We all face those days where we are in dearth of time and we have to cook something. Well to save ourselves in those situations one-pot meals were invented. It's basically a process where you put all the ingredients in one heavy-bottom utensil and let it cook. Then, the ingredients and time combine to create magic naturally, and your hassle-free one-pot meal is ready.
Most of us working Indians face this issue of not being able to cook proper meals thanks to the hustle and bustle of daily life. So, one-pot meals are the perfect answer here. During winters especially, one-pot meals can be even more delicious if you add warmer, richer or heavier ingredients to them.
Also read, 3 healthy one-pot meals for busy weeknights
So, don’t wait up and give these easy Indian one-pot meals a try.
1. Chicken Pulao
Chicken pulao is one of those savoury dishes which combines the juicy and tender chicken with aromatic indian spices and aromatic basmati rice in a single pot. This is an amazing South Indian dish which contains ingredients like onion, ginger, garlic and various other spices to infuse flavour into the meal. Chicken pulao is mostly a main course and shall be enjoyed as a lunch or dinner with other accompaniments like some gravy or something.
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2. Bajra Khichdi
If you were looking for a nutritious vegan one pot meal then here it is. This dish combines pearl millet or bajra with a wide option of vegetables and aromatic spices. This mixture results in a divine and comforting mela especially in winters. Bajra is good for our body and transforming it into such delicious meald gives us a leeway to incorporate it in our everyday routine.
3. Veg Upma
Veg Upma is a South Indian recipe for an easy and delicious one-pot meal. This dish is made with roasted semolina, vegetables, spices and fresh herbs to garnish. It is a quick and easy to cook meal, thus making it s perfect companion for the busy morning rush or light dinner. Upma is such a versatile dish that it can be eaten at any time of the day without thinking if it will be too much or not.
4. Masale Bhaat
Masale Bhaat is a dish from Maharashtra which is spicy and savoury. Though the name itself screams spicy masale means masala and bhaat is rice, thus the spiciness is quite expected. The main ingredient of this dish is a blend of Maharashtrian spices like goda masala and tamarind for that tangy kick. Even though it is spicy it can be eaten on a daily basis because it is light on the stomach. The rice has to be basmati because of the aroma that basmati has, no one can replace it.
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5. Puliyodarai
Puliyodarai is a South Indian dish which is a perfect blend of sweet and savoury dishes. The dish is prepared by cooking rice with tangy tamarind pulp, peanuts and other spices along with mustard seeds and curry leaves. These one-pot meals save a lot of time and are delicious in taste too. It is a must try if you like spicy, sweet and tangy flavour together to survive the busy days.
6. Bhuni Khichuri
Bhuni Khichuri is a delicious one-pot meal from the state of Bengal which primarily combines moong dal and rice rice with aromatic spices. The name is bhuni khichuri because it is fried until the water content dries up. Usually we see khichuri to be watery and this is where bhuni khichuri differs. It has its own versions too because somewhere they give vegetables into it and sometimes even dry fruits to take it to the luxurious stature. This meal is served hot with a dollop of ghee on top and papad on the side.
7. Biryani
Biryani, the beloved of every Indian, can never go off the list of one-pot meals. Biriani has a rich background to its traditional take on Indian cuisine. This dish is an amalgamation of flavourful basmati rice with juicy meat if Non-veg and vegetables and paneer if vegetarians. Biriyani is a slow cooked dish in a air tight container to keep the flavours intact. Apart from veg and non-veg there are other version of it too, which is based on regions of India. For example, there is Kolkata biryani, Lucknow biryani, Hyderabadi biryani and many more. Each of them has its own different flavours but all of them undoubtedly taste divine.
8. Coconut Rice
Coconut rice is a delicious one-pot dish that has the fruity flavour of the rich coconut milk and the aromatic flavours of basmati rice.This is a perfect blend of sweet and savoury with the milkiness from the coconut and savoury from the spices. This combination gives out a dish that is perfect and comforting at any time of the day.