- By Bornika Das
- Fri, 13 Jun 2025 07:29 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
South Indian Tiffin Recipes: Most morning seems nothing less than a race. Between waking up late, packing bags and rushing to the workplace or an educational centre, what gets missed out is the tiffin. Making tiffin during the rush hours often becomes hectic. Moreover, if you love South Indian dishes, preparing them in the busiest morning becomes a challenge. People think that South Indian dishes mean soaking, fermenting or slow cooking. However, it is not always true. There are certain South Indian tiffin recipes that can be ready in 15 minutes or less.
South Indian cuisine is a treasure trove of flavours, textures and wholesome ingredients. They are comforting and healthy, especially light on the stomach. South Indian tiffin is known for being both nutritious and satisfying. These dishes require minimal preparation and can be made using staple pantry ingredients. Whether you’re a student, a working professional or a home cook looking for speedy tiffin recipes, these 15-minute easy South Indian breakfast recipes are perfect for busy mornings.
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South Indian Tiffin Recipes Under 15 Minutes
Lemon Rice
Also known as Elumichai Sadam, lemon rice is bright, tangy and packed with flavour. This is one of the easiest South Indian recipes that you can make within 15 minutes. All you need is some leftover cooked rice. Heat oil, temper mustard seeds, curry leaves, green chillies, urad dal and peanuts. Add turmeric and salt and toss in the rice. Mix well and finish it with fresh lemon juice. Again, mix well and pack for the tiffin.
Rava Upma
This soft, savoury semolina dish is a popular South Indian tiffin recipe and is loved for its filling, comforting and easy-to-prepare qualities. Roast semolina (rava), then saute mustard seeds, curry leaves, onions, ginger and green chillies. Add hot water, salt, and slowly stir in the rava. Cook till it thickens. You can also add some frozen peas or grated carrots to make it more nutritious.
Instant Ragi Dosa
As the name suggests, this ragi dosa can be made instantly, taking minimal time. Mix ragi flour finger millet) with rice flour, curd, water, chopped onions, green chillies, and coriander to form a thin batter. Pour it like a rava dosa on a hot tawa and cook till crisp. Ragi is packed with iron and calcium, making this a healthy and energy-boosting tiffin dish.
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Vegetable Sevai
Also known as rice sevai or idiyappam, vegetable sevai is a great, minimal-effort tiffin recipe. This is easy to cook and highly nutritious. To make this, soak rice vermicelli in hot water and drain. Add grated carrots, capsicum or any quick-cooking veggie. Toss in the sevai with salt and a dash of lemon juice. This is a perfect light, colourful tiffin for school or office.
Podi Idli
Heat a little ghee or oil, add mustard seeds, curry leaves, and chopped idlis. Sprinkle with idli podi (spiced lentil powder) and give it all a good toss. This dish is loved for its spicy crunch and tastes great even at room temperature.
These 15-minute South Indian tiffin recipes are not only easy to make but are also nutritious. You can make these recipes on the busy mornings and stay full for long period of time.
