Hi everyone, I need some ideas for simple meals to cook (Pakistani dishes and other). I have only started cooking very recently so have an idea of the basics but I need some variety in our meals. I also work full time (leave home at around 7am and don’t get back until about 5pm) so easy recipes would be greatly appreciated! Could you please share step my step because, as mentioned, I am a beginner. Thanks.
Re: Easy cook meal recipes
you can google the recipes, but start out with chicken salan, chicken with potatoes, dal espicailly masoor and mung. If you are cooking channa dal and/ or black lentils (kali dal) rinse and put in in the water before you leave, leave the chicken out to thaw before you leave too. I suggest chicken as it cooks really fast. You can also put haleem to cook a night before in the slow cooker. Its really easy. It cooks itself while you are out. Just leave it on the slow setting.
Re: Easy cook meal recipes
I used to prep these on my day off to be able to do minimal stuff each evening after work... Chicken salad, kababs (different types and fry after work), chicken tandoori(marinated and put in pan that I just stick in oven after I am home), lasagna. I also carmalized onions to use throughout the week.
These items are also fairly easy to make after work: kadhi, pulao, nihari (made in pressure cooker and cut meat into smaller pieces), any chicken item (especially karhai and achar chicken because don't need to brown onions), various pastas.
It takes alot of planning ahead but it's worth it to put fresh meals on the table...
You always wanna leave meat out to defrost when u leave for work.
Browning onion ahead of time helps and so does using the magic bullet to puree tomatoes and green chillies instead of chopping.
I make extra chicken or ghost salan so I can add spinach to it to make it seem like another dish the next day. Or I take some out and make a pula out of it.
Re: Easy cook meal recipes
P.S. I get home at 8 and have two 5 month olds.
Re: Easy cook meal recipes
Ok the easiest way to manage desi food in less than half hour is as follows:
One onion, 4-5 cloves of garlic, half inch piece of ginger , chuck then into a blender until they turn into a paste . pour them in hot oil and cook on high fire for five minutes , then throw in boneless chicken , fry for 5 more minutes. Meanwhile in the blender chuck in two tomatoes and one green chilli. Blend into a paste. Pour this into the salan. one tablespoon yoghurt mix in powder spices like salt, red chilli powder, cumin , corriander , turmeric and add to the salan . By this time you have spent no more than 15 minutes. Now cover the pot , leave it on low medium heat and let it cook for another 15-20 minutes , depending on how thick the curry you want. add in fresh corriander just minutes before its ready. enjoy.
you can do the same with veggies too . Blend onion garlic and ginger and bhoon for five minutes , add in tomatoes and chilli blend. Then add spices and veggie. Cover and let it cook. Wont take you more than half hour to get this all done
Re: Easy cook meal recipes
Thank you ladies, very helpful suggestions!
@mizsani- two five month olds?! Wow how do u manage? Kudos to you! All I have is a husband lol and I get home by 5:30pm and still half the week we remain on take outs because I just can't do it..! Although I have early starts at work, in my office by 7:30am. I just feel so tired throughout the week. Any tips/suggestions to remain energetic and get it all done?
Re: Easy cook meal recipes
Eat well, go to bed early, accept all the help u can get. I start work at 6:45 and get off at 7:30. However I work 4 days max in a week.
I just plan ahead of time and only cook easy stuff. I am not making ghosht or elaborate meals. Just enough to get something on the table. I used to make roti but after the babies it seems impossible.