Tired Of Doing The Dishes? 5 Delicious One Pot Meals

Imagine this – you just finished cleaning up a mountain of dirty dishes. A clean sink, a clean kitchen. Finally! 1 millisecond later, a pile of dirty dishes appears in the sink. Exasperated, ‘But, I just did the dishes’. How is this even happening?

We all are missing our house help to the extent that we can write poetry about their absence from our lives. Yes, we can! What most of us didn’t realise before the lockdown was, how easily we threw all the utensils in the sink. We knew that they will be washed, dried and taken care of. If the pile of dirty dishes is not reducing and you’re tired of washing them again and again, here are 5 one-pot meals you can cook for the family without worrying about 10 utensils that you’ll have to wash later.

1) Vegetable Pulao

Vegetable Pulao is a classic rice dish made often in Indian households. You can add onions, potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, cauliflower, beans, peas and corn amongst other things. A bowl of steaming hot vegetable pulao with a cool boondi raita is perfect weekday dinner, for when you don’t want a long tower of dishes in the sink.

Are your rice grains sticking to each other too much? If yes, add a few drops of lemon before you cover the pulao to cook. Avoid cooking pulao in a pressure cooker, use a heavy base pateela (stockpot).

2) Tomato And Egg Bake

A tomato and egg bake is such a versatile dish and can be had for breakfast, brunch or dinner. You will need a heavy-bottomed pan with a lid. Cook a garlicky tomato puree sauce and season it with salt, pepper, and some sugar. Break in the eggs one by one. Put on the lid and let it cook on slow till the yolk is cooked to your preference.

You can give this tomato and egg bake a middle eastern twist (Shakshuka) by adding cumin, paprika, and roasted red bell peppers. For a Spanish twist, add chorizo and top with Manchego cheese.

3) Veg Clear Soup

Nothing like a hearty bowl of clear vegetable soup. You can add all the vegetables you have in the crockpot and season it according to your preference. Add some lemongrass and galangal for a Thai flavor or add some Maggi masala for a desi version. Add noodles, rice noodles, chicken or top it with a boiled egg if they are available. You won’t be disappointed at how filling and satisfying a bowl of clear soup can become.

4) Kerala Style Vegetable Stew

A vegetable stew is made with coconut milk and roughly cut vegetables. Add french beans, peas, carrots, cauliflower and loads of coconut milk. Make sure you temper the stew with juliennes of ginger, dried red chilies, mustard seeds, and curry leaves. Serve with boiled rice, idiyappam or appam. The flavor is rich and coconut-y and the family will surely find this to be a refreshing change.

5) Sindhi Curry

The beauty of a Sindhi Curry is the tanginess attached to it. You will definitely need lots of tomatoes. A few french beans, potatoes, lotus stem, drumsticks, fried ladyfingers, and besan. A mustard seed-curry leaf tempering is sure to amp up the flavor. Serve Sindhi Curry with boiled rice and aloo tuk. Make sure you make this in bulk because no one is going to stop after just one serving.

Which is your favorite one-pot meal? Is it on the list? Let us know in the comment box below.

Out of ideas for your next meal? Worry not, we’ve got your back! A set of fresh ideas and suggestions to keep your menus interesting! Read these posts to help you choose what to cook for the next meal using regular staples like atta, suji, moong dal, rice and potatoes. We will also give you tips on how to use common condiments like mayonnaise and spices like jeera and turmeric in your diet to maximise the usage of everyday products.