Today’s 10 thoughts include one-pot meals made with Rice. You have to agree that despite all the warnings folks give about Rice, it’s still easy, nutritious and delicious! So, here are my Top 10 One-Pot Rice dishes -
1. Vegetable Palav – I usually add beans, carrots, onions and peas.
Masala includes: 2-3 tbsp. coconut, 2-3 cloves, cinnamon, equal quantities of coriander and mint, 2-3 garlic pods, ginger and 2-3 green chillies
Grind this to a paste.
Add little oil in the cooker, add jeera once its splatters, add the onions and fry till the rawness goes. Add the masala, vegetables, Turmeric, 2 tsp garam masala, salt, lemon and a little ghee. Add the soaked rice. 2 whistles and delicious, hot Palav is ready to be served with Raitha of your choice!! 
2. Bisi Bele Baath -
One gets the Bisi Bele Baath masala/paste which can be added.
But, I kind of make the masala which includes – coconut, coriander powder, jeera powder, cloves, cinnamon, sambar powder or Huli pudi (this is a better option), ginger and little bit of fresh coriander. Grind all this.
In the cooker, add little oil, once it splatters add toor dal (3/4th cup), add 1.5 cups of water. Once it starts to boil, add turmeric, vegetables (potato, beans, carrots), you can add groundnuts as well with the dal. Then add the ground masala, salt , tamrind water/paste and rice(1.5 cups). Add just enough water and close the cooker. 2 whistles should do it.
Then, once it cools down add tadka – to that add oil, mustard seeds, curry leaves, hing and onions. You could add capsicum as well if you like that taste.
Add the tadka to the bisibele baath and enjoy hot hot with Raitha or Papad! 
3. Vangi baath - This involves Brinjals. Any kind will do. All you need to do is cut it length wise. Cook rice and keep aside.
In a kadai, put tadka of mustard seeds, hing (optional), turmeric, curry leaves. Add the brinjal and cook it in oil. Once cooked, add ready-made vangi baath masala, salt and mix well. Let it all cook for 5 mins. Then add required rice and mix well. Eat hot with Raitha or papad!
Another way to cheat on the vangi baath masala is to add Sambar (huli pudi) powder, jeera powder and coriander powder
4. Coconut rice - This is easy and delicious.
Cook rice and keep aside. In a kadai put tadka of mustard seeds, jeera, channa dal, urad dal, hing and curry leaves.
Once it splatters, turn off the heat, add fresh coconut (frozen will work too). Add rice, salt mix well and enjoy!
With this sometimes any kind of Curry, Dal works very well.
5. Lemon Rice - Cook rice and keep aside. In a kadai put tadka of mustard seeds, channa dal, urad dal, hing, turmeric, groundnuts and curry leaves.
In order to make sure that the groundnuts are fried properly, add groundnuts to oil first and when its half way thru add the rest of the tadka.
Turn off heat and add coconut, rice and salt. mix well and then at the very end add coriander and lemon! Eat hot!
6. Khichidi - This is my version.
I soak equal portions of moong dal and masoor dal. In the cooker, add oil, jeera, cut green chillis, turmeric and hing. Once it splatters add the soaked dals and rice. Add more water and close the cooker for 2 whistles. Once the cooker cools, add ghee, mix well and serve hot with papad.
7. Pongal - Another favorite. We make the Karnataka version of the same called Huggi and the only additional ingredient is turmeric.
In the cooker – add ghee and once it heats up, add mustard seeds, hing, jeera, Green chillies, thinly cut pieces of ginger and curry leaves. Once it splatters, add the soaked moong dal and fry slightly and then add rice and fry for a minute. Add salt, water (more than usual). Close the cooker lid, and 2 whistles. Once it cools – add generous amount of ghee and mix and eat hot!
We eat pongal or huggi with Tamrind gojju or sauce and its a brilliant combination!
Its the perfect comfort meal on a rainy day or when you are sick.
8. Pudina Rice - For the paste – grind mint leaves, few strands of coriander, cloves , ginger, 2-3 cloves of garlic, 1/4th onion (depends on the size of the onion. If its small or if you are making large quantities, increase the onion content) and coconut (this is optional. I add coconut flakes usually to give the masala texture)
Heat oil in the cooker, once it splatters, add jeera and then thinly cut pieces of onion. Fry nicely and then add the masala, salt, lemon.
Add soaked Rice. Mix gently. Close the lid – 2 whistles. Once cooled, serve hot with Raitha of your choice!
9. Masala Rice - Now this dish is pure genius! Its a gap filler and its delicious.
I usually use frozen vegetables from the packet for this, but add whatever kind you want.
So, in the cooker – add oil, once it splatters, add mustard seeds, jeera, hing, turmeric, thinly cut onion pieces. Fry for a minute or two. Add ginger-garlic paste and fry for a minute and then add garam masala, Kitchen King Masala, Jeera powder, coriander powder, amchur powder or lemon, salt and mix well. Add the cut or frozen veggies. Add rice. Mix gently. Add exact amount of water. (for 1 cup rice, 2 cups water). 2 whistles. Serve hot with Raitha!
10. Curd Rice - Last, but not the least and the most important part of any meal (for me at least!) is curd rice.
Easiest way is to mix thick curd with warm rice, add salt and eat with lemon pickle!
One more way is to add tadka to it.
Cook rice and let is cool slightly. Add curd and salt to the rice and mix well. Then in a small pan put tadka of mustard seeds, green chillies, ginger (acquired taste) and coriander. Once it cools, add this to the curd rice and eat! Your meal finishes off in style!
I add coconut in most of the dishes because that’s the taste I grew up with and I love coconut. It shouldn’t be over-powering but should be just enough to balance things out. Skip the coconut by all means in the Pulav and pudina rice if you are not used to it.
Cheers!
I also use home-made Huli pudi and I don’t really like Sambar powder and use it only when making Sambar to go along with idlis or dosas.
I know you guys know all this and most of the recipes are time-tested ones with personal variations, but this is my record of some of my favorite meals.