The experience of preparing meals at home can range from enjoyable to dreadful, depending on the individual. Some of us who enjoy cooking are getting tired of thinking about what to make for dinner every night, and that’s with people still staying a bit closer to home than they otherwise would. Make one of these five quick and enjoyable dinners this week to break the monotony and rediscover your love of home cooking.
1. Daal Khichdi
This simple Indian meal is as warm and soothing as a hug every time you taste it. An efficient pressure cooker can reduce cooking time to under 30 minutes. Rice, yellow lentils (mong dal), onions, tomatoes, ginger, and a few simple spices like ghee are all you need to make this (clarified butter). Just stick to the fundamentals and complete the whole thing in a pressure cooker. Aim for 3-4 whistles while keeping the heat at medium. Add some chopped coriander and ghee as a garnish, then eat it while it’s still hot.
2. Lemon Pepper Chicken
It feels and looks rich and creamy. Both rice and roti are excellent accompaniments to this dish. Including prep and cooking time, you can have it ready in under an hour and a half. Lemon juice, curd, Chicken, ginger, garlic paste, crushed red pepper, garam masala, and oil round out the list of ingredients. After four or five whistles in a pressure cooker, your delicious meal will be done.
3. Hot And Spicy Chicken Stew
A few minutes on the burner and a few simple ingredients are all you need to make this hearty stew that will help ease your sore throat and cough. It’s as easy as drizzling the pressure cooker with oil and tossing in some roughly chopped spring onions, ginger, carrots, and garlic cloves, which you’ll then sauté until tender. Boneless Chicken, red chili sauce, salt, sugar, and soy sauce can be added to the dish. Put the pot on high pressure and cook the vegetables for 15 minutes. Snack on some croutons and enjoy it hot.
4. Chana Masala
Chana, a legume rich in protein, combined with the right spices, can provide a healthy dose of nutrients without sacrificing flavor. Chana may be cooked more easily if it is soaked the night before. You can get your meal ready in as little as four to five whistles if you get inventive with your recipe and use a pressure cooker instead of a traditional pan. Accompany steamed rice and relish!
5. Eggless Sponge Cake
You can enjoy a slice of cake whenever the mood strikes you. Where do you cook without an oven? By coating the inside of the pressure cooker with salt, you can use it as an oven. Precook it every time by inverting the lid. Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin, set it in the range, and close the top upside down.
Things To Do Besides Cook When You’re Weary Of Cooking
Create A Weekly Meal Plan.
You can convert a stressful week into a nearly stress-free one by planning your meals for the week in advance. By doing all of your shopping at once, you save time, money, energy, and stress by not having to run out for something you forgot, and your meals will be healthier. Take a look at these meal plans to get an idea of what a week’s worth of eating might look like (they’re perfect if you’re trying to save money, and they’re tasty no matter what).
Second, Make Meals In Bulk Without Getting Bored.
Making large batches of staples that can be frozen or stored in the fridge until needed will help you spend less time cooking overall. Foods that can be cooked in large quantities and used in different ways include soups, stews, bolognese sauces, white sauces, beans, and lentils.
This versatile bolognese sauce is excellent for various dishes, including lasagne, spaghetti, cottage pie, chili, and stuffed potatoes. If you’re making tomato sauce but don’t want to use meat, you may always substitute beans or tofu (you can even blend in extra vegetables if you avoid the kids spotting them).
Brown, green, or Puy lentils, once cooked in a large pan, can be used in a variety of ways, including as the foundation for a hearty salad made with cold roasted vegetables (or with defrosted frozen peas and cherry tomatoes for a more accessible option), as the main ingredient in a warming soup, or as the meat substitute in a meatless bolognese. To give each dish its distinctive flavor, try using a variety of herbs and spices.
