New Delhi, Aug. 8 -- For as long as I can remember, I've cooked food that eliminates the need to, well, cook. When I was single, my standard serving, for instance, was 1.5kg of keema for myself-spread out over the week and eaten for every meal until it was finished.

When I lived in the US for two years, I ate this keema (or roast chicken or mutton curry) with store-bought tortillas. In India, I made rice, or there was always someone who made chapatis for me. This efficient cooking and eating style left me with both homemade food and a lot of time. Plus, meat always tastes better when it sits around for a couple of days.

This technique gradually faded over the years with the arrival of a family. My spouse grew up in a hotel with fresh fo...