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If ever a night called for an easy dinner, it's Monday. And Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday... you get the idea. The craving for low-key, super-quick meals that still deliver on taste is endless.
Fortunately, we happen to hang with the guy who 100 percent gets it. Adam Liaw is the master of easy dinners. Not just because he seems to be the busiest cook in town, as well as the father of young kids and a social media whizz. But also because he understands that good food doesn't have to be complicated.
“These days, I cook more simply than I ever have in my life," . "It's not that I cook worse, or that I cook food that doesn't taste as good as before. In fact, I'm cooking more simply in less time. But the food I'm making now tastes better than it ever has."
If you want some insights into how he makes easy dinners work, cook one of these recipes tonight. Each guarantees tonight will be your favourite night of the week.
Speed through a stir-fry
This umami-packed weeknight dinner utilises an often-overlooked shortcut: the microwave. Credit: Photography by Jiwon Kim
Use your noodles
These supreme soy sauce noodles make a simple but satisfying dinner in only 10 minutes. Credit: Kitti Gould
Made for slurping
Stir-fried lap cheong with noodles
Roll on ramen
Make your noodles the soupy kind and happiness knows no bounds. To get the big, bold flavours worthy of ramen, you'll need to work ahead. For example, this features eggs that have been cured for a couple of days, other times you'll want to add a slow-cooked stock to bring depth to this otherwise simple dish. Either way, if you prep and fridge or even freeze ahead your elements, ramen smoothly comes together like silk.
Slow things down
Naturally you're now craving a pulled pork burger, so get the slow cooker out. Credit: Kitti Gould
Slow-cooked
Express your eggs
From eggs to excellent in around seven minutes - the ease of a standby omelette recipe should never be underestimated. Credit: Kitti Gould
Anything goes
Broccolini omelette
Pasta every day
Chicken, cream cheese, onion, garlic, oregano and peas work some kind of magic. Credit: Jiwon Kim
Protein plus
An enduring classic for good reason. Credit: Jiwon Kim
SIMPLE FARE
Moroccan stuffed sardines
More tips to make weeknight dinners easy
1. Plan ahead
Take a few moments at the start of the week to plot out what you're going to . Check your fridge, pantry and freezer for what you have on hand and make a shopping list as you go. That way you're ready in advance with everything you need.
2. Prep early
Prepare everything you can in the morning so you can launch straight into the cooking as soon as you get home. Chop your veggies, mix your sauces, marinate your meat, take out your pans and ensure your bench and the sink are both clean and waiting.
3. Rest easy
One of the most underrated ways to add flavour to a meal is to give it time to rest before serving. This is great news for time-pressed cooks because it also gives you time to rest between cooking and serving. Taking 10 minutes to yourself to slow down, be in the moment and enjoy the fact that the day is nearly done makes any everyday dinner memorable.
