Essential Cooking Hacks For Students

The thought of making all your meals can be daunting when you start living away from your home, but once you get hang of it, you will feel confident in the kitchen., and cooking will become more enjoyable. Below are some of the kitchen hacks for students that will help you survive your college days with ease.

• Stock Up On Supplies – Typically all the recipes need some of the basic ingredients, it’s always a great idea to stack up those basic ingredients as it makes it a lot easier to make some basic meals with them.
• Invest In the Right Cookware – Instead of buying an assortment of pans just invest in good quality cookware that you will use the most. W would recommend you to invest in a good quality non-stick pan and cook a variety of dishes with it. 
• Increase Use Of Microwaves – Microwaves are so underrated. It can save a lot of your time. Microwaves can help you make your meals conveniently and without much of effort.
• Try One-Pot Recipes – I would recommend learning easy one-pot recipes. They are really convenient. Minimal washing is involved. Wonderchef Nutri pot is a blessing for all the students. Put the ingredients in, choose a cooking function, and then you can continue your work, The Nutri-Pot will take care of the rest, and when you return, the meal will be perfectly cooked.

Below are some of the recipes that you can cook with ease. 

Tangy carrot soup 

Try this warm soup on a rainy evening while prepping for your exams. 

Ingredients 

• 250 grams carrots, peeled and chopped 
• 1 teaspoon butter 
• 1 medium onion, chopped 
• 8-10 black peppercorns 
• 1 inch ginger piece, chopped 
• 1 medium potato, chopped 
• 4 cups vegetable stock 
• Salt to taste 
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder 
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander leaves

Steps

1. Pre-heat Wonderchef Nutri-Pot by pressing the Sauté button on it.  
2. Add butter and once it is hot, add the onion, black peppercorns and ginger.
3. Stir for 2 minutes or until the onion changes colour.  
4. Add the carrots and potato and stir for 2-3 minutes. 
5. Add the vegetable stock, salt and black pepper powder and mix.  
6. Press cancel, cover the lid and cook on the Soup mode (i.e. for 10 minutes).  Once 10 minutes are over, Nutri-Pot will go on “Keep Warm” mode, press “Cancel” and let the pressure settle down, open the cooker lid.  
7. Remove the pot and transfer the mixture in a bowl.  
8. Blend the soup with a hand blender and pass through a fine sieve.  
9. Serve hot garnished with coriander leaves.

Serve it hot to your friends or curl up in bed with your favourite movie and a hot soup for a great weekend night!

Rajma Chawal

Cravings for Your favourite meal are now sorted. Now forget about ordering and try this recipe.

Ingredients

• 1½ cups red kidney beans (rajma), soaked for 6-8 hours and drained 
• 2 teaspoons ghee 
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic 
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped 
• 1½ cups tomato puree 
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder 
• 1 teaspoon red chilli powder 
• ½ teaspoon garam masala powder 
• ½ teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• Salt to taste
• Chopped fresh coriander leaves for garnishing
• Steamed rice for serving

Steps

1. Pre-heat Wonderchef Nutri-Pot by pressing the Sauté button on it. 
2.  Add ghee, once it is hot, add ginger and garlic and stir for 30 seconds. 
3. Add onion and stir till golden brown. 
4.  Add tomato puree, mix and cook till the mixture thickens and the fat separates.  
5. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder, garam masala powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, salt and 1 cup water, mix and cook for 1-2 minutes.  
6. Add red kidney beans and mix.
7.  Add 1½ cups water, mix. Press cancel, cover and cook on rajma masala mode (i.e. for 35 minutes). 
8. After 5 minutes the pressure will be released. Lock the pressure by turning the whistle in left or right direction and let it cook for the remaining time.
9. Once 35 minutes are over, Nutri-Pot will go on “Keep Warm” mode, press “Cancel” and let the pressure settle down. 
10. Open the lid when the excess pressure is completely released.  
11. Transfer into a serving bowl and serve hot with steamed rice.

Enjoy this meal with your friends and impress with this simple, yet delicious recipe. 

Author : Alina Gufran, writer and film-maker, who loves the outdoors and reading.