Tuesday 14 / May / 2024
Are you short of time or tired of cooking in this sweltering heat? Don’t lose heart. Have dinner served on the table in just 15 minutes with these quick recipes.
Pasta Aglio Olio
Pasta Aglio Olio is a traditional and most basic pasta dish, with garlic and olive oil as its star ingredients. It is very quick to put together this dish and needs very few ingredients to make. Hence a life saver for last minute emergencies. Sprinkling Italian breadcrumbs instead of cheese enhances the flavour of this rustic dish. Ingredients
• Salt • 1 packet of spaghetti pasta • 1/3 cup olive oil • 8 large garlic cloves, cut into thin slivers • ½tsp crushed red pepper flakes • ½ cup minced fresh parsley • 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
Preparation
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons of salt and the pasta and cook according to the directions on the package. Set aside 1 1/2 cups of the pasta cooking water before you drain the pasta. Takes approximately 5 minutes to do this. • Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a pot large enough to hold the pasta, such as a 12-inch sauté pan or a large, shallow pot. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until it just begins to turn golden on the edges. Don’t overcook it. Add the red pepper flakes. Carefully add the reserved pasta-cooking water to the garlic and oil and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, add 1 teaspoon of salt, and simmer for about 5 minutes, until the liquid is reduced by about a third. • Add the drained pasta to the garlic sauce and toss. Off the heat, add the parsley and Parmesan and toss well. Allow the pasta to rest off the heat for 3 minutes for the sauce to be absorbed. Taste for seasoning and serve warm with extra Parmesan on the side or you could garnish with crumbled Italian bread crumbs.
Read: One ingredient 5 ways: Lychee
Curried Scrambled Eggs with Broccoli
Egg is one such versatile food which can be paired with any vegetable and a delicious recipe can be prepared. Curried Scrambled Eggs with Broccoli is perfect for the days when you are tired after a busy day and don’t want to eat outside. A great time saver in the kitchen and healthy too.
Ingredients
• 2tbsp oil • 2 medium sized onion, finely chopped • 3 garlic pods, finely chopped • 2 medium sized tomatoes, finely chopped • 1 cup broccoli florets, chopped into small pieces • 1tsp turmeric powder • 2tsp red chilli powder • Salt to taste • 3 eggs • 2tbsp coriander leaves, finely chopped
Preparation
• Heat oil in a frying pan or skillet and add finely chopped onions. • When onion turns pinkish, add chopped garlic and sauté till the raw smell of garlic goes away for 3 minutes. • Once it is done, add the chopped tomatoes and sauté till it turns mushy. • Add broccoli florets and cook them for 7 minutes. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt and mix everything well. • One by one break the eggs directly into the skillet. Mix well and wait for the eggs to cook. • Once you see the eggs getting cooked, take a spatula and scramble it in the skillet. Scramble continuously till the eggs are finely minced and mixed well with the onion-tomato-broccoli mixture. It takes almost 5 minutes. Adjust salt according to your taste and garnish with chopped coriander leaves and again mix well. Switch off the gas and serve hot.
Black Bean and Corn Quesadillas
For a quick and hearty lunch or dinner, these black bean, corn and cheese quesadillas with salsa are perfect and filling.
Ingredients
• 1 can black beans, rinsed • ½ can corn • ½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese •½ cup prepared fresh salsa or a ready made tin • 8-inch whole-wheat tortilla • 2tsp canola oil, divided • 1 ripe avocado, diced
Preparation
• Combine beans, corn, cheese and 1/4 cup salsa in a medium bowl. Place tortilla on a work surface. Spread 1/2 cup filling on half of each tortilla. Fold tortilla in half, pressing gently to flatten. This takes about 5 minutes. • Heat 1tsp oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add quesadillas and cook, turning once, until golden on both sides. It takes approximately 8-10 minutes to make them in batches. Serve the quesadillas with sour cream or a mixed green salad.
Vegetable Lo Mein
The simplest stir fry noodles recipe can be made with whatever vegetables you have in your kitchen.
Ingredients
• 2 cups wheat flour noodles • 1 tbsp olive oil • 1 tbsp soy sauce • 1 tbsp red chilli sauce • 1/4 tsp brown sugar • 2 cloves garlic, minced • 1/4 red bell pepper, julienned • 1/4 green bell pepper, julienned, • 1/4 yellow bell pepper, julienned • 1 carrot, julienned • 1/4 cup broccoli, cut into small florets • ½ cup white onions, finely chopped • ½ cup spring onions, finely chopped
Preparation
• Cook noodles as per packet instructions, drain, rinse twice, rub 1tsp of oil all over the noodles. Keep it aside. Whisk together soy sauce, red chilli sauce, brown sugar and keep it aside. This takes about 5 minutes. Heat oil in a wok. • Add minced garlic and white onions, sauté for about a minute. Add all the vegetables, cook, stir frequently, until tender or for about 5 minutes. Stir in cooked noodles and cook for 5 minutes more. Add soy sauce mixture, and gently toss to combine. Serve hot.
Chicken Sausage and Spinach Frittata
The classic Italian egg frittata just got a new makeover with chicken sausage and spinach. This simple recipe can spice up your meal in just 15 minutes. Ingredients
• 1tbsp olive oil • ½ onion, diced • 1 small green pepper, diced • 3 eggs • 4 egg whites • 12 chicken sausages (cut into rounds) • 2 large heaping handfuls fresh spinach (about 4 cups) • ½tsp salt • 1/4tsp freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
• Set oven to broil on high. • Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large, oven-safe skillet. Sauté onion and green pepper until softened for about 3 minutes.Add onion and pepper and cook, combine eggs, egg whites, salt and pepper in a medium bowl, stirring to combine. • Add the chicken sausages to peppers and onion and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Add spinach and cook until wilted.Add eggs to skillet and lightly stir. This takes about 4-5 minutes.Transfer pan to the oven and broil for 5 minutes, until top of frittata begins to brown slightly.
