Today is Monday and it is Rajesh’s turn to prepare the meals. Rajesh is a bachelor who works in Mumbai and shares an apartment with four friends. They take turns in cooking their meals and it is Rajesh’s turn to prepare the dinner but he is too tired to cook an elaborate meal. He does not like to eat 'Ready to eat meals' as they have fewer nutritional values. He is always looking out for healthy options that can be prepared in a jiffy.
This is a common scene in most urban houses where both partners are working. They reach home tired and exhausted after a full day at work and cooking a healthy meal becomes a challenge for all of them. They rely on restaurants or take away food or look out for options that could make for a great meal but in a quarter of the time
One pot meals are ideal for individuals who reach home late in the evening and have no intention to cook up an elaborate family dinner, but still want to ensure that the family eats healthy food. They are a time savers in both preparation and clean up.
Read here quick, healthy and super easy one dish meals recipes that can be used busy mom, professional, working in shifts or any individual who just hates cooking
Option I- Healthy prawn biryani
Ingredients:
120 gms prawns, 1/3 cup uncooked brown rice, 1 tbsp fresh coriander, 3 medium mushrooms sliced, ¼ cup peas, 1 onion finely chopped, 1 clove garlic finely chopped, 2 tsp oil, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tsp oil, 1 tsp curry powder, 1/14 cup chicken stock
Method:
Marinate prawns with lemon juice, coriander powder and 1 tsp curry powder.
Place onion and garlic and little oil in a microwave proof dish and cook for high for 1 minute.
Add curry powder and cook for 1 minute.
Add rice and 1 cup of boiling stock and cook on high for 4 minutes stirring twice.
Add mushrooms and cook for 1 minute.
Stir the rice and add marinated prawns and cook again for 2 minutes.
Add peas and finally cook for 2 more minutes.
Serve with curd or raita.
Well Known Nutritionist, Pooja says, “Prawn is an extremely good source of protein and is low in fat and calories. Though prawn is high in cholesterol content, it is low in saturated fat. So prawn biryani recipe is healthy as long as it is cooked in less oil.”
Option II- Bisibelle huliyana
Ingredients:
2 tsp coconut oil, ½ cup finely chopped potato, ¼ cup French beans, ¼ cup carrots, ¼ cup shallots( madras onions), 1 drumstick cut into small pieces, 2 tomatoes, 5-7 curry leaves, 1 1/2 cup raw rice( short grained) , ½ cup toovar dal, ½ tsp turmeric powder, ½ tsp red chili powder, 2 tbsp tamarind pulp ,1 tomatoes, asafetida ( hing), ghee, huliyana or bisibelle bath masala, salt to taste.
Method:
Soak the rice and dal separately.
Heat oil in a pressure cooker and sauté onions, add green chilies, shallots, curry leaves and all the vegetables and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
Add rice, dal, 5 cups of water, turmeric powder and bring to boil.
Add tomatoes, asafetida, red chili powder, tamarind pulp, salt, and huliyana masala.
Stir well and pressure cook for 5 minutes.
Once cooked, add warm water to make into porridge like consistency.
Heat remaining oil and temper it with mustard seeds and whole red chilies.
Mix well and serve hot.
Pooja says “Bisibele bath is a good wholesome meal and a good use of different spices but as coconut oil is high is saturated fat if replaced with ground nut oil or olive oil which are good source of omega-3 fatty acids which will make it more healthier.”
