12 May 2021

3 Tasty One-Bowl Meals To Try This Week

Whatever the time of day, a one-bowl meal can be heathy and filling – and save you plenty of time on the washing up, too. Here food writer and Ottolenghi contributor Maria Zizka shows us how to build the ultimate bowl using just five simple steps: base, protein, sauce, toppings and garnish.

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The one-bowl meal has become a staple of contemporary eating. But the idea of a complete meal in a bowl is not new: think of Korean bibimbap, a sizzling hot stone bowl of rice served with a colourful array of pickles, spicy chile sauce, and an egg; or traditional Japanese donburi rice bowls topped with vegetables and meat or seafood; porridge with flavourful toppings is a classic bowl both in the UK and across Southeast Asia. In many cuisines, the nutritional power couple of beans and rice unite in one bowl. Whether it’s savoury or sweet, Mediterranean or Scandinavian, a bowl offers a nourishing, personalised and delicious meal in one.

In my book, a bowl is defined by the following equation: base + topping + topping + sauce (sometimes: not every bowl benefits from a sauce, because often there’s already a creamy component working its magic, such as yogurt, cheese or a runny egg yolk). The foundation of every good bowl is the base, think rice, other grains and legumes, noodles, or greens. Greens can be rinsed, dried, and stored in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use them. Noodles are generally best cooked the day you eat them, but rice and other grain bases can be cooked ahead, and you might even consider making a double or triple batch for a week of meals.

A bowl needs at least a couple of toppings. However, quality is much more important than quantity – two delicious toppings are better than four that are just so-so. The best bowls have a variety of flavours, textures, and colours.

Protein also plays a valuable role. In some cases, the base is a protein, like green lentils, or one of the toppings could be a protein, such as prawns. Feel free to improvise by including protein in the form of dairy, eggs, tofu, beans, meat or seafood. For tinned seafood like anchovies and tuna, make sure to choose sustainably caught fish packed in 100% extra-virgin olive oil. Buy cheese and smoked fish from local shops, if you can, or order online. Eggs are a super-quick and affordable source of protein. And when you top a bowl with a soft-boiled egg, the runny yolk acts like a built-in sauce, cloaking the other ingredients with its rich flavour.

My bowls are often garnished with a crunchy or bright element. A finishing touch like toasted nuts or seeds looks beautiful and adds a little surprise. Pickled pink onions lend their tart pop to all kinds of bowls, from Mexican dishes to smoked salmon on rye. Sometimes the simplest flourish of a few fresh herb leaves is all you need.

There’s something comforting about eating a meal in a bowl. Putting together the base and the toppings is a satisfyingly creative act, one that’s ideal for busy home cooks because most components can be prepared in advance. When you’re ready to eat, just assemble and serve.

Inspired? Here are three bowls to make at home…

Yogurt With Grilled Pineapple, Honey-Lime Syrup & Gluten-Free Granola

This sunny yogurt bowl is topped with pumpkin seed-studded granola. You’ll have plenty of granola left over. It keeps well for weeks and is delicious on its own. For the pineapple, you can, of course, use a whole fresh fruit cut into ½-inch slices, but the canned slices are so quick and they taste great – just make sure to choose the kind in 100% juice, not syrup.

Serves

Total Time

45 Minutes

Ingredients

500g of whole-milk plain yogurt

225g can of pineapple slices

For the gluten-free granola

400g of old-fashioned rolled oats

45g of sliced almonds

60g of hulled pumpkin seeds

½ tsp of fine sea salt

115g of unsalted butter

120ml of honey

For the syrup

1½ tbsp of honey

1½ tbsp of fresh lime juice

Method

Step 1

Make the granola topping. Heat the oven to 150°C. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 2

In a large bowl, stir together the oats, almonds, pumpkin seeds, and salt. In a small saucepan, melt the butter and then stir in the honey. Pour the honey-butter over the oat mixture and stir until incorporated. Spread out the oat mixture on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, stir, then bake until golden brown, another 15 minutes. Let cool. Granola can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Step 3

To make the syrup, stir together the honey and lime juice until completely blended.

Step 4

To prepare the pineapple, heat the grill to high. Arrange the pineapple in a single layer on a baking sheet. Place under the grill, rotating the baking sheet as needed to promote even browning, until dark brown in a few places, 5 to 10 minutes. Keep a close eye on the fruit – it can brown quickly or slowly, depending on the strength of your broiler.

Step 5

Divide the yogurt between 2 bowls. Top with the broiled pineapple, a drizzle of honey-lime syrup, and some granola.

