A large number of people live without natural gas in our country. Those that have gas connections at home face outages, especially during the winters. Natural gas is a part of life for those who use it every day for cooking and heating. During winters however, many a times, we face a situation where we have cook something without consuming natural gas.

They say, “Necessity is the mother of invention”. This blog is about dealing with the situation in an apt manner without compromising on the quality of food.

So the question really is, can one cook healthy meals without using a gas stove? Short answer: yes, you can! In fact, cooking without a gas stove is healthier is many respects. Preparing and storing groceries, vegetables and meats ahead of time, and using a few electric kitchen gadgets (toaster, oven, microwave) can help you prepare homemade meals.

This means you can cook according to your schedule, and forget about gas outages. You don’t even have to buy lunch or dinner from the market.

I am sharing with you a quick recipe to use in such situations. Roll-ups, or Pinwheel Tortillas, can serve as a comfortable and healthy meal with little preparation. You can be creative by using different fillings each time. Needless to say, tortilla roll-ups are a treat for everyone!

Ingredients:

Filling 1: [Prep this beforehand and store it in fridge]
  • Chicken – 2 boneless breast pieces, finely stripped
  • Salt – ¾ teaspoon
  • Paprika Powder – ¾ teaspoon
  • White pepper- ½ teaspoon
  • Lemon juice – 1 teaspoon
  • Garlic ginger paste – 1 teaspoon
Filling 2:
  • Spinach – 1 cup boiled and chopped finely
  • Cream cheese – 4-5 tablespoons
  • Spring onion – 2, finely chopped
  • Salt – ¾ teaspoon
  • White pepper – ¾ teaspoon

    Instructions:

    Chicken Spinach Tortilla Roll-UpsTortilla – 4-5 pieces, tomato flavored (alternatively you can use roti or chapatti prepared earlier)Filling 1: [Prep this beforehand and store it in fridge]
    • Season chicken breasts with salt, paprika, white pepper and lemon juice
    • In a frying pan, sauté ginger garlic paste in a dash of oil. Add the seasoned chicken with a half cup of water. Cover and cook on medium heat until thoroughly cooked. Let the chicken cool and store fridge it in an airtight container
    • If you have an oven or an air-fryer, just grill the seasoned chicken pieces when preparing the meal until cooked thoroughly
    Filling 2:
    • In a mixing bowl, add spinach, spring onions, salt, cream-cheese and seasonings. Combine well with prepared chicken filling
     Assembly Line:
    • Lay out the tortillas on a flat surface
    • Divide the filling evenly in the center of each tortilla
    • Spread the filling into a thin layer leaving the edges clean and roll each tortilla tightly to form a log. Trim off the edges
    • Use a sharp knife to cut into one inch thick slices and place them on a serving plate
    • Cover with plastic wrap and store in fridge until ready to serve. Toast them for two minutes in toaster oven if you want to eat them hot. Can be served hot or cold
    Alternate Options
    • Boiled Red Kidney Beans – prepare and store them in fridge. Before using, microwave them for a minute and mash them slightly with a fork. Add chopped cilantro, tomatoes and seasonings
    • Creamy Chicken Vegetables – Boil peas, carrots and potatoes and mash them together until mixed properly. Add prepared chicken, seasonings, cream-cheese and mayonnaise
    • Cottage Cheese and Fresh Salad – Cut thin slices of cucumber with a peeler or slicer. Make a filling with chopped cottage cheese, cheddar cheese, cream cheese, chopped spring onions and tomatoes. Season with basil, salt and pepper. Layer the tortillas with cucumber slices and then spread the filling on top and roll up
    Side OptionsColeslaw
    • Finely grate one carrot and a quarter piece of cabbage. Add one tablespoon of cream cheese, cream and mayonnaise. Season with sugar, salt and white pepper
    Cheesy Garlic Bread
    • In a mixing bowl, add two cloves of chopped garlic, 2 tablespoons of grated cheese, 1 green chili, 1 tablespoon of butter and a pinch of salt. Mix evenly, spread over pita bread / bread slice / French bread and toast in toaster oven for 8-10 minutes, or until golden
    A warm cup of Yakni (Stock)In a cup, add a packet of 'Knorr Yakni', fill with water and microwave for 3 minutes. Stir well

    Fatima Ali

    I am trained to be an IT professional. I served National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) for six years after graduating from the same university. As long as I can remember, cooking good food has been my passion and it makes me happy. My cooking lessons were a bit unusual though. Back in the day when digital did not mean much, my father would record cooking shows (knorr ka kitchen, kaukab khuwaja and Zee Khana Khazana – Chef Sanjeev Kapoor) for me to watch endless times later on, before trying the recipes out. I would make brownies and cold cake almost every day while my mother was asleep. This was my way of surprising her every evening. My mother cooks amazing food too and I have tried many of the recipes written in her recipe book. I draw inspiration from a number of chefs from televised cooking shows such as Late Chef Farah, Chef Rahat, Chef Mehboob, BBC Food, Masala TV, Chef Shai, Chef Sharmeen, Master Chef Australia and my ultimate favorite Chef Shireen Anwer. I would not be as good a cook I am now without passive guidance from each one of these.