High-protein vegetarian breakfast: 7 Indian options in under 15 minutes

A savoury lentil pancake — the single best high-protein Indian breakfast, and naturally vegan. Soak the dal ahead and it's even faster.

You'll need

• ½ cup moong dal (soaked)
• 1 green chilli
• Small piece ginger
• Chopped onion, tomato
• Coriander, salt
• 1 tsp oil per chilla

Method

1. Grind the soaked dal with chilli, ginger and a little water into a smooth, pourable batter.
2. Stir in chopped onion, tomato, coriander and salt.
3. Pour a ladle onto a hot non-stick tawa, spread thin, drizzle a little oil.
4. Cook until golden, flip, cook the other side. Serve with curd or mint chutney.

Crumbled paneer scrambled with onion, tomato and spices — the highest-protein option here, and ready in ten minutes.

You'll need

• 100g paneer, crumbled
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tomato, chopped
• Green chilli, ginger
• Turmeric, chilli, salt
• 1 tsp oil

Method

1. Heat oil, sauté onion, ginger and chilli until soft.
2. Add tomato and dry spices; cook until the tomato breaks down.
3. Add crumbled paneer, toss for 2–3 minutes until heated through.
4. Finish with coriander. Eat as is, or roll into one whole-wheat roti.

The no-soak version of a chilla — gram-flour batter you mix and cook straight away. Perfect for rushed mornings.

You'll need

• 1 cup besan (gram flour)
• Chopped onion, tomato
• Spinach or grated veg
• Green chilli, ajwain
• Turmeric, salt, water
• 1 tsp oil per chilla

Method

1. Whisk besan with water into a smooth, lump-free batter.
2. Mix in vegetables, chilli, ajwain, turmeric and salt.
3. Spread thin on a hot tawa, drizzle oil, cook until edges lift.
4. Flip, cook through, serve hot with chutney.

No cooking at all if your sprouts are ready — a fresh, crunchy, protein-and-fibre bowl for warm mornings.

You'll need

• 1 cup moong sprouts
• 50g paneer cubes
• Chopped onion, tomato, cucumber
• Lemon juice
• Chaat masala, salt
• Coriander

Method

1. Lightly steam or boil the sprouts for 3–4 minutes if you prefer them soft (raw is fine too).
2. Toss with paneer, chopped vegetables and coriander.
3. Season with lemon, chaat masala and salt.
4. Serve fresh.

Savoury oats cooked like upma, with a bowl of curd on the side to carry the protein and add fibre together.

You'll need

• ½ cup oats
• Mixed vegetables
• Mustard seeds, curry leaves
• Green chilli, ginger
• 150g curd (side)
• Salt, 1 tsp oil

Method

1. Temper mustard seeds, curry leaves, chilli and ginger in oil.
2. Add chopped vegetables, sauté briefly.
3. Add oats and water; cook 3–4 minutes to an upma consistency.
4. Serve hot with a bowl of curd alongside.

For those who eat eggs, the fastest high-protein breakfast of all — spiced Indian scrambled eggs, done in eight minutes.

You'll need

• 3 eggs
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tomato, chopped
• Green chilli, ginger
• Turmeric, chilli, salt
• 1 tsp oil

Method

1. Sauté onion, ginger and chilli until soft.
2. Add tomato and spices; cook down briefly.
3. Pour in beaten eggs, scramble gently until just set.
4. Finish with coriander; pair with one whole-wheat roti.

Zero morning effort — assemble at night, wake up to breakfast. The one for people who "don't have time" to eat.

You'll need

• ½ cup oats
• 150g curd or Greek yogurt
• ½ cup milk
• 1 tbsp chia or flax
• Fruit, few nuts
• Cinnamon (optional)

Method

1. The night before, mix oats, curd, milk and chia in a jar.
2. Stir well, cover, refrigerate overnight.
3. In the morning, top with fruit and a few nuts.
4. Eat cold, straight from the jar.