Neha Ravi Khandelwal Neha Ravi Khandelwal is a Senior Digital Content Producer, Lifestyle at HT Shop Now, where she specialises in furniture, home, and travel, turning real-world expertise into practical advice that readers can rely on. Career journey and experience Neha began freelance writing in 2010 and started her mainstream media journey with the Times of India in 2022, and later joined the Hindustan Times. In the past, she has led interior design projects, interned in visual merchandising at Shoppers Stop and Pantaloons, and managed operations for multiple women-led startups. To satiate her curiosity, she has completed beginner’s certifications in pottery, scuba diving, baking, creative writing, and more. She takes pride in having read over 2000 books (yes, she did count, and can share a list!) and spent 8 years practising Bharatnatyam and has even ghostwritten a book on Ladakh Tourism. Subject expertise With a Master’s in Interior Design and 10 years of building homes, Neha knows space-saving furniture and budget-friendly finds inside out. She instantly visualizes rooms and curates practical, stylish solutions. In travel, she offers packing guides, luggage tips, and trip advice, all backed by research, expert input from field experts, and hands-on experience. Education and professional background Neha holds a Master’s degree in Interior Design and had early stints as a visual merchandising trainee at Shoppers Stop and Pantaloons. These experiences shape every article she writes. Editorial Philosophy I write with one single goal: To simplify searching through the abundance of products on the market by finding the right one suited to my readers’ needs based on personal experience, user reviews and ratings. When all else fails, Neha speaks to experts who can solve the query.
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There was a time when dinner wasn’t squeezed between video calls, gym sessions and endless notifications. Someone would be chopping vegetables, another person would be stirring the dal, and somebody else would already be waiting with a plate in hand. The kitchen was noisy, warm and oddly calming all at once.
Now, our homes are packed with gadgets that promise to do the hard work for us. AI can suggest recipes, machines can stir your curry, and smart cookers can finish dinner before you’ve replied to your emails. Yet, in the middle of all this convenience, one simple style of cooking is quietly making a comeback. One-pot meals. It isn’t because people suddenly enjoy washing fewer utensils, though that’s definitely a bonus. It is because cooking has become one of the few moments in the day where we can slow down without feeling guilty.
Chef Vikas Khanna puts it beautifully. “You need to turn off your phone for that time, and you need to be mindful of what you’re eating and consuming and just be cooking. It’s a form of meditation.”
That thought stays with you. Somewhere between stirring a simmering pot and tasting the gravy for the third time, the day doesn’t seem quite as stressful anymore.
There is a reason khichdi, biryani, pulao, pasta, soups and hearty curries never really go out of style. They don’t ask for a dozen pans or complicated steps. Everything comes together in one vessel, the flavours build naturally, and dinner feels far less intimidating after a long day.
Vikas feels this is exactly why home cooking is finding its place again. “Cooking ourselves has become necessary, and cooking at the right time where we don’t have to have such a big headache of 10 utensils.”
There is another reason one-pot cooking feels so current. Our kitchens have changed. Open layouts mean dinner often goes straight from the stove to the dining table. The cookware has become part of the meal instead of something hidden away before guests arrive.
That thinking shaped Vikas’ cookware collection as well. “What’s being cooked in is now getting onto the table. So that is why it has become so essential that what comes on the table also looks like a work of art.”
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The author of this article holds a Master’s Degree in Interior Design and has spent over a decade in research, teaching, and designing homes from scratch.
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It sounds like a practical solution, but there is a lovely emotional side to it too. One pot meals remind us of the food many of us grew up eating. A bubbling kadhai of matar aloo. A pressure cooker whistling away with dal. The giant pot of pulao that somehow fed the whole family and still had leftovers for lunch the next day.
Nobody called it mindful cooking back then. It was simply dinner.
During the conversation, we spoke about AI slowly making its way into our kitchens. From automatic cooking machines to appliances that practically cook on their own, technology is changing the way many people prepare meals.
Vikas answered with a question instead.
“If you have to feed your kids, would you like a machine to feed it or would you like to do it yourself?”
The answer almost comes naturally.
Home-cooked food carries something that no smart appliance can measure. It carries patience. It carries care. It carries tiny family habits that get passed on without anyone noticing. The extra spoon of ghee on your dal because your grandmother insisted. The parathas cooked only on cast iron because your mother swore they tasted better. The Sunday omelette your father somehow made the same every week.
Vikas describes cooking in a deeply personal way. “Cooking sensitively… it’s between you and God.”
It is hard to argue with that. Cooking asks you to stay present. You cannot rush it, and maybe that’s exactly why it feels so comforting.
There is something wonderfully relaxed about placing a steaming pot of biryani in the middle of the table and letting everyone serve themselves. No fancy plating. No endless serving bowls. Just good food and good company.
Interestingly, some of Vikas’ strongest food memories come from cast iron cookware. He recalled parathas with just the right char, dosas with perfect colour and his grandmother’s methi aloo, all cooked in cast iron. Those flavours stayed with him for years because the cookware was as much a part of the memory as the recipe itself.For all the technology sitting on our kitchen counters, it is funny how many of us still find comfort in the simplest meals. One pot cooking isn’t trying to compete with AI. It is reminding us that sometimes the nicest part of the day begins with switching off the phone, putting something on the stove and giving it your full attention. Dinner tastes better, the sink looks less scary, and your mind gets a small break too.
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