7 Winter Recipes to Make in One Piece of Cookware

Winters bring with them the comfort of wholesome food shared over the warmth of family and loved ones. Images of lush yellow mustard fields, foggy mornings and bonfires are instantly nostalgic and comforting. Any nutritional expert would tell you, the best food in cold weather is that which is rich in proteins, fats and essential vitamins. 

Across India, different regional specialties are made as winter specialties. Many of these dishes are slow cooked, big batch and multi-ingredient preparations that are best enjoyed around family and friends. Many of these winter foods are nutrient rich and are extremely beneficial due to their local, seasonal nature. These winter recipes are often still cooked in the traditional manner with a lot festivity and celebration surrounding them.

What if we told you that you can make 7 delicious winter foods in just one piece of cookware? Sounds a bit incredible, doesn't it? With the Stahl Xpress Cooker, a lot is possible in less. Made out of the finest triply material, the Stahl Xpress Cooker is the fastest pressure cooker in the market. While keeping the flavours  and nutrition intact, pressure cooking reduces the time required to cook these popular winter recipes. Cook these 7 delicious winter dishes in your Xpress Cooker :

1. Sarso ka Saag : Sarso or mustard is a winter vegetable grown in the northern parts of India. Sarso ka Saag is made by sautéing the young, supple greens of this plant. It is typically consumed with a side of makki ki roti which is also made of another popular winter crop - maize. In the Stahl Pan shaped Xpress cooker, you can cook sarso ka saag in under 20 minutes. 

2. Undhiyo - Undhiyo is a much loved Gujarati specialty that also has a day dedicated to it! January 14th has been declared as 'Undhiyu Day' to correspond with the kite festival that is celebrated much pomp and fervour across the state of Gujarat. Undhiyo is made of a number of winter vegetables like flat green beans, fenugreek, green garlic, green bananas, brinjals, sweet potatoes etc. In the broad Stahl Xpress Cooker, the undhiyu that traditionally takes hours of attentive gaze can be made in under 40 minutes. 

3. Rajma - While Rajma has now become a year round specialty, it began as a much loved winter specialty. It is a rich, wholesome meal by itself, best enjoyed with basmati rice. Rajma's origins go back to Mexico from where it travelled all the way to India with the Portuguese. It is best accompanied with a dollop of butter or ghee that helps the body to digest this rich, wholesome dish. 

4. Plum Cake - Christmas time is incomplete without a plum cake on the dinner table. Plum is a winter fruit that makes the star ingredient of this boozy, indulgent recipe that is enjoyed both as a dessert and as a snack. The plum cake has its origin in England where it is actually made as fruit cake by adding raisins and nuts too. In Europe, making the plum cake mixture before Christmas is a local tradition in many areas and it is common to see the entire community gather together to make the cake mixture. You can easily bake a plum cake in your Stahl Xpress Cooker. All you need to know are the right techniques. Watch how home chef Richa Gupta baked not just a cake but also cookies in here Stahl Xpress Cooker.

5. Thukpa - There's nothing that feels more like a warm embrace than a bowl of warm soup on a winter day. And if that soup is a thukpa, you can be sure that it hits the right spot. A thukpa is a clear noodle or steamed wonton soup full of vegetables and meat. It originated in Tibet and travelled across to India when it came here with the Dalai Lama and his entourage. While it has its roots in the Tibetan refugee camps, it has fast become a favourite across India. Make your own version of the Thukpa in just one piece of cookware - the Stahl Xpress Cooker! This recipe would take under 30 minutes in a pressure cooker. 

6. Gajar ka Halwa - Shiny orange flecks of carrots burst out in the most harmonious symphony in your mouth when in the form of halwa. A smooth texture gives way to creamy goodness in the mouth, a sweet dreamy taste that helps you escape to heaven if only just for a few seconds. Gajar ka Halwa is a winter dessert that is typically made in the northern parts of India. Traditionally, it is made over a long time, soaking the carrots in milk and letting the milk slow cook the carrots over hours. But in the Stahl Xpress Cooker, the gajar halwa can be made just as delicious in under 35 minutes. 

7. Bajra Kheechda - What else spells home if not a hot, comforting bowl of porridge? The bajre ka kheechda is India's humble answer to the ever popular oats porridge of the western world. Bajra is a winter crop that is enjoyed in a host of different ways in India. As a rotla or bhakri, as a soup or enjoyed with ghee and jaggery as a porridge. Bajra Kheechda is a Rajasthani specialty that is made after hand beating bajra millet and cooking over an open flame for many hours. It is extremely rich in iron and protein and is often eaten as a one-bowl meal. The laborious process of making a kheechda can become an enjoyable one when cooked in the Stahl Xpress Cooker. You can reduce the cooing time from 3-4 hours to under 60 minutes when cooked in the pressure cooker. 

Indians eat a variety of winter dishes that incorporate local vegetables and produce in them. These recipes are handed down generations and have become an integral part of folklore and celebrations alike. With just one piece of cookware, you can experiment making any of these specialties that are not only delicious but healthy too.