Midweek Meals: Five family-friendly dinners ready in 30 minutes or less

Get your week off to a yummy start with these quick and easy family dinners

Dinner in under thirty minutes? Yes please

Fast fakeaway fried rice

recipe by:Erica Drum

Ideal for days when the fridge needs a clear out, use whatever vegetables you have

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 5 mins

Cooking Time

 12 mins

Total Time

 17 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 1 onion- red/white/scallion/shallot

• 4 cloves garlic

• 1 red chilli or chilli flakes or chilli powder

• 200g leftover protein bits- chicken/tofu/veg/prawns

• Soy sauce

• Honey

• 1 tablespoons fish sauce or shrimp paste(optional)

• 200g cooked cold rice (it is truly best to use less fresh rice)

• 100g of empty the fridge veg- scallions, peas, cubed carrots, pak choi

• 1 tomato or a few cherry tomatoes

• Salt and pepper

• Oil for frying

Method

1. Fry your onions in some oil over a hot heat for a few minutes and then add your garlic and chilli.

2. Season the onions, garlic and chilli with some salt. Fry for a further 3-4 minutes.

3. Now add in your strips of chicken/tofu/veg/prawns and fry for at least 5 more minutes or until a little golden. If raw, be sure to cool them through.

4. In a little dish, you can mix up your soy sauce, honey, and fish sauce or shrimp paste.

5. Add your rice, any extra veg, tomato and your sauce to the pan. Stir it all together and fry for another minute or two until everything is cooked and piping hot. Taste and add seasoning as desired.

6. Serve with a freshly fried crispy egg.
   
   Photo by Momo King from Pexels

Pork fillet stroganoff

recipe by:Darina Allen

Yoghurt gives this dish the tang it needs. Don't skimp on the cornflour - it is essential for stabilising the sauce

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 15 mins

Total Time

 25 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 1tbsp vegetable oil

• 500g (18oz) pork tenderloin, cut into thick strips about 1 cm wide

• 15g (½oz) unsalted butter

• 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped

• 250g (9oz) closed cup mushrooms, wiped and thickly sliced

• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves

• 1tbsp Worcestershire sauce

• 1tbsp Dijon mustard

• 1tsp paprika

• 150g  Greek yoghurt

• 1tbsp cornflour mixed with 100ml cold water

• Freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Preheat a large non-stick frying pan over a high heat and add the oil . Add the pork and stir fry for 2-3 minutes until lightly browned. Remove from the pan.

2. Add the butter to the pan, then the onion, mushrooms and thyme and pan fry until just softened. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, mustard and paprika.

3. Return the pork with its juices to the pan and mix well. Combine the yogurt and cornflour mixture and fold through the meat to warm through. Season with pepper.

4. You may like to add a little extra water for a thinner sauce or another tub of yogurt for a creamier sauce.