What to cook for patients

 

Plain moong dal-rice khichdi with some paneer

It's a bit of challenge to plan meals day after day after day for the person who cooks in normal times, more so when there is a patient - either admitted to a hospital or recovering at home. I went through this past few days and thought of sharing what I cooked for the patient, who was a 75+ person with no teeth and bed ridden. There are also some suggestions. And, these dishes can be cooked otherwise too, they are almost like one dish meals. I guess these are the dishes that are typically cooked in Maharashtrian households, or to be more precise in Marathi speaking households in Mumbai. I would love to read what's cooked in other regions. 

The first dish that my Aai would cook when I had a fever as a child was Kanheri - a type of rice porridge or kanji. She would grind rice in the mixer and then cook it in more water than usual. Add some jeera powder, salt, ghee, metkut. It was so soothing that I still remember the taste and the relief that it gave me. I make it like this - I take equal quantity of rice and moong or masoor dal, wash, dry on a cloth. Then roast in an iron kadhai and grind once cooled. Sometimes I add some jeera in this. Take two tablespoons of this mixture, add a cup or more water, salt, chili powder/pepper powder and cook in the pressure cooker. You can add some grated vegetable to it, like beetroot, carrot, pumpkin, boottle gourd; or puree of spinach or any other vegetable you fancy. Tomatoes also may be good, I haven't tried it though. While serving, add ghee. You can make it watery or thick as per the need or taste of the patient. 

A hot soup is also a great option. I have a soupmaker so making soups is quite easy. I usually make soup of mixed vegetables - Pick any of these - Carrot, Beetroot, Pumpkin, Bottle gourd, Tomato, Onion, Sweet Corn, Spinach. Add ginger and garlic if you like. Plain salt and pepper powder is enough it pep it up. I sometimes add moong or masoor dal to the soups to add proteins. 

Pancakes aka Dhirdi aka ghavan are easy to make and there is hardly any prep time too. I make dhirdi with besan/rice/jowar/nachni-ragi flours - again any of these that are avaialble. The plain ones would have only salt, chili powder, and some crushed garlic. These can be made thin like a rava dosa or slightly thicker like an uttappam. Any grated vegetable or finely chopped leafy vegetables are excellent to add nutrition. I usually add some curd or buttermilk too. Red chili powder or green chilies can be added as per taste. These are easy to eat for people with no teeth or kids.

One dish I like to make and eat even when I am not unwell is Ukad, a type of the Gujarati Khichu. I make it with rice or jowar flour. Mix half a cup of rice flour with at least 2 cups of water and one cup of buttermilk or curd. Sour buttermilk gives a nice tang to the Ukad. Add salt. Make a tadka of oil, mustard, crushed garlic, chilies, curry leaves. Add the watery mixture to the pan, cover and let it cook. It takes about 4-5 minutes to cook. The ready Ukad should have the consistency of Shrikhand or peanut butter. It can be thinner too. 

How could I forget the ubiquitous Khichdi? I usually cook it with rice and moong dal - both the yellow and green ones. I add vegetables if available. Sometimes I add some crumbled fresh paneer while serving. The thickness depends on the consumer.

Other dishes that you could make are upma, idli, dosa. I am sure you don't a recipe for these.

Fruits, buttermilk, curd, milk, milkshakes, fruit juices can be given depending on the doctor's advice.

Do let me know what you make when you are cooking for a patient or an elderly person or a sick child.