AppyTest Kitchen
Spiced Chickpea Starter Pot
A small chana-style pot: chickpeas in a spiced tomato base, the appetiser portion of a much-loved curry-house standard.
- Indian
- dairy-free
- gluten-free
- vegan
- vegetarian
COOK WITH LOOPWARE
One container. The whole meal prep loop.
No-fuss recipes for one or two people — cooked, eaten, stored, frozen and reheated in the same stainless steel container.
These are real meals we experimented cooking in Loopware containers. Each recipe shows the container, method and timing clearly, so you can cook with less equipment and less washing up.
Cooking basics
Know this before you start
A cooking container behaves a little differently from a frying pan — the steel is thinner. Understanding its different character will help your cooking experience.
Water redistributes the heat.
The steel is thin (about 0.4 mm, against a pan's 1.5–3.5 mm), so it heats fast but unevenly — the water spreads it out. That's why anything with liquid in it (stews, soups, boiling, braising) is where these containers are most suitable.
Fill it before you heat it.
Always load the food and liquid in first — NEVER heat the container empty like a pan. Thin steel gets hot in seconds, and high heat on an empty base can warp the sheet and leave burnt marks that persist.
Cooking something dry? Water or oil is essential.
Add either, start on low heat and turn constantly to keep the base from catching. Every hob is different, so use your judgement.
Use the lid two ways.
Rest it rim-down, the usual way, to trap steam and help things cook through. But at a strong boil the rim can funnel that steam so it condenses and drips through the gap onto the hob, where it hisses against the heat. When that starts, flip the lid upside down — rim facing up — and the steam vents away more freely, so the dripping and sizzling stop.
Rainbow or burn marks are normal.
Rainbow or burn marks after direct contact with the heat source are normal. Blue, gold or rainbow tints are a normal heat change in the steel's protective oxide film. They're cosmetic — not a coating peeling away — and don't affect cooking or any other function of the container.
Shift stubborn residue with vinegar or bicarb.
Two kinds of residue will lift off with a little patience: cloudy white marks — minerals left behind when water or cooking liquid evaporates — and food stains, including the black, burnt-on residue that clings to the metal. The rule of thumb is to clean alkaline with acid, and acid with alkaline. Mineral marks are alkaline, so soak them with diluted white vinegar and wipe away. Food stains and burnt-on black residue are acidic, so reach for bicarbonate of soda instead. The powder needs moisture to work — wet the surface before you sprinkle it on, or mix in a little water to make a paste and spread it over the mark. Leave it 10–30 minutes to loosen the bond, then wash the residue away with a gentle scrub such as a loofah. Really stubborn marks can sit overnight.
Popular Recipes
See all →SideTest Kitchen
Greek Courgette & Green Bean Pot
Courgette and green bean cooked down slowly the Greek way — a bright side that looks after itself on one gentle setting.
- Greek
- dairy-free
- gluten-free
- vegan
- vegetarian
Carb
Sushi Rice (Short-Grain), Rice-Cooker Style
5.0 (1)
- Taiwanese
- dairy-free
- gluten-free
- vegan
- vegetarian
AppyTest Kitchen
Leek & Potato Starter Pot
The classic starter pot: potato and leek simmered in a light stock until the broth tastes of both. A small warm bowl before the main course.
- British
- gluten-free
MainTest Kitchen
Mexican Pork, Tomato & Pepper Pot
A warm Mexican pot of pork with tomato and pepper — everything in cold, one gentle setting, one timer, ready when the pot says so. Serve it with rice, bread or potatoes.
- Mexican
- dairy-free
- gluten-free
MainTest Kitchen
Chinese Steamed Chicken With Pak Choi & Carrot
Chicken steamed gently over pak choi and carrot, Chinese style — one container, one setting, and the dressing comes together in the pot.
- Chinese
- dairy-free
MealTest Kitchen
Irish Chicken, Carrot & Parsnip Pot
A complete Irish dinner in one pot: chicken with carrot and parsnip and potato, everything in cold, one gentle setting, one timer. Comforting and no washing-up to speak of.
- Irish
- gluten-free
MealTest Kitchen
Bean, Carrot & Potato Casserole
This is the familiar British casserole pattern built around beans instead of meat. Carrot, celery, peas and potato make it substantial, while thyme and stock give a third distinct use for the household bean reserve.
- British
- gluten-free
DsrtTest Kitchen
Apple & Cinnamon Bake
Apple & Cinnamon Bake mixed in one bowl — dry side, wet side, fold, and into the Loopware container. One shelf, one temperature, and a skewer tells you when it's done.
- British
- vegetarian
MainTest Kitchen
Caribbean Chicken, Pepper & Squash Pot
A warm Caribbean pot of chicken with pepper and squash — everything in cold, one gentle setting, one timer, ready when the pot says so. Serve it with rice, bread or potatoes.
- Caribbean
- dairy-free
- gluten-free
MainTest Kitchen
Irish Chicken, Leek & Carrot Pot
A comforting Irish pot of chicken with leek and carrot — everything in cold, one gentle setting, one timer, ready when the pot says so. Serve it with rice, bread or potatoes.
- Irish
- gluten-free
MainTest Kitchen
Irish Chicken, Leek & Carrot Bake
A comforting Irish bake: chicken with leek and carrot in one Loopware container, one shelf, one temperature — golden edges and soft middles with nothing to watch.
- Irish
- gluten-free
MainTest Kitchen
Irish Chicken, Carrot & Celery Pot
A comforting Irish pot of chicken with carrot and celery — everything in cold, one gentle setting, one timer, ready when the pot says so. Serve it with rice, bread or potatoes.
- Irish
- gluten-free
MainTest Kitchen
Mexican Chicken, Pepper & Sweetcorn Pot
A warm Mexican pot of chicken with pepper and sweetcorn — everything in cold, one gentle setting, one timer, ready when the pot says so. Serve it with rice, bread or potatoes.
- Mexican
- dairy-free
- gluten-free
MainTest Kitchen
Thai Steamed Chicken With Broccoli & Carrot
Chicken steamed gently over broccoli and carrot, Thai style — one container, one setting, and the dressing comes together in the pot.
- Thai
- dairy-free
- gluten-free
MainTest Kitchen
Taiwanese Pork, Carrot & Chinese Leaf Pot
A homely Taiwanese pot of pork with carrot and chinese leaf — everything in cold, one gentle setting, one timer, ready when the pot says so. Serve it with rice, bread or potatoes.
- Taiwanese
- dairy-free
MainTest Kitchen
Greek Lamb, Tomato & Courgette Pot
A bright Greek pot of lamb with tomato and courgette — everything in cold, one gentle setting, one timer, ready when the pot says so. Serve it with rice, bread or potatoes.
- Greek
- dairy-free
- gluten-free
SideTest Kitchen
Italian Courgette & Tomato Bake
A sunny Italian bake: courgette and tomato in one Loopware container, one shelf, one temperature — golden edges and soft middles with nothing to watch.
- Italian
- dairy-free
- gluten-free
- vegan
- vegetarian