Starting to cook can be both exciting and daunting, especially for those new to the world of cooking. Whether you’re a college student looking to fend off the monotony of takeout, a young adult moving out for the first time, or simply someone eager to hone your kitchen skills, the prospect of preparing homemade meals can be a rewarding experience. However, it’s essential to start with the right foot forward, and that is why I have some easy dishes for beginners.
If you are a college student who just moved to a hostel with access to a kitchen, here is a meal plan full of easy, healthy, and quick recipes.
Table of Contents
Advantages of Home Cooking
Cooking at home offers several advantages compared to dining out or relying on pre-packaged and restaurant-made meals. Here are some of the key advantages:
- Health improvement. When you cook at home, you have more control over the ingredients you use. You can choose fresher and healthier ingredients, control portion sizes, and limit the use of unhealthy additives like excessive salt, sugar, or preservatives.
- The joy of cooking. Preparing a meal from scratch and sharing it with loved ones can be incredibly satisfying and fulfilling. It can boost your confidence and sense of accomplishment.
- Better control over hygiene. The handling, storing, and cooking are under your control and therefore the risk of food-borne diseases is reduced.
- Saving money. Almost always cooking at home is more economical than takeout food. You can use the leftovers, buy raw material in bulk, and reduce waste which help you save money.
Breakfast
Vegetable Sandwich
This versatile, customizable dish offers a healthy, satisfying option for meals or snacks, catering to various tastes. A simple bread toast is also a convenient and easy option for mornings when you are crunched for time.
Poha
Poha may sound complicated at first but trust me, once you get the hang of you will want to have poha for breakfast every day. Soaking poha is the only thing most of the people struggle with.
Quick Sabjis
Jeera Aloo
This is the easiest Indian sabji to make. All you need to do is boil potatoes and shallow fry them with some spices. Grab some bread to accompany and enjoy!
Bhindi
The second sabji beyond doubt in this list is bhindi, but I would also like to add that bhindi demands patience. Once you learn to leave bhindi alone and let the steam do its job, you become an expert at making it.
Aloo Gobhi
Very similar to the process of cooking bhindi and jeera aloo, aloo gobhi is another easy addition to the list of sabjis you can cook. The starting steps are absolutely the same.
Roti Substitutes
Let’s be honest, making a roti is no joke for a novice cook. Not only is it highly technical but you also need a lot of time and patience to learn to make round rotis. It is a good idea to get a command over some basic skills and then graduate to rolling out rotis.
Bread
Good old milk bread is a great substitute for roti. You can either toast it using a toast, heat it on tawa, or have it straight out of the packet.
Frozen Chapati
Chapatis are easily available in Indian stores across the world. They are not a very healthy option but any day is better than take-out food. I have found frozen chapatis by Kawan to be especially very close to chapatis we make at home.
Naan
When made using instant yeast, naan can be made very easily in the oven. You don’t even need to knead the dough. Just mix flour, salt, instant yeast, and water as required and let it rest.
No-Fail Dinners
Dinners are usually the time when you want to take it easy, slow, and save to relax and unwind. These beginner friendly dinners will help you to have homemade dinners with minimal effort and basic cooking skills. Also, it is always good to have a few recipes up your sleeve that you can whip up any time.
Dal Chawal
A staple dinner for a large part of the country, dal chawal is a no mess, easy-to-cook, and minimal effort dinner that is wholesome and comforting at the same time.
Pulao
The good thing about pulao is it can be made in a single pressure cooker, making cleaning up later also extremely easy. This is a recipe I personally like. Feel free to modify it by reducing spices and vegetables to make it easier.
Khichdi
The beloved khichdi is every beginner’s best friend. Just like pulao, it is also cooked in a single pressure cooker, requires only cleaning rice and moong dal for prep and despite having the reputation of being patient food, it is also the ultimate comfort food.
Sides
Sides play a major role in upgrading your meal. They are what take your meal to the next level.
Papad
Papad and crunch, texture to your meals. All you need to pop them in the microwave oven and enjoy!
Chutney
This simple addition makes a huge difference to your meal experience. You just need to throw all the ingredients in the mixer in the right proportion and grind.
Raita
Often enjoyed with pulao, you can experiment with its different variations like boondi, cucumber, vegetable, etc.
Snacks
The hunger pangs in the evening are the worst enemy of anyone embarking on the journey of healthy eating and if your experience in cooking is limited, it becomes even more difficult. That is why it is important to have some ready-to-eat snacks at your disposal.
Makhana
Makhana, also known as fox nuts or lotus seeds are small, round, puffed seeds are harvested from the lotus flower. Makhana is typically roasted or fried, and it can be seasoned with various spices for flavor. It’s a nutritious, low-calorie snack rich in protein, fiber, and essential minerals.
Peanuts
Another easy chewable you can always have in your reach. Peanuts can be enjoyed roasted, salted, or in the form of peanut butter. Despite their name, peanuts are not true nuts; they belong to the legume family.
Dessert
Kheer
Believe it or not, kheer is the easiest dessert you can make. It can be made in a single pot using ingredients easily available at home making it the top choice of dessert for a newbie cook.
Conclusion
As much as I hope that now you have enough easy dishes for beginners, remember, cooking is as much about experimentation and creativity as it is about following recipes. Don’t be afraid to put your personal twist on these dishes, adapting them to your taste preferences and dietary needs. As you gain experience, you’ll find yourself confidently experimenting with flavors, techniques, and ingredients to create unique dishes that reflect your culinary style.
So, keep your apron handy, your utensils at the ready, and your curiosity alive. Continue to explore, taste, and create, and soon enough, you’ll not only nourish your body but also nourish your soul through the delightful art of cooking. Happy cooking, and bon appétit!
