1. Cashew rice bowls with stir-fried tofu, broccoli and kimchi
(Pictured above)
Rukmini Iyer’s recipe contains a microwave method for cooking rice, but I’ve successfully made basmati in a rice cooker countless times – just pop the whole garlic clove in with the rice grains. After that, it’s only a matter of stir-frying the cashews, broccoli and tofu. If you need more convincing, Iyer says this recipe was “an absolute hit with my children”. My own children happily mainline tofu and rice, and can be persuaded to have broccoli if I tell them they’re actually eating mini Christmas trees, so I believe her.
2. Maggi goreng 炒美极面
There are many ways to level up your instant noodles, and this recipe follows a familiar formula: add greens for health and a fried egg for protein. Plus, it’s seriously fast – Junda Khoo’s recipe is over in three steps. One colleague was so enamoured by this dish he bulk-ordered 200 packets of kari Maggi noodles to make this recipe on repeat. The secret to stir-fry success is to have your ingredients prepped and ready to go, and to make sure the oil in your pan or wok is smoking hot.
3. Herb-spiked chickpeas with cherry tomatoes and pine nuts
Pine nuts have a heady, toasty characteristic all their own, with a hefty price tag to match – they go for about $55 per kg in Australian supermarket, although they’re sold in more palatable 100g quantities. So when it comes to toasting them (buy them natural, rather than pre-toasted), heed Rukmini Iyer’s warning: “Under no circumstances should you leave the pan to do something else: they will burn in an instant.” That is the only taxing part of this recipe – otherwise you only need to simmer the chickpeas and tomatoes for 10 minutes, blitz a herby dressing and have bread at the ready.
4. One-pot orzo with peas, mushrooms and bacon
When it comes to household chores between my husband and me, the deal is whoever cooks, the other washes up. Washing up is the short straw, for obvious reasons, so for those with a similar arrangement this one-pot recipe is a gift to your other half: here’s your dinner, and here’s a single dirty saucepan. It’s a simple recipe, but don’t rush it – properly brown your mushrooms and soften the onions for maximum flavour. Pleasingly, it contains frozen peas.
5. Dal bhat
Justin Narayan, a Masterchef Australia winner, credits his mother and grandmother for this “OG” recipe – he says they made dal every day. With a simple list of ingredients – red and yellow lentils, a trio of easily acquired vegetables, spices – it’s a quick, easy and nutritious recipe to add to your weekday menu. Narayan says to serve with roti, though some steamed rice could do if you need a extra-speedy dinner.
6. Charred corn salad with halloumi, broccoli and black beans
Shortly before I discovered my first-born had a dairy allergy, I was entering my halloumi era: I would fry rectangles of salty Cypriot cheese for a quick lunch any chance I got. Here, the cheese is lovingly draped on Rukmini Iyer’s chopped salad – in Australia right now, you could use fresh sweetcorn (the kernels from two ears should do it); note that tenderstem broccoli is sold here as broccolini.
7. Spaghetti with white fish and nori butter
Yotam Ottolenghi’s recipe riffs on the flavours of spaghetti alle vongole, with white fish in place of the clams and an umami-powered seaweed butter. The recipe uses sea bass, but in Australia, you could try sustainable alternatives such as farmed barramundi.
8. Pantry puttanesca
The tomatoes, garlic, olives and capers are traditional; the butter and tinned tuna are not. The result, however, is a weeknight saviour that can be tweaked however you like – throw in fresh tomatoes or tomato paste, saute the garlic first if you prefer, switch out the butter for olive oil. Alice Zaslavsky suggests casarecce or penne, but any pasta that has ridges or twists – to better grip the sauce – will do.
9. Crisp-fried Malaysian eggs
This is exactly how I like my eggs – with a slightly set yolk, lacy edges, and a drizzle of soy sauce. The clever part of Meera Sodha’s recipe is the high yield of the garlic-kicap-manis sauce, which can be spooned generously over hot white rice. At home, I have mine with a side of sliced cucumbers for freshness and crunch.
10. Antipasti beans on toast
If you ever needed permission to have beans on toast for dinner, consider it granted. This is more effort than dumping a tin of Heinz on Wonder White, but it does capitalise on pantry essentials like passata, white beans and spices. The fancy bit is popping the pan under the grill so a crust forms on top – just make sure to use one with a metal handle, and watch your fingers.
11. Ricotta and spring onion pancakes
Breakfast for dinner is a speed-cooking classic and this recipe is ready in just 10 minutes. While the late chef Bill Granger may have popularised sweet ricotta pancakes in Australia, Nigel Slater’s takes a savoury turn with spring onions and tarragon.
