By Akshara
October 20, 2025
When you’re short on time for your Diwali bash and your fridge has just a few scattered ingredients, these one-pan Indian-style meals come to the rescue. All you need are three key items and a single pan to whip up something warm, filling, and desi at heart.
Crumble paneer into a hot pan, sauté with chopped onions and a few dry spices like turmeric and red chilli powder. Once it’s soft and spiced, spread it on a leftover roti, roll it up, and toast it slightly. It’s a makeshift wrap that still feels comforting and filling.
Rinse poha lightly and keep it aside. In a pan, heat some oil, toss in green peas and add your favourite spices with some mustard seeds. Once the peas are cooked, mix in the poha along with a handful of roasted peanuts for crunch. A squeeze of lime at the end makes it taste fresh and light.
Crack a couple of eggs into a hot pan with tomatoes and green chillies already sizzling in oil. Stir everything together with salt and pav bhaji masala until the eggs are cooked and fluffy. Toast pav on the side using the same pan and scoop the bhurji straight in for a fuss-free meal.
Mash up your boiled aloo and form quick tikkis. In a pan, sizzle jeera in oil, toss in chopped tomatoes, and let them cook down into a thick base. Nestle your tikkis into the pan, let them soak up the flavour, and serve it just like that, straight from the pan into a bowl.
Whisk besan with water and salt to make a quick batter. Add finely chopped onions and green chillies if you like. Pour into a hot pan and cook like thin pancakes. Once done, fold them with any leftover chutney or stuffing inside and eat like soft desi tacos.