Rice is a staple in Indian households. Not only is it easy and comforting, but it’s also an excellent way to use up leftovers.
Cooking in one pot is convenient and saves time. Many recipes incorporate different ingredients to create nutritious yet delectable one-pot dishes.
Mexican Rice
Rice is an indispensable element of any Mexican meal, whether it’s tacos, enchiladas or a bowl of refried beans. Not only that but rice also makes great burritos or chimichangas and provides an excellent accompaniment to any meal!
Mexican rice is typically made with long-grain white rice; however, brown rice can also be used. The only difference between them is that brown rice requires more time to cook than its white counterpart.
The secret to Mexican rice lies in the liquid proportions. The traditional recipe calls for 2 1/2 cups of liquid (chicken broth and tomato sauce) per 1 cup of rice – it’s essential that you adhere to this rule or else your grains will become mushy.
Begin by heating oil in a medium-sized pot over high heat. Stir constantly until the rice turns golden brown, about 5 minutes. Doing this gives your rice an appealing texture and prevents it from becoming overly sticky or mushy.
Now, add onions and garlic to the pot with the rice. Cook over medium-high heat for three minutes until both ingredients are tender, about three minutes. Finally, stir in jalapeos until they turn a deep reddish-brown color.
After the onions and garlic have cooked for 20 minutes, add all remaining ingredients (except cilantro and lime juice) to a pot. Mix everything thoroughly, bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer.
This step is essential, as it prevents the rice from becoming overly mushy while cooking. Additionally, it creates a layer of steam which keeps your grains from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
You may also wish to sprinkle some ground cumin and garlic salt on the rice as it cooks, for an added layer of flavor that you won’t find with plain brown rice.
Once the mixture has come to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer for 12-15 minutes or until all water has evaporated and rice is cooked through; then remove from heat and let sit undisturbed for 10 minutes before serving.
Uttar Pradesh Rice
One pot rice recipes are an easy way to provide your family with a nutritious meal without taking time out of your hectic schedule. They’re perfect if you need something quick or want to save on kitchen space and time.
Vegetable Tahri (Taheri or Tehari) is a traditional rice dish from Uttar Pradesh that features various vegetables with potatoes at its center. Not only is this dish delicious and nutritious, but it’s often served during special occasions.
This dish calls for basmati rice, winter vegetables like carrots, cauliflower, peas and potatoes – cooked using the traditional dum cooking technique where vegetables are slowly simmered in a pot without allowing any steam to escape.
This recipe is a nutritious and delectable treat that can be served with raita or chutney for an added kick of flavor. Plus, it provides plenty of fiber, protein, calcium as well as vitamins and minerals like thiamin, iron, magnesium, manganese and potassium.
To prepare vegetable tehri, heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds until they start to sizzle. After they begin to sizzle, add ginger and fry for several minutes.
Once the spices have been fried, all other ingredients can be added to the pan. Sauteing the spices with vegetables until tender is next before adding in rice along with water for flavor.
You can cook this tehri in either an open pot or instant pot. It makes a perfect Sunday lunch recipe.
This recipe is incredibly straightforward and straightforward to prepare, using fresh lemons combined with aromatic spices for an irresistibly flavor. Plus, it’s light on oil or spices so it won’t weigh you down either!
Make this nutritious meal a quick and effortless breakfast with some Greek yogurt!
Uttar Pradesh is known for its rice production, and this year the state saw an increase in kharif crop area compared to last year. Unfortunately, lack of rain has prevented farmers from harvesting enough paddy this season.
Kichdi
Khichdi is an irresistible one-pot Indian meal made with lentils, rice and spices. The dish pairs perfectly with pickle, papad and yogurt for a nutritious yet comforting meal that takes only minutes to make.
Khichdi, known as one of India’s finest dishes, is a rice and lentil stew cooked in either ghee or clarified butter. It’s an easy-to-prepare nutritious meal that can be served for breakfast, lunch or dinner – with any meal being equally delicious!
Khichdi is a dish made with basmati rice, tur dal (split green lentils), turmeric and spices. Typically, khichdi has a porridge-like consistency but you can thicken it further by adding water.
It is a widely beloved dish in many regions of India and considered one of the first foods babies eat due to its light and easily digestible texture that helps with digestive issues. You can make this gluten-free dish with any type of dal, provided it isn’t wheat based.
Begin by washing and soaking the dal and rice in enough water. Soak for at least 20 minutes, drain, then set aside.
Heat a pot over medium-low heat and melt the ghee. Stir in cumin seeds, sauteing for several seconds.
Next, add ginger, green chillies and onion to the skillet and saute until onions are soft. Finally, stir in tomatoes to blend everything together.
Add turmeric, chili powder and salt to taste. Continue sauteing for a few more minutes.
Once cooked, add cooked dal and rice and mix thoroughly. If the grains remain crunchy, you may need to add more water for smooth consistency.
Switch the Instant Pot to saute mode and press the’saute’ button. Your display should now read ‘hot’.
Once the “saute” function is active, add the ghee or oil and fry the cumin seeds until they begin to splutter.
Repeat with all remaining spices and veggies, then add in soaked rice and lentils.
Cook for the time indicated on your recipe card or according to your preference. Before setting the IP timer, deglaze the base of the pot by scraping away any vegetables or spices stuck to it; this helps prevent BURN messages from appearing on your screen. This step is essential for a secure pressure cooking experience.
Chicken Biryani
For a fast and effortless one-pot dinner recipe, Chicken Biryani is an ideal choice. Perfect for weeknights, this dish provides plenty of flavor with various textures.
Making chicken biryani has never been simpler: all you need are some chicken thighs, basmati rice and some spices. This recipe also features caramelized onions which add extra sweetness and flavor.
Making chicken biryani requires marinating and cooking the chicken until tender. To achieve this, use a liquid marinade that coats the thighs without getting too dry or sticky. Season the meat evenly with yogurt, ginger garlic paste, salt, red chilli powder, coriander powder and garam masala mix.
This marinade should be applied over the chicken pieces so they are fully coated in the spice blend. Doing this helps keep the spices locked in and prevents them from drying out while the chicken cooks.
Once the chicken has marinated, you can begin cooking it in a pot to make biryani. A heavy bottomed pot is ideal for this step as the steam from the pot will keep the chicken tender. However, if your pot does not have a heavy bottom, place a heat diffuser or flat griddle underneath to help spread the heat and prevent burning the chicken.
Once the marinated chicken has cooked for 7-8 minutes, you can layer rice and fried onions in the pan. Finally, sprinkle mint and coriander over top before closing the lid.
When cooking rice on the stovetop, it is essential to deglaze the base of the pot before adding in the grains. Doing this helps clear away any browned bits that have stuck to the pot and also adds an appealing aroma to your meal.
Once the rice has been layered, cover the pot and let steam for 20 minutes. This will cook the chicken and rice to perfection – fluffy and delicious!