We usually have roti during day (easier for lunch boxes also) and rice at night. Saturdays and Sundays I try to make something different. I am dividing this post into 4 weeks, so each post will have meal plans for 1 week of the month.
So here’s a vegetarian Indian meal plan for the first week, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner ideas. Please adjust portion sizes and ingredients according to your dietary preferences and requirements.
Week 1
Day 1 – Monday:
As Gobhi is considered to be heavy, let’s balance out by making a simple toor dal for dinner.
Breakfast – Vegetable Upma
Lunch – Roti with Aloo Gobi
Dinner – Tuvar (Arhar) dal with Rice
Day 2: Tuesday
Dal-chawal every night can get repetitive. Let’s mix things up by alternating dal-rice with a different rice dish. Tonight it’s vegetable biryani! I try to make it in the style of dum-cooked 5-Rivers Vegetable biryani from 4500 Miles from Delhi, the best curry house in Bristol.
Breakfast – Poha – served with sev, lemon or even Tarri or Chana rassa in Maharashtrian style
Lunch – Bhindi do Pyaza and Dal Tadka with Roti
Dinner – Mixed Vegetable Biryani with Raita
Day 3: Wednesday
Rajma is very filling and heavy, so dinner is simple with moong dal. Dal with the skin on is very nutritious!
Breakfast – Dhokla with Chutney
Lunch – Rajma (Kidney Beans) Curry with Roti
Dinner – Split Green Moong Dal (Chhilke wali moong dal) with Rice
Day 4: Thursday
I have put together a huge list of paratha stuffing ideas whenever you are looking for which type of parathas to make.
Breakfast – Stuffed Paratha with Yogurt
Lunch – Palak Paneer (Spinach and Paneer Curry) with Roti
Dinner – Rassedar Aloo Matar with Rice
Day 5: Friday
If you need to pack tiffins early in the morning, roasting the brinjals the night before can make the bharta making process quicker.
Breakfast – Sabudana Khichadi with curd
Lunch – Baingan Bharta with Roti
Dinner – Vegetable Pulao
Day 6: Saturday
Since we have chhole today, let’s start with a light and healthy breakfast of chilla made from split moong dal.
Breakfast – Moong Dal Chila/Cheela with Green chutney or yoghurt
Lunch – Chickpea Curry (Chhole or Chana Masala) with Roti
Dinner – Whole Masoor Dal with Rice
Day 7: Sunday
Sunday is for something special, but that doesn’t mean I want to slave all day in the kitchen! Soak enough lentils for making Idli and Dosa both and make Sambar to last all day!
Breakfast – Idli with Sambar and Chutney
Lunch – Lemon Rice or Tamarind Rice with Sambar
Dinner – Masala Dosa with Sambar and Chutney
Shopping List
- Upma Rava/Sooji
- Wheat flour for Rotis and Parathas
- Besan
- Tuvar dal
- Urad Dal
- Moong dal (split)
- Moong dal (split, green)
- Masoor Dal, whole
- Rajma
- Chhole/Kabuli Chana
- Poha
- Sabudana
- Roasted gram for South Indian Chutney
- Coconut – fresh or dessicated
- Rice
- Cauliflower
- Potatoes
- Ladyfinger/Bhindi
- Spinach
- Brinjal
- Assorted vegetables like carrots, peas, beans
- Coriander for chutney and garnish
- Yoghurt/Dahi
- Paneer
- Dhokla mix (optional)
- Ready Idli/Dosa batter (Optional)
Vegetarian Indian Meal Plan for a Month – Week 1
This meal plan is like heaven to me, I absolutely love vegetarian Indian food. I don’t get to make it or eat it as often as I would like, but this has made planning for something like this so much easier. Yum!