One OTG, Endless Possibilities: Recipes Beyond Cakes And Cookies

An OTG can do much more than bake cakes and cookies. From roasted vegetables and grilled snacks to pizzas and complete meals, here are easy ways to use it daily.

An OTG usually earns its place in the kitchen when you start baking. You make a cake, try a batch of cookies, perhaps bake some bread, and then the appliance spends most of its time sitting on the counter.

That is a waste of a fairly useful piece of kitchen equipment. An OTG can roast, grill, toast and bake. Once you get comfortable with the different settings, you can use it for breakfast, snacks, lunch, dinner and even meal prep. You also get a more hands-off way to cook several foods that would otherwise need a pan or a frying setup.

Here are some ways to get more use out of your OTG.

Start with roasted vegetables

Roasting is one of the easiest ways to move beyond baking.

Cut vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, bell peppers, cauliflower, broccoli, pumpkin or sweet potatoes into similar-sized pieces. Toss them with oil, salt and your choice of spices, spread them across a baking tray and let the OTG do the work. You can use the roasted vegetables as a side dish or add them to wraps, sandwiches, grain bowls and salads.

Roasting also gives vegetables a different texture from boiling or steaming. The edges turn crisp and slightly browned while the centre stays tender.

Make your own grilled snacks

Your OTG’s grill function can handle plenty of snacks that usually end up on a tawa or under a broiler.

Paneer tikka is an obvious choice. Marinate paneer, onion and capsicum in curd, spices and a little oil, thread them onto skewers and grill until the edges develop some colour. You can do the same with mushrooms, corn, potatoes and other vegetables.

Chicken tikka, fish fillets and prawns also work well under the grill. Keep an eye on cooking time because seafood and smaller pieces of meat can cook quickly. If your OTG has a rotisserie function, you can use that for larger preparations such as whole chicken.

Pizza doesn’t have to come from a delivery box

An OTG can turn out a perfectly good homemade pizza without requiring elaborate equipment.

Start with a ready-made pizza base or make your own dough. Add tomato sauce, cheese and your choice of toppings, then bake until the base is cooked and the cheese has melted and browned.

You can also make smaller individual pizzas. This is useful when everyone at home wants different toppings. For something quicker, use bread, naan, pita or leftover roti as the base. Add sauce, cheese and vegetables, then bake until crisp.

Give breakfast a new format

Your OTG can take some of the work out of breakfast too. Eggs are a good place to start. You can make baked eggs with vegetables, cheese and herbs in a small oven-safe dish. Egg muffins are another practical option. Mix beaten eggs with chopped vegetables, cheese and seasoning, pour the mixture into muffin moulds and bake.

You can also toast bread, roast tomatoes or prepare hash browns alongside your breakfast.

French toast works particularly well in an OTG when you want to prepare several portions at once. Arrange the soaked bread on a tray, bake until set and browned, then serve with fruit, yoghurt or your preferred topping.

Try an open sandwich

An open sandwich takes minutes to prepare and gives you plenty of room to experiment.

Start with bread and add ingredients such as grilled vegetables, paneer, chicken, mushrooms or leftover cooked vegetables. Finish with cheese and seasoning, then bake until the bread turns crisp and the cheese melts.

You can also turn leftover food into a completely different meal. Leftover chicken can become a cheesy toastie. Roasted vegetables can go on sourdough with hummus. A little leftover paneer bhurji can become the filling for a baked sandwich.

The OTG is particularly useful here because you can prepare several sandwiches together.

Roast your nuts and seeds

You do not always need a full recipe to put your OTG to work. Nuts and seeds can be roasted on a baking tray in a matter of minutes. Almonds, peanuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds can all be seasoned before roasting.

Keep the temperature moderate and watch them closely. Nuts can go from nicely toasted to burnt faster than you expect. Once cooled, use them as toppings for salads, yoghurt, oatmeal or homemade snack mixes.

Roast chicken, fish and other proteins

An OTG can handle much more than vegetables and snacks. Chicken thighs, drumsticks and fish fillets are all suitable for roasting or grilling. A simple marinade of curd, lemon juice, spices and oil can add plenty of flavour without requiring a complicated recipe.

Fish is particularly convenient because it cooks quickly. Place seasoned fillets on a lined tray, add herbs or spices and roast until the flesh flakes easily. For chicken, check that the thickest part is fully cooked before serving. Cooking time depends on the cut, size and temperature, so use a food thermometer if you have one.

Bake more than desserts

The word “bake” often makes people think of cakes and cookies. Savoury dishes deserve some attention too. You can bake pasta, macaroni and cheese, stuffed vegetables, casseroles, lasagna and even savoury pies in an OTG.

A baked pasta dish is especially useful when you have leftover cooked pasta. Mix it with sauce, vegetables, chicken or paneer, top with cheese and bake until bubbling. You can also make baked samosas, cutlets and spring rolls when you want a crisp exterior without deep frying.

Make your OTG part of everyday cooking

Once you stop reserving your OTG for cakes and cookies, you have plenty of reasons to use it throughout the week.

Roast vegetables for lunch, grill paneer for dinner, toast sandwiches for breakfast or prepare a tray of baked pasta when you have leftovers to use. The appliance can also help with snacks, meal prep and simple sides.

You don’t need an elaborate recipe every time you switch it on. Sometimes, a tray of vegetables tossed with oil and spices is enough to make the OTG earn its space on your kitchen counter.