How to use up vegetables before they spoil

One pot. Whatever vegetables are dying. Rice. Dal. Done. The most forgiving dish in any kitchen.

1. Wash ½ cup rice + ½ cup moong dal together. Drain.
2. In a pressure cooker, heat 2 tbsp ghee. Splutter cumin + a pinch of hing.
3. Add chopped onion (3 min), then ALL the vegetables you want to use up — chopped fine. Sauté 4 min.
4. Add the rice + dal + ½ tsp turmeric + salt + 4 cups water. Pressure cook 4 whistles.
5. Open, mash lightly. Top with ghee. Serve with curd, achar, and papad.

Same idea as khichdi but festive. Rice + whatever vegetables + warm spices = dinner that doesn't taste like a clearance rack.

1. Soak 1 cup basmati for 20 min, drain.
2. Heat 2 tbsp ghee. Add 2 cardamom, 1" cinnamon, 4 cloves, 1 bay leaf, 1 tsp cumin.
3. Sauté sliced onion (3 min). Add 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste.
4. Add 2-3 cups mixed chopped vegetables. Sauté 4 min. Add ½ tsp turmeric, 1 tsp coriander powder, salt.
5. Add the rice + 2 cups water. Pressure cook 1 whistle. Rest 10 min.

Besan pancakes loaded with whatever's in the fridge. Crisp edges, soft middle, ready in minutes. Breakfast or dinner.

1. Whisk 1 cup besan + ½ cup water + ¼ tsp turmeric + ½ tsp red chilli + ½ tsp ajwain + salt into a smooth pancake batter.
2. Add 1 cup of finely chopped/grated vegetables. Mix.
3. Heat a tawa, drizzle oil. Pour ¼ cup batter and spread thin like a dosa.
4. Cook 2 min per side until golden. Drizzle a few drops of oil around the edges.
5. Serve with green chutney or curd.

If the veggies are too sad to feature in a dish, save the flavour. Boil them down and freeze the stock for later.

1. Roughly chop everything (skin and trimmings included). 4-5 cups of veg total.
2. Add to a pot with 8 cups water + 2 bay leaves + 1 tsp peppercorns + a generous pinch of salt.
3. Simmer uncovered for 40 min. The water should reduce by a third.
4. Strain. Cool. Pour into ice-cube trays or freezer bags.
5. Use within 3 months. One cube = ¼ cup stock.

Throw whatever's wilting into a hot pan with masala, fold into a roti. The fridge's 11pm best friend.

1. Slice 2 cups of vegetables into thin strips.
2. Heat 1 tbsp oil. Sauté the veg on high heat with ½ tsp red chilli + ½ tsp chaat masala + salt for 4 min — keep them crunchy.
3. Warm 2 rotis on a tawa.
4. Smear with green chutney + curd. Pile the veg in. Roll tight.
5. Optional: tuck a sliced cucumber and pickled onion in for crunch.

Soft, almost-mushy tomatoes are perfect for chutney — better than fresh ones, actually. Lasts a week in the fridge.

1. Heat 2 tbsp oil. Add 1 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp urad dal, 5 dried red chillies, 6 garlic cloves.
2. Sauté till garlic is golden. Add 1 sliced onion, cook 3 min.
3. Add 4 chopped tomatoes + salt. Cook on low till they're completely broken down (10 min).
4. Cool. Blend coarse. Adjust salt.
5. Eat with idli, dosa, paratha, or just plain rice with ghee.

Limp greens revive instantly in a hot pan with garlic. The fastest dinner side there is. Don't let them sit in the crisper for one more day.

1. Wash greens twice in cold water. Roughly chop.
2. Heat 2 tbsp oil. Add 6 sliced garlic cloves + 2 dried red chillies. Sauté 30 sec.
3. Add the greens. Toss for 2 min on high — they'll wilt instantly.
4. Sprinkle salt + a squeeze of lemon.
5. Eat with dal-rice or stuff into a paratha.