Share
Summer or winter, one-pot cooking is the best way to escape spending hours in the kitchen and still enjoy a comforting meal. It’s not just easy but also yields a flavourful dish that you can relish while snuggling on your couch and watching your favourite series or movie. A one-pot meal is a hassle-free preparation that you can undertake on a busy weekday or a lazy weekend.
However, there are a few things you need to consider to prepare a delicious delicacy. From choosing the right cooking equipment to layering ingredients impeccably, below are some tested tricks that will elevate your culinary skills and make you the master of one-pot cooking.
Balance Water Content
Cooking a one-pot recipe is a tricky task if you don’t understand the ingredient-to-water ratio. Another thing to consider is no evaporation because you will be cooking with a lid on. Hence, the amount of water needs to be accurate. If you are cooking in a kadhai or a casserole dish, you can always add more water if needed, but in a pressure cooker, it’s better to keep it accurate rather than adding extra.
Cook Protein And Grains Together
Every ingredient has a different boiling point (rather cooking point). Vegetables and rice cook faster compared to grains and proteins like fish, mutton, and chicken. Add the ingredients like grains and protein first, and cook them together. It will save you time and gas. It would be better if you had pre-soaked legumes or marinated protein. Add vegetables and rice later into the pot.
Use A Pressure Cooker
It is a no-brainer that a pressure cooker saves time, so you can effortlessly use it to cook biryani, rajma, and dal-based one-pot meals. You need to understand the layering and water content ratio, and your delicacy will be prepared in half the time than if you were using a kadhai or any other with a lid. You must also keep a note of how many whistles are needed to cook a particular ingredient.
Add Dairy Product At End
Dairy products tend to curdle, therefore, you cannot add them in the beginning. Hence, if the recipe includes dairy, you should also avoid using a pressure cooker for the preparation. Adding milk or fresh cream at the end prevents curdling and brings out the creamy texture in the meal. If you are cooking in a pressure cooker, let the pressure release, open the lid, and then add cream, milk, or curd to the dish. Stir and enjoy.
Utilise Whole Spices
Indian meals include the use of whole spices. You should not escape from their use, but also add them wisely to the recipe. While making one-pot meals, you should also consider adding pre-made bases like ginger-garlic paste, onion-tomato paste, and more. These will instantly boost the flavour of the recipe and reduce the cooking time. Make sure to cook in a heavy-bottomed pan because all the ingredients need to be cooked to perfection without sticking to the base.
