One-Pot

Dinners

To End Long Festival Days

Quick Summary

Festive thalis, snacks, and sweets play a significant role in Indian festivities, often leading to a post-festive slump. This article explores simple one-pot dinner recipes that are perfect for winding down your festive days, from khichdi to pulao to other easy-to-make dishes that are gentle on the stomach, and a great way to end the festive season without being too dull. Dive deeper to know more. 

Deep Dive

Cooking is an integral and essential part of Indian festivities. There are sweets, snacks, and curries, such as paneer and chole, that soothe the mind and transport you into the festive zone. However, as the day ends, the same mind and tummy look for something easy on the stomach and hearty. The masalas and sugar are often given a back seat. This is where the one-pot meals step in! They are easy to make, require minimal post-cooking clean up, and contrast perfectly with the lunch recipes, helping the stomach to rest a bit.

These dishes are not new and are deeply rooted in the Indian kitchen, from khichdi to pulao to curd rice; they are the ultimate comfort foods and do not lack behind in taste. Read this article further to know such recipes that you might just try during this festive season, and end your festive days in a calm and restorative way! 

Khichdi

Khichdi is the ultimate definition of comfort food, at least for Indians. Every house has its own unique style. Some prefer it simple, with just a pinch of turmeric, mixed with rice and dal, while others want a chhonka or tempering of cumin and hing! Khichdi is versatile, and you can adjust it to your preference. If you want it to be a bit healthier, you can add vegetables and ghee to it. This will ensure there is enough fibre intake during the festive season, which often involves high sugar and gluten consumption, and healthy fats in the form of ghee, which will help maintain gut health. Khichdi acts as the perfect note to end a festive day; it is filled with warmth, comfort, and health, all packed in one bowl. 

Vegetable Pulao

Vegetable pulao, the distinct cousin of khichdi, does not lack warmth and comfort. Unlike biryani, it does not require you to spend a lot of time in the kitchen and have multiple ingredients; rice, a few vegetables and the regular spices are sufficient to make a perfect bowl of pulao. You can add paneer and nuts to make it look a bit fancy. Pair this with plain curd or raita, and you have a wholesome meal that is neither heavy nor lacking in substance. After a day filled with mathris and laddoos, a hot bowl of pulao with some raita is all you need to end the festive day. 

Curd-Rice

Curd rice is probably the easiest dish to cook from the rice family! All you have to do is mix cooked rice with curd and give a tempering of oil, curry leaves, mustard seeds, ginger and dried red chillies. This dish is not only soothing but also cooling, making it perfect for dinner when you have had a day of mostly fried food, snacks, gluten, and sweets. Curd has probiotic properties that keep your gut health good, and rice is the perfect example of carbohydrates that help you feel full. You can garnish curd rice with pomegranate seeds or coriander to make it look more appealing, which continues to carry the festive vibe. 

Kadhi-Chawal 

Kadhi-chawal is a comfort food in the northern belt of India. Kadhi, made with besan and yoghurt, is a perfect combination of taste and nourishment. It is quick to make, light on the stomach, and equally delicious. You can choose to add pakoras to it to add more flavour to the bowl, but skipping it would be ideal, especially if you have had heavy foods in the morning. The spices used in making kadhi, such as cumin, mustard seeds, and hing, are also beneficial for digestion, along with yoghurt, making this a perfect post-festive one-pot dish. 

Winding Down With Simplicity

Festivals are undoubtedly about grand celebrations, foods, snacks, and sweets, but winding down the festivities is about grounding. The one-pot dinners mentioned above are easy to make, good for the gut and prove that comfort food does not always mean complexity. It is just one bowl of khichdi, or pulao, or curd rice, shared with your family as the diyas of Diwali continue to be lit in the background.