Want to eat home-style Indian food at home without starting from scratch? Visit an Indian grocery, where an array of convenience products -- including breads, ready-to-cook batters and seasoning pastes -- now make it possible to enjoy quick, nutritious Indian meals. Here's a guide to some of the products:

Fresh rotis: Most Indian groceries carry these fresh, whole-wheat griddle breads. Some restaurants also sell rotis to go. Among my takeout roti stops are Kokila's Kitchen (20956 Homestead Road, Cupertino), Friendly Badal's (1635 Hollenbeck Ave., Sunnyvale), Milan Sweets (296 S. Abel St., Milpitas), Krishna Restaurant (40645 Fremont Blvd., Fremont), and Chaat House (893 El Camino Real, Sunnyvale). Wrap rotis in foil and warm them for 10 minutes in the oven. Or place three rotis on a plate, cover with plastic wrap and microwave 10 seconds.

Idli batter: Get the batter for steamed rice cakes at India Cash and Carry (1032 El Camino Real, Sunnyvale) or Lakshmi Bazaar (5178 Moorpark Ave., San Jose). To make idlis, buy a four-rack pack of idli-steaming plates at an Indian store. You can make four idlis on each plate. Grease the plates with cooking oil spray. Simmer 2 inches of water in a 5-quart pot; lower the batter-filled racks into the pot and set a timer for 12 minutes. Steamed idlis are ready to eat when they spring back at your touch. Idlis are eaten with sambar (see recipe) and chutney.

Dosa/adai batter: A dosa or adai is flatter, thinner and crisper than a pancake but thicker than a crepe. Both are made from rice and lentil flours but adai batter is heavier on the lentils. Grease a hot griddle, pour on a ladleful of the batter and flatten the batter with the ladle. Sprinkle on 1/2 teaspoon oil to help the dosa brown; when the edges are golden brown, turn it with a spatula and cook for 30 seconds more. The batter is available at the same places as idli batter.

Dhoklas with chutney: These steamed lentil breads can be eaten cold or warm. Most Indian stores carry this nutritious and filling snack near the checkout counters.

Sprouted moong beans: Toss these with a salad or soup for a high-protein start to your meal.

MTR Pastes (for sambhar, rasam and other dishes): Available at most Indian stores, these tiny jars of pastes made by a giant Indian food company in Bangalore can help you rustle up an authentic Indian taste into your meal. Just follow the instructions on the package.