Instead, with a little time, and not too much effort, you can whip up a mini meal right in your kitchen.

Chef Samta Gupta has some exciting suggestions.

Pickled paneer paratha

Serves: 2 to 3

Ingredients
2 cups paneer
½ cup onions, chopped
2 tbsp mixed pickle, chopped
1 tsp fennel or sonf
½ tsp cumin or jeera seeds
¼ tsp mustard or rai seeds
100 gm flour
1 tbsp green coriander, chopped
2 pieces whole red chilly, chopped
1 tbsp oil
Salt

Method

Stuffing
Grate the paneer and keep aside.
Heat oil. Add fennel, cumin, mustard. Add the onions and saute. Toss in mixed pickle, coriander and paneer.
Mix well and divide into 10 equal portions.

Dough
Add water and salt to the flour. Knead into soft dough. Cover with a wet muslin cloth and keep aside for 15 minutes.
Knead dough into peda-sized (one inch diameter) balls. Flatten each shape in the palm of your hand. Place a little of the paneer mixture in the centre and then shape into a round ball.
Roll each ball like a chapatti; keep it three inches in diameter. Shallow fry on a tawa
Photograph: Merlin Francis

Chef Samta Gupta, consulting chef at Mast Kalandar, Bangalore, shares three mouth-watering recipes. Samta is also the consulting chef with Khimsar Fort Palace (Welcome Heritage ITC), Neemrana Hotels, Kenilworth Hotels (Goa, Kolkata) and Hotel Claridges Hideaway.