Comfort in just one bowl

With winter well on it’s way there’s nothing better than a hot meal, but this doesn’t always have to be soup or khichdi. One bowl meals seem like a perfect solution when the temperatures dip, especially when they are packed with nutrition and health. Nandini Mohan, a consultant nutritionist, advocates the concept of one dish meals for several reasons. “One is that it’s very easy to prepare and the best thing to do when you have too many leftovers, the other is that adding different combination of meat and veggies packs a punch. Usually such dishes are boiled or steamed, both these are extremely healthy methods of cooking which help to retain nutrition.”
True to its name even the dish has to be prepared in a single bowl. According to experts, one needs to ensure that for this to be a complete meal it’s always advisable to use a combination of lentils, beans, vegetables or fruits, some protein in the form of paneer or meat and carbs in the form of rice, noodles or even pasta. “Basically it’s about using a liquid base like a tomato soup or a dal and adding vegetables according to your taste. Add some zing by either roasting and powdering spices or adding herbs to up the taste,” explains Chef Emmanuel J, a sous chef. “Even a khichdi is a perfect example of a one bowl meal and if that works well with you, then go ahead with it. But remember to add some chopped carrots, peas and sweet corn to it to balance it out.”
Baking is another cooking method that’s a popular choice for these dishes, “A simple mushroom pasta bake (without the cheese) or the familiar Mac n’ cheese with some beans or meat added to it also makes a complete meal,” says Madhu Saraf, a culinary expert, “Bake a fish along with a simple marinade and some potatoes or even some chicken with spinach and you have a delicious meal in a jiffy.” And if you want to add some unusual flavours to your dish go ahead and spoon in some cream or sweet corn or simply finish it off the classic way with some croutons.