The cauliflower is broken into florets and browned in a saucepan (an impossible task when cooking a large amount), then seasoned with a sauce of cilantro, yogurt and green chiles. To make the garnish, Ms. Lo warms chopped almonds in the toaster oven, which she considers a valuable and versatile tool in any small, efficient kitchen.

In her book, Ms. Jones wrote that “the secret of making cooking for one fun and creative is not to think of a meal as self-contained, but to understand that home cooking is an ongoing process, one dish leading to another.” This is distinct from leftovers, warmed up as they are.

Ms. Lo builds on the beauty of that idea, using the raw cauliflower scraps left over from preparing her chaat to start a new dish by pickling them, always minimizing waste and maximizing creativity.

To preserve vegetables when cooking in small amounts, Ms. Lo cuts them with care. “If you’re cutting an onion, you cut it from the growth side, not the root side,” she said. “And you leave the brown paper skin on so it holds the moisture. Then you cut off what you’re going to use and only peel and chop that part.”

From shopping to prepping to eating, cooking for one requires more efficiency to avoid waste or a mountain of leftovers.

“I think a lot of learning to cook for yourself is about portions, and just making sure you’re cooking the amount you’re going to eat,” Ms. Lo added.