1 hr 45 minVegetarianSouth Indian Weekly Meal Prep Plan
1 hr 45 min · Medium
Main Dishes
What is in Main Dishes?
This is the home for dinners and lunches that do not belong in the curry or rice hubs. It has a Mexican-style taco, a stir-fry, a pasta, two salads and two meal prep plans. The common thread is practicality: each recipe gives grams, times and clear stopping cues, and most are ready in 30 to 40 minutes, apart from the meal prep plans.
Which techniques are covered?
Searing and pan-frying: zesty fish tacos sears cod for about 3 minutes a side until it flakes and reaches 63°C, and tofu broccoli stir-fry coats pressed tofu in cornstarch and fries it until crisp. Emulsions: basil pesto pasta loosens a raw pesto with starchy pasta water. Grilling and assembly: grilled chicken cobb grills 300 g of chicken breast to 74°C and arranges it with bacon, egg, avocado and blue cheese. Grain salads: quinoa chickpea salad depends on cooling the quinoa fully before dressing it.
What about batch cooking?
Two recipes are built for it. The South Indian meal prep plan makes six lunches of sambar, lemon rice, cabbage poriyal and coconut chutney, and the Mediterranean meal plan makes five bowls of lemon-oregano chicken, quinoa and roasted vegetables. Each recipe states its own fridge and freezer limits.
How do I start?
Pick by time and appetite. For a fast weeknight dinner, make the stir-fry or tacos. For something that keeps, make the quinoa salad or a meal prep plan. For indulgence, the cobb and the pasta are the closest. If you want Indian spicing on a plate, the spices guide and pantry guide will help you adapt the plans.
How do I plan a week of mains?
Mix one batch-cooked plan with two or three fresh dinners. Cook a meal prep plan on a Sunday for lunches, then keep the tacos or stir-fry for evenings when you have 30 minutes. Read the storage notes before you shop, because a salad with fresh vegetables keeps for a shorter time than sambar or roasted bowls. Shop for fish on the day you cook it, and keep dressings, cheese and herbs in separate containers so each portion tastes fresh when you eat it.
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All main dishes
Frequently asked questions
Why are there no Indian curries in Main Dishes?
Curries and rice dishes have their own course pages. This hub holds the other dinners and lunches, including two meal prep plans, one South Indian and one Mediterranean.
Which mains are vegetarian?
The tofu broccoli stir-fry, quinoa chickpea salad, basil pesto pasta (with vegetarian-rennet cheese) and the South Indian meal prep plan, which is also vegan.
Which mains are high in protein?
Under the site's definition of 25 g or more per serving, the grilled chicken cobb (52 g), zesty fish tacos (33 g), tofu broccoli stir-fry (32 g) and Mediterranean meal plan (41 g) qualify. Values are estimated.
How long do cooked mains keep?
It depends on the dish. Meal prep portions keep about 4 days in the fridge, with rice and some components needing the freezer sooner. Each recipe lists specific storage times.