Speedy Cooking for Singles

In present times, it is more than likely that most people will, at some point, live by themselves. No longer does processed cheap food, quick-fix noodles and savory oats suffice. Reality TV with cooking segments offer a lot of low-budget, speedy recipes with easy-to-obtain ingredients. Say a polite goodbye to processed food and a robust hello to nutritious and quick recipes that won’t burn a hole in your pocket.

Today, young men and women are a lot more independent than earlier generations. Work and/or studies take up most of one’s time, leaving a small window of time to cook meals. Leading healthy lives, too, has become a way of life for most. Two-minute noodles, oats, chips and other processed foods have little to do with eating a nutritious meal.

Here are some recipes that can be adjusted to one’s preference.

1. Egg/Tuna Salad Melt 

Ingredients

• Tinned tuna/eggs boiled, shelled and chopped – 1 cup
• Mayonnaise – 1 ½ cup
• Spring onions – ½ cup, chopped finely
• Green chili – 1
• Mustard sauce to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Corn – ½ cup, optional
• Whole wheat/ multigrain bread – 4+ slices
• Butter – For spreading
• Tomato – 1 (medium), sliced
• Cheese slices – 1-2 slices per sandwich
• Lettuce leaves – 6-7

Method

1. Combine mayonnaise, eggs/tuna, onions, green chili and condiments of your choice.
2. Mix well.
3. Spread the desired amount of butter on the bread slices.
4. Place the lettuce leave and tomato slices on the bread.
5. Add 1 tbsp of the mayonnaise mix over the lettuce and tomato.
6. Spread evenly.
7. Add the cheese slices last.
8. Grill the sandwich in an oven or a sandwich maker.
9. Eat hot.

Tips:

• The sandwich can be eaten without grilling too.
• Use Tabasco or any other condiment that appeals to your palate.
• Eat with a side of baked potato wedges.

2. Baked Potato Wedges

Ingredients

• Potato – 3, washed and cut into wedges with skin
• Olive oil – 3 tbsp
• Herbs (rosemary/thyme/parsley/oregano) – 1½ tsp
• Garlic – 3 cloves, minced
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees C.
2. Place wedges in a large bowl.
3. Add the olive oil, herbs, garlic salt and pepper.
4. Toss the wedges till well coated.
5. Bake the wedges until soft on the inside and crispy on the outside, about 30 minutes.
6. Turn the wedges once to cook on the other side 15 minutes into the baking time.
7. Serve hot.

3. Spicy Scrambled Egg

Ingredients

• Eggs – 2, beaten
• Onion – 1 (small), chopped
• Cumin seeds – ½ tsp
• Chili – 1, Chopped
• Tomato – 1 (small), chopped
• Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
• Red chili powder – ¼ tsp
• Butter – 1 tbsp
• Oil
• Coriander leaves – handful
• Milk – 2 tbsp

Method

1. Beat milk into the beaten eggs.
2. Sauté onion, cumin and chili, in 2 tbsp of oil, till onions are soft.
3. Add tomato, turmeric and chili powder and cook for 2-3 minutes.
4. Add the butter and eggs.
5. Cook till soft and water has evaporated.
6. Garnish with coriander leaves.
7. Eat with any kind of bread.

4. Homemade Veg/Chicken Frankies/Kathi Roll

Ingredients

• Ready to eat chapattis/parathas – 2-3
• Peas – ¼ cup
• Onions – 1 cup
• Potato – 2 cups, boiled and grated
• Paneer/Chicken – ½ cup, grated and shredded or in chunks respectively
• Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
• Greens chili – 1
• Ginger-garlic paste – 1 ½ tsp
• Tomato – 1 (medium)
• Oil
• Ghee
• Salt to taste
• Chaat masala – 1 tsp
• Garam masala – 1 tsp
• Coriander leaves – ¼ cup

Method

1. Make the chapattis on a tawa.
2. Spread ghee on the rotis.
3. Keep the rotis
4. Add cumin seeds to oil in a pan.
5. Sauté onions, salt and chili until onion is golden.
6. Add garam masala.
7. Add the ginger-garlic paste followed by the tomato.
8. Cook till the raw smell of the paste is no longer evident.
9. Add the remaining vegetables of your choice.
10. Cook until the vegetables are well cooked but not mushy.
11. Take off the heat.
12. Place the roti of choice on a plate.
13. Add adequate filling to the center.
14. Add coriander.
15. Roll tightly.
16. On a tawa, cook the rolls on each side till brown and crispy.
17. Sprinkle with chaat masala on the rolls.
18. Consume immediately if you like the rolls crispy.

Tips:

• You can add cooked leftover vegetables or leftover chicken.
• Spread beaten egg on the paratha and cook till egg is done and covers the one entire side of the roll.
• Using the vegetable mix, you can make cutlets by rolling into balls, dipping them in egg wash/flour with water and finally rolling them in breadcrumbs. Shallow-fry till both sides are brown.