Feeling too rushed or tired? 15-minute meals to help you power through your day

Sticky hoisin beef. Picture: Anna’s Family Kitchen

Sticky hoisin beef. Picture: Anna’s Family Kitchen

Published Aug 1, 2022

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Feeling too rushed or tired to prepare something big for dinner?

Cooking at home doesn’t need to be hard.

We’ve pulled together some recipes for quick and easy 15-minute meals that you can make.

Bang bang chicken salad

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

For the peanut sauce

4 tbsp peanut butter

3 tbsp honey

3 tbsp soy sauce

3 tbsp lime juice

1 chilli finely chopped or 1 tsp lazy chilli

1 tsp grated fresh ginger or 1 tsp lazy ginger

1 tbsp sesame oil

4 tbsp water

600g cooked chicken or 4 skinless cooked chicken breasts

4 spring onions shredded

1 cucumber sliced

1 chilli finely chopped

300g noodles

100g bean sprouts, fresh or canned, or substitute with shredded crisp lettuce for crunch

Mix and match

50g frozen Edamame beans defrosted

100g green beans, sugar snaps, mange tout or broccoli

100g pak choi shredded

Method

Cook the noodles according to packet instructions and drain.

Combine the peanut sauce ingredients in a bowl.

Cook your chosen green veg for 3-4 minutes. Set aside.

Slice the chicken breasts and combine with the peanut sauce.

Arrange the noodles, all the greens, cucumber, spring onions, and bean sprouts on a platter or toss them together in a large bowl.

Add the chicken with its peanut sauce. Finish with the fresh chilli and coriander leaves and serve.

Sticky hoisin beef

Serves: 4

Ingredients

4 tbsp groundnut oil

4 x 1-5cm thick sirloin steaks trimmed of fat and cut into 1cm strips

1 carrot made into ribbons using a potato peeler

150g pak choi leaves or Chinese cabbage shredded

4 spring onions trimmed & shredded

1 beaten egg

2 tbsp soy

3 tbsp cornflour or plain flour

For the hoisin sauce

4 tbsp soya sauce

2 tbsp honey

1 tbsp dark sugar

2 tbsp rice wine

1 garlic clove crushed

¼ tsp chilli flakes (optional)

½ tsp Chinese 5 spice

15ml water

Method

Mix the soya sauce and egg together and add the beef strips.

Tip the flour onto a plate.

Put all the hoisin ingredients into a blender or bullet and whizz.

Have all your ingredients been prepped?

Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan until it smokes.

Take the beef out of the egg and dip it into the flour so each piece is coated.

Fry the beef in about four batches. Each batch should only take a minute. It should just take on a little colour and have a coating.

Wipe the pan clean, return all the beef to the pan, and pour in the hoisin sauce. Coat the beef in the sauce. Take off the heat and stir in the carrot. ribbons, spring onions, and greens. Stir and serve.

Recipes by Anna’s Family Kitchen.

Tuna pasta

Ingredients

Penne pasta

Cape herb and spice roast veggie seasoning

Cape herb and spice poke spice

1 whole diced tomato

Garlic

Chopped coriander

Ricotta cheese (to top)

1 can shredded tuna in brine

Method

In a pot, bring your pasta to boil and cook for 6-9 minutes or until al dente.

Fry your chopped tomato and garlic until soft, and season with the spice veggie seasoning.

Add your cooked pasta and stir through, adding in half of the chopped coriander.

Add your tuna, season with poke spice, and stir through.

Transfer your pasta to a bowl, top with your ricotta and remaining half of coriander, and enjoy!

Recipe by Tumi’s Wellness.

Read the latest issue of IOL Food digital magazine here.