Re: For working women - how do you cook?
i grind/blend fresh adrak lasan paste in batches, and keep it in the good 'ol empty Dannon Yogurt ka dabba in my fridge, lol…One batch will last me about 2 weeks or so…by that time it’s usually time to go grocery shopping again so I buy more fresh peeled garlic cloves and ginger and whip up another batch 
hara dhanya, pudina, green chillis etc..always use/chop fresh (i’ve got pudina growing in my backyard)…i’ve never tried freezing these
Re: For working women - how do you cook?
Khatti, do you put lemon juice or vinegar on top of the lassan/addark too? or just like that in the fridge?
I have been made fun of because I grind my own masalas too i.e garam masala/dhaniya powder/nihari spices from scratch. I find nothing wrong with that 
Re: For working women - how do you cook?
nope, i don’t add anything to it…just peeled and cubed ginger pieces and and equal amount of garlic cloves (eyeball it) to the blender with a tiny bit of water to help it blend and give it a whirrrrrr!! It keeps beautifully in the fridge, no smell at all.
It is a staple for me…use it with any type of cooking,marinades, stirfry etc
Re: For working women - how do you cook?
cook multiple dishes on weekends.
Always have some dinners in freezer.
Own a pressure cooker.
Re: For working women - how do you cook?
And also some people have mentioned about getting a ‘slow cooker’ to save time and have the food ready once you get home? What can be made as in desi food wise? we eat more pakistani food than continental or fusion, what can I make in a slow cooker other than kheer or haleem?
Re: For working women - how do you cook?
i’ve never made anything desi in a slow cooker except haleem.
Re: For working women - how do you cook?
My mum makes the same, equal amount of ginger and garlic. Once they are blended , she adds 2 table spoon of olive oil, you can use normal oil too. It never smells and lasts for one month.
You can cook chanay , chana daal, other lentils, paye. Some people cook even alu in it. We recently bought it, my mum uses it, i am scared of using it cz it can burst if not closed properly or opened before the actual time, learning the use of pressure cooker,lol.
Re: For working women - how do you cook?
Lassan adrak in a yoghurt pot can also be preserved so it doesn’t go manky by pouring on a little cooking oil over it too, I have done this too and as khattichic mentioned its great and lasts about 2 weeks.
Re: For working women - how do you cook?
Do u use a seperate blender for the masalas? I had a small food processor/coffee grinder that i kept only for that purpose bc i found that no matter how much you wash them they retain that smell which is fine for that purpose, not so much in u know…smoothiesand shakes 
Re: For working women - how do you cook?
My mum also does the garlic/ginger and keeps it in a jar in the fridge, mixed with a little bit of olive oil. The oil makes it last longer.
She’s been going on about how I should get a slow cooker too. I think I prob should but yea, figuring out recipes is something I will need to do. It should be possible to make a meat + veg desi style stew that you can have with rice or naan.
I think there are things that can be half completed and freeze pretty well. For example, you can cook simple keema and freeze it. Then put it in the fridge to defrost on the morning of the day you want to use it. Just need to put it in the pan and start heating it again and I add some pasata (it was already initially cooked with a regular onion+tomato masala). Then add some water and veg (potatoes/peas etc)… and while the veg is cooking, boil the pasta. Done in under 30 minutes.
People are saying they cook fresh everyday. I think that’s okay if you get home at 6 (so early!). But if you are getting home at 8 and it’s not like anyone gets in the kitchen the moment they step foot through the door, it’s not really possible unless you wanna eat really late. I suppose a pressure cooks makes it possible to cook stuff really quickly though. I don’t know why they went out of fashion in my fam.
Re: For working women - how do you cook?
i always keep ginger garlic paste in fridge and it never goes wasted Alhumdulillah. I never freeze even dhaniya and green chillies. Podina however yes is a bit sensitive i grind it with salt and a bit of lemon juice and freeze it as cubes and that one can use to make podina raita anytime. My nani used to freeze the brown onion only. She use to brown it and freeze it and defrost it and then add whatever masala wanted for a dish. However a lady returning at 7 or 8 for her its very difficult to cook fresh. Either you do it on weekend or in the morning you have to get up an hour earlier but thats also a difficult one so better for them to eat frozen meals or may be if in fridge cooked a day or 2 earlier.
No one wants to go directly into kitchen coming right back from work
Re: For working women - how do you cook?
What about working men!
Re: For working women - how do you cook?
Arrive home. Expect kids in bed, dinner on table and wife looking good and ready to address his needs.
Re: For working women - how do you cook?
Cook just a bit more than required so you can make fried rice/noodles with the leftovers the next day => roughly takes 10 mins.
Every weekend freeze dhaniya, green chillies, chopped onions, capsicum, tomato purée, basic masala, lemon juice,… these save a lot of time while cooking.
Cut chicken in cubes, marinate it if needed and freeze it. You can either take it out of the freezer before going to work or if you don’t have enough time then put it in lukewarm water for 10 min.
Re: For working women - how do you cook?
i also make Green pudine ki chutney in big baches and freeze them in plates, once its all frozen i then snap the pieces into smaller ones and put them n a bag and freeze them and take out when needed 
Re: For working women - how do you cook?
grilling is great for those who work late and want to cook everyday. Simply season or marinate some chicken/fish and grill … its done in 15 minutes! or make some burgers! The grill is my go-to for when I want something fast…season chicken breast with lemon, pepper, salt, and some herbs and grill… add a side salad and maybe a roll or garlic bread and you’re good. Grill up a nice piece of salmon, add a pot of rice to the stove, steam some veggies and you have a meal in 20 minutes. Turkey burgers, chicken burgers, kababs, all can be done on the grill and are so quick and easy!
Re: For working women - how do you cook?
go ahead, open the thread…this one’s geared towards women, if the title’s any indication 
though it’s usually women who cook and men take care of other things that need attention in the home but im sure a lot of men cook, too! dont even think this thread is only for married people anyways. women can be working while single and cooking 
or stay home all day and not cook…so many scenarios…i digress.
Re: For working women - how do you cook?
I know my husband’s friends who are living single and thus they cook. Some of them even study, do odd jobs and look after grocery and all household things. Its still easy in Pakistan you can call a maid even once in a week but here you have to do all by yourself. But as far as I know they all are very rough and tough. W being women are much conscious food to be tasty, meat to get good bhoonified, no smells. Ginger garlic should be chopped, onions should have a particular shape if chopped but but but men usually dont go into all these technicalities of cooking. They just put n cook.
Anyways I also know some ladies that use fried onion available in market. I dont like to use that at all but in the end im housewife not doing any office job but may be if anyone of you like you can use that option. Ginger Garlic pastes we all know are available from Shan and laziza at shops, most working women here use those. Its all about personal preferences in the end. I even know ladies that stay at home kids are no more toddlers but they cook n freeze for whole week as they dont enjoy cooking
Re: For working women - how do you cook?
I make 2-3 dishes over the weekend that last me till Tue. Then I cook again mid-week. I get readymade rotis from the Indian store, but on weekends I make fresh ones too.
Honestly, it’s not like I can’t cook everyday - I just prioritize other things over cooking.
not necessary to use different blenders. just Rinse jar with vinegar and baking soda. Should remove any smell.