11 Batch-Cooking Indian Meals for the Week

5. Vegetable Pulao

Vegetable pulao is a simple one-pot meal that reheats without drying out if you follow a couple of tricks. Use basmati rice and a mix of seasonal vegetables—carrot, peas, beans, and cauliflower—plus whole spices for aroma. Cook with a 1:1.5 rice-to-water ratio for a slightly moist finish, then cool and fluff before portioning into containers. Pulao keeps in the fridge for up to four days and freezes well if you undercook the rice by a minute or two before freezing; that helps avoid mush after reheating. Reheat with a splash of water and a quick steam on the stove or covered in the microwave, stirring once to distribute moisture. For a protein boost, stir in leftover chicken, paneer, or cooked chickpeas when reheating. To make this kid-friendly, keep the whole spices like cloves and cinnamon in a spice bag while cooking so children don’t bite into them later. For gluten-free households, pulao is naturally gluten-free; for a dairy-free meal, skip any ghee and use neutral oil instead.