Can weekly prep be done with just pressure cooker and kadhai?

Question

Can your weekly prep be done with just a pressure cooker and a kadhai? Get tips and recipes for a minimalist, low-equipment meal plan.

Answer 1

Yes, weekly meal prep can be effectively done using just a pressure cooker and a kadhai, especially for dishes involving grains, lentils, vegetables, and curries. The pressure cooker speeds up cooking times, while the kadhai is versatile for sautéing, frying, and simmering.

Detailed Explanation:

A pressure cooker significantly reduces the cooking time for items like beans, lentils, rice, and tough cuts of meat. This is crucial for efficient weekly meal prep. You can cook large batches of these staples in advance and store them for use throughout the week.

The kadhai, a wok-like cooking vessel, is incredibly versatile. You can use it for:

1. Sautéing vegetables: Quickly stir-fry vegetables for salads, stir-fries, or side dishes.

2. Making sauces and curries: Simmer sauces and curries in the kadhai, allowing flavors to meld together.

3. Shallow frying: Fry smaller items like cutlets, pakoras, or even small batches of vegetables.

By combining the speed of the pressure cooker with the versatility of the kadhai, you can efficiently prepare a wide variety of dishes for your weekly meal prep. For example, you could cook chickpeas in the pressure cooker and then use the kadhai to make chana masala. Similarly, you can cook rice in the pressure cooker and then use the kadhai to prepare a vegetable stir-fry to serve with it.

Pro Tip:

When using a pressure cooker for meal prep, slightly undercook grains and vegetables. They will continue to cook when reheated, preventing them from becoming mushy.