Total Foodgasm: My Indianised Eintopf Rice Dishes and a Fresh Weight Loss Journey

After a number of failed (if not barely successful) attempts to lose weight by putting myself on a strict diet I am again trying to lose weight making considerable changes in my food habit. This time I have decided not to give up any particular group of food because I know from my experience that it is a mistake. Earlier I have cut off carbohydrates or fat totally. It was not sustainable. This is the major difference between this attempt between the earlier ones. I make sure that everyday everything i.e all types of food (protien, carbohydrates, fat etc.) are on my plate.

Also, this time I am cooking evey meal all by myself. Thus, I always know the quantity and the quality of what I am eating.

I often cook one pot dishes. It saves time and later, the effort of washing several dishes. Everyday I wash, literally, one pot, and my plate.

Below you can find some of the vegetable rice dishes and khichuris I am preparing regularly.

Linguistic Notes:

Khichuri is a Bengali (Bangla) word for different types of rice and lentil dishes. Outside Bengal it is called "Khichdi", simply the Hindi word for Khichuri, and does not necessarily need lentils as an ingredient. But in Bengali khichuris, lentil is an essential ingredient and often we use two types of lentils, sona mug (yellow, very tiny species of mug Dal) and musur (the red dal) to prepare Khichuri.

Shaak is the umbrella term used to refer to the different types of leafy vegetables in different shapes and colours. We have a great variety of them in Bengal and I think in other parts of India as well.

Laal means "red" in Bengali.

Eintopf, a German word, literally means "one pot".

Procedure:

Though ingredients are different for different dishes, the procedure is the same. I always soak the rice and lentils for at least half an hour before cooking, sometimes in hot water. I cut the vegetables and wash them in filtered water, drain the water carefully and keep them at one side. Rice is almost never more than 30 grams and I take the same quantity of lentils. I don't use measuring cups, I have some idea. My cooking starts with heating up about four teaspoons of oil. Then I add the seasoning and immediately add the vegetables. Then I add the spices, usually some cumin powder and turmeric powder, very little black pepper powder and a little goda masala, a typical and traditional Maharashtrian blend of different spices and mix everything well. If I don't feel like using goda masala, I go for garam masala. I keep the flame low and let the vegetables cook for some time. I stir from time to time to make sure that it doesn't start burning at the bottom. In the meantime I drain the water from the rice/lentils that I soaked. Now I add the rice or both rice and lentils, depending on what I am making. I stir and mix everything and add salt. I add water and close the lid of the pressure cooker and cook until five to eight whistles.
Note: Sometimes I skip seasoning nowadays because I am trying to lose weight. In such cases, I boil the ingredients together and later sprinkle a fre drops of cold pressed mustard oil while serving.

Laal Shaak Khichuri

I used nigella seeds and garlic for seasoning. Ingredients are laal Shaak, basamati rice and Red Lentil.

Basamati Rice with French Beans, Carrot and Beetroot

Beetroot Rice

I sautéed shredded onion till golden and then the other vegetables, too, (shredded green bell pepper and finely chopped beetroot) in mustard oil in the beginning.