How to Make a Quick Indian Vegetarian Meal
Use frozen and canned food to cut down your cooking time., Stock up., Use a pressure cooker., Use time conservatively., Make some bread., Learn to sprout mung., Boil lentils in advance and keep it in the fridge., Always have staples in stock., Now...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Use frozen and canned food to cut down your cooking time.
Try frozen because nutrition experts say this method preserves vitamins and minerals unlike food in cans which is full of sodium and other preservatives. -
Step 2: Stock up.
Whenever your local supermarket holds a frozen/canned food sale, be the first one to take advantage. , It saves you precious time and you can cook multiple items in the same cooker.
For example, rice and lentils (daal) can be cooked by putting them in different compartments in the cooker.
The compartments are usually two different vessels which can be taken out for cleaning or storage purposes. , Chop vegetables ahead of time while watching TV or talking on the phone (you can cradle your cordless or cell phone in one ear and chop, chop away).
Vegetables like okra (ladies finger), tindora ( the ivy gourd, also known little gourd or gentleman's toes), beetroot, carrots can be cut whenever you have some free time and kept in the refrigerator.
But remember to use it the next day!! , Frozen rotis (Indian bread) are available in the Indian store
- different brands mean different results in the softness and taste of the rotis. , You can also use other types of dry beans which your Indian market will definitely have in stock. , So if you come back exhausted from work, all you have to do is temper (tadka) the daal and add curry/cilantro leaves , Like tomatoes, potatoes and onions.
Curry leaves, green chillies, cilantro or coriander leaves are the staples in Indian cooking
- you can pick up cilantro and some varieties of green chillies at your local supermarket also. ,, When it is done, add some fresh cilantro and lime juice if you think it might work well with the vegetable. , After ten minutes, pressure cook for one whistle, stop the cooker and let the rice cool inside.
You can make pulao out of the cooled rice.
Add frozen corn, peas, carrots and fragrant cinnamon, cloves to a tablespoon of ghee(clarified butter) and add the cooled rice.
Don't forget to add salt!!! ,, Pressure-cook the beans for about 10 minutes.
Add the mung to the sauteed tomato-onion mixture, add any kind of masala powder and enjoy with plain rice or rotis. , Raita is a cool accompaniment to most rice dishes and curries.
Chop onions, tomatoes into tiny pieces, add a few tablespoons of thick yogurt and top with a sprig of cilantro. , Kachumbar can be an instant side-dish.
Chop tomatoes and cucumber into small pieces,add some chickpeas if you want, squeeze some lemon juice, add cilantro and mix it up. , Temper (canned and rinsed) chickpeas with mustard seeds and green chillies.
Add two tablespoons of grated coconut, salt and mix well and let it sit for 10 minutes.
Voila! A protein-rich dish is ready.
This goes by the name of "chundaal" in south India and can be eaten as a snack also. -
Step 3: Use a pressure cooker.
-
Step 4: Use time conservatively.
-
Step 5: Make some bread.
-
Step 6: Learn to sprout mung.
-
Step 7: Boil lentils in advance and keep it in the fridge.
-
Step 8: Always have staples in stock.
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Step 9: Now let's see what quick dishes we can come rustle up:
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Step 10: Do your tadka with mustard or cumin seeds
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Step 11: add chopped vegetables
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Step 12: a pinch or more of curry powder
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Step 13: a little amount of 'garam masala'(if available)
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Step 14: cover and let it cook for 15 minutes.
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Step 15: Soak a cup of rice in water.
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Step 16: Add Daal (pressure-cooked in advance) with plain rice or frozen rotis heated up is a nutritious and feel-good combination.
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Step 17: If you have figured out how to sprout mung and other beans
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Step 18: sauté tomatoes and onions.
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Step 19: Make some Raita.
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Step 20: Make a side dish.
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Step 21: Pick up a packet of grated
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Step 22: frozen coconut from the Indian market.
Detailed Guide
Try frozen because nutrition experts say this method preserves vitamins and minerals unlike food in cans which is full of sodium and other preservatives.
Whenever your local supermarket holds a frozen/canned food sale, be the first one to take advantage. , It saves you precious time and you can cook multiple items in the same cooker.
For example, rice and lentils (daal) can be cooked by putting them in different compartments in the cooker.
The compartments are usually two different vessels which can be taken out for cleaning or storage purposes. , Chop vegetables ahead of time while watching TV or talking on the phone (you can cradle your cordless or cell phone in one ear and chop, chop away).
Vegetables like okra (ladies finger), tindora ( the ivy gourd, also known little gourd or gentleman's toes), beetroot, carrots can be cut whenever you have some free time and kept in the refrigerator.
But remember to use it the next day!! , Frozen rotis (Indian bread) are available in the Indian store
- different brands mean different results in the softness and taste of the rotis. , You can also use other types of dry beans which your Indian market will definitely have in stock. , So if you come back exhausted from work, all you have to do is temper (tadka) the daal and add curry/cilantro leaves , Like tomatoes, potatoes and onions.
Curry leaves, green chillies, cilantro or coriander leaves are the staples in Indian cooking
- you can pick up cilantro and some varieties of green chillies at your local supermarket also. ,, When it is done, add some fresh cilantro and lime juice if you think it might work well with the vegetable. , After ten minutes, pressure cook for one whistle, stop the cooker and let the rice cool inside.
You can make pulao out of the cooled rice.
Add frozen corn, peas, carrots and fragrant cinnamon, cloves to a tablespoon of ghee(clarified butter) and add the cooled rice.
Don't forget to add salt!!! ,, Pressure-cook the beans for about 10 minutes.
Add the mung to the sauteed tomato-onion mixture, add any kind of masala powder and enjoy with plain rice or rotis. , Raita is a cool accompaniment to most rice dishes and curries.
Chop onions, tomatoes into tiny pieces, add a few tablespoons of thick yogurt and top with a sprig of cilantro. , Kachumbar can be an instant side-dish.
Chop tomatoes and cucumber into small pieces,add some chickpeas if you want, squeeze some lemon juice, add cilantro and mix it up. , Temper (canned and rinsed) chickpeas with mustard seeds and green chillies.
Add two tablespoons of grated coconut, salt and mix well and let it sit for 10 minutes.
Voila! A protein-rich dish is ready.
This goes by the name of "chundaal" in south India and can be eaten as a snack also.
About the Author
Judy Webb
Committed to making organization accessible and understandable for everyone.
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