Introduction

Are you a bachelor juggling work, social life, and household chores, often finding yourself short on time for preparing wholesome meals? Fear not!  This guide is packed with quick, delicious Indian dinner recipes that require minimal effort. We’ll tell you how to cook a few meals in under 30 minutes, even if you’re a beginner.

Essential Kitchen Tools for Bachelors

Must-Have Tools

Before diving into the recipes, let’s make sure you have the essential tools to make cooking a bliss. Here are the five must-haves for any bachelor kitchen:

1. Good Knife: Invest in a sharp, versatile knife. It makes chopping and slicing effortlessly, reducing prep time significantly.
2. Frying Pan: A medium-sized non-stick frying pan is perfect for sautéing, frying, and making one-pan meals.
3. Pot with Lid: Essential for boiling, simmering, and cooking grains like rice or dal.
4. Spatula: A sturdy spatula is essential for flipping, stirring, and mixing ingredients without scratching your pan.
5. Cutting Board: A durable cutting board provides a safe, stable surface for chopping and prevents damage to your countertops.

Shopping on a Budget

Smart Strategies

Shopping on a budget doesn’t mean compromising on quality or flavour. Here are some smart strategies to help you save money on groceries:

• Buy at the time of sale: Keep track of sales by a grocery store or mall. Try to do the grocery shopping at these times. This will help you regularise your routine, it will help you avoid frequent impulsive purchases, thus saving a lot of money.
• Buy in Bulk: Non-perishable items like rice, Daal, and canned goods are often cheaper when bought in bulk. Just be sure to store them properly to prevent spoilage.

Pantry Staples

Stocking your pantry with a few key staples can make meal prep quicker and easier. Here are some essentials to keep on hand:

• Rice: A versatile base for many dishes, rice is easy to cook and pairs well with almost anything.
• Lentils (Dal): High in protein and fibre, Dal cooks quickly and can be used in soups, stews, and salads.
• Spices: Basic spices like Jeera, turmeric (Haldi), and kashmiri chilli powder can transform simple ingredients into flavourful dishes.
• Cooking Oil: Essential for sautéing, frying, and baking, a good cooking oil is a kitchen staple.

The right way of stocking your pantry

Bulk Buying

Buying staples in bulk can save you money and reduce the frequency of grocery trips. However, it is important to buy only what you’ll use before it spoils. Here are some tips:

• Benefits: Bulk buying is cost-effective and ensures you always have key ingredients handy.
• Limitations: Be mindful of potential waste; avoid buying perishable items in large quantities unless you can use them quickly.

Storage Solutions

Proper storage extends the shelf life of your ingredients, saving you money and reducing waste. Here are some storage tips:

• Airtight Containers: Store dry goods like rice, lentils (dal), and spices in airtight containers to keep them fresh and prevent pests.
• Keep Spices Away from Heat and Light: Store spices in a cool, dark place to maintain their potency and flavour.

Delicious and Simple Dinner Recipes for Bachelors

1. Mutter Paneer

Ingredients:

• 200g paneer, cubed
• 1 cup green peas (fresh or frozen)
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 tomatoes, pureed
• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste (अदरक-लहसुन का पेस्ट)
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder (Haldi Powder)
• 1 tsp coriander powder (Dhania Powder)
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder (Jeera choorn)
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• Salt to taste
• Fresh coriander leaves, chopped (for garnish)
• Cream or yoghurt (optional, for garnish)

Instructions:

• Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds and let them crackle.
• Add chopped onions and sauté until golden brown.
• Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté for a minute.
• Add tomato puree, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, and salt. Cook until the oil separates from the masala.
• Add paneer cubes and green peas. Mix well.
• Add a little water if needed, cover, and simmer for 5-7 minutes until the peas are cooked and the flavours are blended.
• Sprinkle garam masala and mix gently.
• Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and a swirl of cream or yoghurt if preferred.
• Serve hot with rice or roti.

Bored of doing the prep? Just Open our ready-to-eat Mutter Paneer packet, Heat it, Serve and enjoy!

2. Aloo Mutter

Ingredients:

• 2 potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 cup green peas (fresh or frozen)
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder (Haldi Powder)
• 1 tsp coriander powder (Dhaniya Powder)
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp kashmiri chilli powder (adjust to taste)
• Salt to taste
• Fresh coriander leaves (Dhaniya), chopped (for garnish)

Instructions:

• Heat oil in a pan. Add Jeera (cumin seeds) and let them crackle.
• Add chopped onions and sauté until golden brown.
• Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté for a minute.
• Add chopped tomatoes, turmeric powder (Haldi Powder) , coriander powder (Dhaniya Powder), cumin powder (Jeera churna), red kashmiri chilli powder, and salt. Cook until tomatoes turn mushy.
• Add cubed potatoes and green peas. Mix well.
• Add a little water, cover, and cook until potatoes are tender and the gravy thickens.
• Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
• Serve hot with rice or roti.

3. Dal Tadka

Ingredients:

• 1 cup yellow lentils (Toor dal), washed and soaked for 30 minutes
• 3 cups water
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• 1 tbsp ghee or oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 tomatoes, finely chopped
• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 green chilli, chopped (optional)
• 1/2 tsp kashmiri chilli powder (adjust to taste)
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• Fresh coriander leaves, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions:

• Pressure cook or boil lentils (Toor dal) with water, turmeric powder, and salt until soft and mushy.
• Heat ghee or oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds and let them splutter.
• Add chopped onions and sauté until golden brown.
• Add minced garlic and green chilli (if using). Sauté for a minute.
• Add chopped tomatoes, and kashmiri red chilli powder, and cook until tomatoes are soft and oil separates.
• Add cooked daal and adjust consistency with water as needed. Bring to a boil.
•  Add garam masala and simmer for 5-7 minutes.
• Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
• Serve hot with rice or roti.

Not enough time to cook this, we have a solution. You can try our ready to eat dal tadka.

Cumin Rice (Jeera Rice)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup basmati rice, washed and soaked for 30 minutes
• 2 cups water
• 1 tbsp ghee or oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds (Jeera seed)
• Salt to taste
• Fresh coriander leaves, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions:

• Heat ghee or oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds and let them splutter.
• Drain the soaked rice and add it to the pan. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until rice is lightly toasted.
• Add water and salt. Bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until rice is tender and water is absorbed (about 15-20 minutes).
• Fluff the rice with a fork.
• Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
• Serve hot as a side dish with your favourite curry.

Don’t have time to cook. Then Don’t worry. You can use our ready to eat cumin rice. Just open, heat, and treat yourself to a Quik, tasty meal! 

Enjoy these delicious and easy-to-make Indian dinner recipes! To make your cooking journey easier, we have got the right spice mix for you. From Kashmiri Chilli Powder to Chole Masala, we offer you a variety of spices with quality ingredients. And if you are in a crunch, Just keep our ready-to-eat products in your pantry, and cook your meals in a few minutes. Just Open. Heat. and Enjoy!