Packed lunches for children

Tiffin breaks are crucial, mostly because your child will remember them forever! Packing the same lunch every day of the week can become dull. Variation is important as no child will look forward to a 'dim bhaji' sandwich every day. The recipes given this week are easy to make and can be prepared in minutes before you and your child walk out the door to go off for the day. 

MUM'S TUNA SANDWICH 
I love it till this day and sometimes, even crave for it!

Ingredients: 
½ canned tuna
1 tbsp mayonnaise
2 pickled gherkins (pickled cucumbers), finely chopped
¼ celery, finely chopped
Squeeze of lemon
Pepper and salt to taste

Method: 
Combine all the ingredients together and spread on multigrain or white bread. 

EGG SALAD SANDWICH 
Ingredients: 
1 hardboiled egg, diced
1 tsp mustard
2 tsp mayonnaise 
Pepper and salt to taste 

Method: 
Combine all the ingredients together and spread on multigrain or white bread. 

SLICED CHICKEN SANDWICH 
Ingredients:
For boiling chicken -
1 chicken breast 
2 garlic cloves, whole
10 pepper corns, whole
1 bay leaf 
2 tsp soy sauce 
For frying chicken -
1 tbsp barbeque sauce
2 medium tomatoes, chopped 
½ carrot, julienne (like match sticks) 
Salt and pepper to taste
Pinch of dried oregano 
1 tbsp olive oil for cooking

Method: 
In a pot place the chicken breast and fill with water to cover the chicken. Put the pepper corns, garlic, bay leaf and soy sauce. Put it on heat and boil for 20 minutes. You can put the chicken in the fridge to use the next morning or in the next few days. 

Cut the chicken breast into thin slices. Place a fry pan on heat and add oil; when the oil is to your desired heat add tomatoes, carrots and chicken. Fry for two minutes. Add the barbeque sauce, oregano, salt and pepper and fry till the ingredients are combined, which will take about a minute. Spread on bread. 

SMOKED CHICKEN CHEESE SANDWICH
Ingredients: 
3 slices of store bought smoked chicken (available at Bengal Meat) 
1 tomato, dices 
¼ green capsicum, thinly sliced
¼ cup Kissan cheese, grated 
Butter to spread on bread 

Method:
Take two pieces of bread and smear butter on one side.

Place a frying pan on medium-high heat and place one slice of bread on the pan 
(the buttered side down). 
On top of that, in this order, place the chicken, tomatoes, capsicum and cheese. Place the other slice of bread on top 
of that (the buttered side down). 
Carefully flip the sandwich and press 
down with your spatula. Wait for it to get golden brown and place in the 
tiffin box. 

COLD NOODLE WITH CHICKEN
I use Soba noodles for this recipe, but you can even use spaghetti or normal egg noodle.

Ingredients: 
Handful soba (buckwheat) noodle (available at Korean Mart, Banani)
½ cup peas
3 tbsp peanut butter
½ tbsp vinegar (not seasoned)
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp grated, peeled ginger
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp Sriracha 
Salt
1 cup shredded boiled chicken (find recipe in 'sliced chicken sandwich' above)
1 cup diced cucumber, deseeded 
½ cup chopped scallions

Method:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the soba noodles and peas and cook as the noodle label directs. Reserve one cup cooking water, then drain the noodles and peas and run under cold water until cool. Whisk the peanut butter, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, sesame oil and chilli sauce in a large bowl. Add ½  cup of the reserved cooking water and whisk until smooth. Add the noodles and peas, season with salt and toss to combine (add more cooking water to loosen, if needed). Place the cooked noodles in the tiffin box and top with chicken, cucumber and scallions.

Photo: Collected