Tofu Katsu With Ginger Bok Choy

The panko-crusted tofu that tops this rice bowl has a crispy exterior and a meltingly soft interior. It looks like it has been fried, but it’s actually baked in the oven. For store-bought katsu sauce, see if you can find Bachan’s – a fantastic teriyaki-ish Japanese-style BBQ sauce. You can also mix your own katsu sauce by stirring together 70g of ketchup, 2 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce, 2 tsp of soy sauce or tamari, and a pinch of sugar.

Serves

Total Time

35 Minutes

Ingredients

600g of steamed short-grain white rice

Katsu sauce, for serving

For the panko-crusted baked tofu

200 or 225g of firm tofu

30g of all-purpose flour

1 large egg

30g of panko breadcrumbs

½ tsp of fine sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

For the gingery bok choy

1 tbsp of sesame oil

1 garlic clove, sliced

1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks

4 to 6 baby bok choy, halved lengthwise

2 tbsp of water

1 tbsp of soy sauce or tamari

1 spring onion, white and green parts, thinly sliced

Method

Step 1

Heat the oven to 200°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 2

Pat the tofu dry with paper towels and cut into 6 equal pieces. On a large plate, spread out the flour. In a shallow bowl, beat the egg.

Step 3

On another large plate, stir together the panko, salt, and several grinds of pepper. Coat each tofu piece on all sides with the flour, then dunk it in the egg, and then dredge it in the panko mixture, pressing to adhere the crumbs to all sides of the tofu. Place the coated tofu pieces on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, then flip and bake until golden brown and crisp, about 20 minutes more.

Step 4

When the tofu is almost done baking, make the gingery bok choy: In a large skillet with a lid, heat the sesame oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add the bok choy, water, and soy sauce. Cover the pan and cook for 3 minutes, until the bok choy is just tender.

Step 5

To assemble the bowls, make beds of steamed rice in 2 bowls and add the gingery bok choy and baked tofu to each. Scatter the green onion on top and serve the katsu sauce on the side.

Crispy Mustard Chicken With Puy Lentils & Watercress

In this very green bowl, little French green lentils (sometimes called puy) are topped with leafy spinach and a vibrant sauce made from watercress. Crispy mustard chicken turns it into a meal. For a vegetarian alternative, swap out the chicken for sunny-side-up eggs.

Serves

Total Time

45 Minutes

Ingredients

200g of puy lentils

1 onion, cut in half and peeled

Fine sea salt

For the watercress sauce

85g of watercress (tender stems are okay to include, but no roots!)

½ small shallot, coarsely chopped

2 tbsp of fresh lemon juice

1 tbsp of red wine vinegar

90ml of extra virgin olive oil

¼ tsp of fine sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

For the crispy mustard chicken

2 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts

40g of all-purpose flour

½ tsp of fine sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 large egg

1 tbsp of dijon mustard

55g of plain dry breadcrumbs

25g of parmesan, finely grated

1 tbsp of unsalted butter

1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

1 handful of baby spinach leaves

Method

Step 1

First, make the watercress sauce: in a blender, combine the watercress, shallot, lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and several grinds of pepper. Blend until the watercress is finely chopped and the sauce is mostly smooth.

Step 2

In a medium saucepan, place the lentils and onion and add about 1 litre of water and a few generous pinches of salt. Bring to a simmer and cook until the lentils are tender but still hold their shape, 20 to 25 minutes.

Step 3

Meanwhile, put the chicken in a plastic bag or between 2 sheets of parchment paper and use a rolling pin or a meat tenderiser to pound the chicken to a little under ¼ inch thick. Don't be shy; this step requires a little muscle. In a shallow bowl, stir together the flour, salt, and several grinds of pepper. In another shallow bowl, beat the egg and mix in the mustard. In a third shallow bowl, stir together the breadcrumbs and parmesan. Coat each chicken breast with the flour mixture, then dunk it in the mustard-egg mixture, and then dredge it in the breadcrumb mixture, pressing to adhere the crumbs to all sides of the chicken.

Step 4

Heat a large pan over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add the butter and olive oil and swirl the skillet to evenly coat the surface. Add one chicken breast to the pan and cook until browned on the first side, 2 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook on the second side until cooked through, another 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer the crispy chicken to a cutting board. Repeat with the other breast. You may need to add a little more oil to the pan between batches.

Step 5

When the lentils are done cooking, drain them and discard the onion. Return the lentils to their pot and stir in about half of the watercress sauce, saving the rest to serve alongside the finished bowl. Add the spinach leaves, stirring them in, and allow the residual heat from the lentils to wilt the spinach a little. Or, if you prefer, divide the lentils between 2 bowls and tuck the spinach leaves in among the lentils. Slice the crispy chicken and arrange on top of the lentils and spinach. Spoon on the remaining sauce or serve it on the side.

One-Bowl Meals by Maria Zizka is published by Artisan Books.

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