the sos series

You have eggs, you have noodles, and there’s a strong chance you have everything you need for the sauce. So that’s dinner sorted.

You (probably) already have all you need to make RecipeTin’s Thai noodles with egg ribbons

dried bean vermicelli

eggs

salt

peanut oil (or other neutral oil)

onion, finely sliced

garlic cloves, finely chopped

red capsicum,

broccoli

Whisk together eggs and salt. Heat ½ tablespoon of the oil in a 30cm nonstick frying pan over high heat. Pour in half the egg, swirl to spread, cook until surface is set, slide out onto cutting board. Repeat with another ½ tablespoon of oil and remaining egg. When cool enough to handle, roll up and slice into 1cm-wide strips – egg ribbons!

Heat the last 1 tablespoon of oil. Cook onion, garlic, capsicum and gai laan stems for 1 minute. Add gai laan leaves and toss for 1 minute. Add noodles then pour the sauce over. Toss for a good 2 minutes to allow the sauce to soak into the noodles and get a bit of caramelisation on them.

Finally, gently toss through the egg ribbons. Some will break – that’s OK! Serve immediately.

Cooked from scratch, this versatile simmer sauce beats the jarred stuff hands down.

RecipeTin’s chicken in a quick honey mustard simmer sauce that makes everything scoffable

chicken thigh fillets,

¾ tsp cooking salt

½ tsp black pepper

unsalted butter

brown onion, sliced

thyme leaves

(80 milliliters) white wine (optional)

tbsp plain flour

chicken stock, salt reduced

Dijon mustard

tbsp honey

tbsp apple cider vinegar

tbsp thickened cream

Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and set aside. 

Melt the butter in large (30cm) non-stick pan or large heavy-based pot over high heat until it starts foaming.

Cook onion for 2 minutes. Add garlic and thyme, and cook for 1 minute.

Add the seasoned chicken and cook until changes from pink to white (about 3 minutes). Keep stirring so it doesn’t become watery (see note).

Add wine, if using, and simmer rapidly until it mostly reduces and the winey smell is gone.

Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute.Pour in the chicken stock while stirring (the flour stuck on the chicken will dissolve into the liquid and thicken the sauce as it continues to cook).

Add the mustard, honey and vinegar. Bring to a simmer, stirring, and simmer on medium heat for 5 minutes until the sauce thickens to a syrupy consistency. Stir in the cream then serve over mash, rice or small pasta (risoni, small macaroni, ditalini or everybody’s favourite, alphabet pasta).

A spicy, coconutty, umami-rich noodle soup on the table in 20 minutes? Yes, you can.

Short on time, big on flavour: RecipeTin Eats’ 20-minute laksa

vegetable oil

(150 grams) laksa paste, preferably Por Kwan brand (see note)

coconut milk (see note)

(750 milliliters) chicken stock, low sodium (see note)

dried rice vermicelli

tbsp fish sauce

juice of ½ lime

tofu puffs, cut in half (see note)

bean sprouts

coriander leaves

tbsp crispy fried shallots (see note, optional)

Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the laksa paste and cook, stirring for 2 minutes until it transforms from being wet and loose into a dry paste. Reduce the heat if it’s catching on the base of the pot.

Pour in the coconut milk, then once small bubbles appear, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the stock, return to a simmer and cook for 5 more minutes.

Meanwhile, soak the vermicelli noodles following packet directions. Drain and set aside.

Add the prawns and bok choy to the broth and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the fish sauce and lime juice.

To serve, divide noodles between bowls. Spoon over soup broth and all the add-ins. Top with bean sprouts, coriander leaves, chilli and crispy fried shallots (if using). Devour!

A couple of glasses of Ireland’s finest adds richness and deep colour to this cosy stew.

RecipeTin Eats’ Irish chicken stew has a magic ingredient that speeds things up without sacrificing flavour

chicken thighs

chicken drumsticks

tsp cooking salt

butter unsalted

halved,

button mushrooms, halved

thyme

milliliters (1½ cups) Guinness beer

tbsp flour

milliliters (3 cups) beef stock

potato,

Sprinkle the chicken all over with ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper. 

Melt the butter in a large (about 30cm) frying pan over medium-high heat until foaming. Place the chicken in the pan, skin side down, and cook for 5 minutes, or until golden. Turn and cook the other side for 1 minute. (Do the best you can browning the drumsticks; it’s a bit hard because of the shape.) If your frying pan is not big enough to contain the chicken pieces in a single layer, brown in 2 batches, then remove to a plate. 

The butter in the pan is now browned, which means extra flavour in the sauce. Add the onion and cook for 1 minute. Then add the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes, until light golden. Stir in the garlic and thyme for the last 30 seconds.

Add the Guinness, turn the heat to high, and simmer until reduced by 75 per cent – about 2 to 3 minutes, depending on the cooking power of your stove and how well your pan conducts heat. Add the flour and stir for 1 minute, then add the beef stock and remaining ½ teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper, stirring to combine. Return the chicken to the sauce and bring to a simmer, reducing the heat to medium so it’s simmering gently, and cook for 30 minutes. Stir around the chicken now and then to ensure the base isn’t catching. The chicken’s internal temperature should be 72C or slightly higher, and the sauce should have thickened into a gravy.

Divide chicken and gravy among 4 plates, served over mash.

Here’s everybody’s favourite creamy pasta, only as a deep-dish bake.

RecipeTin Eats’ chicken and mushroom Alfredo pasta bake (starring your new favourite cheesy, creamy sauce)

¾ tsp black pepper

penne pasta

tbsp extra virgin olive oil

cup mushrooms, sliced 6mm thick

Preheat oven to 160C fan-forced (180C conventional). Toss the chicken with ¾ teaspoon each of salt and pepper.

Bring a pot of water to the boil with the 2 teaspoons of salt. Cook penne according to packet directions then drain in a colander. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-based pot on your biggest stove burner until very hot. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring constantly, until they soften and turn light brown (see note). Remove from the pot.

For the Alfredo sauce, in the same pot, still on high heat, melt the butter until foaming. Add the chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes until lightly coloured but still raw on the inside. Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Pour in wine, stir, then simmer rapidly until it reduces by half.

Add the flour and stir for 1 minute. Slowly pour in hot milk while stirring constantly. Cook until the sauce thickens slightly (30 seconds to 1 minute), then stir in the cream, chicken stock, salt and pepper. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the sauce is thick and you can draw a path on the back of the wooden spoon. Stir in all the parmesan and about 100g (1 cup) of the mozzarella.

Add the pasta and mushrooms, then stir to combine. Transfer to a 23cm x 33cm baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella, then bake for 25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.

This is the chicken version of your favourite honey pepper beef that you always order at the local Chinese restaurant.

RecipeTin Eats’ sticky honey pepper chicken ticks all your quick midweek dinner boxes

peanut oil (or canola or vegetable oil)

onion, halved then cut into 7mm wedges

carrots,

garlic cloves, finely minced

chicken thighs,

Heat oil in a non-stick pan over high heat. Cook onion and carrot for 2 minutes.

Add garlic and chicken, cook for 3 minutes.

Tip all the chicken and vegetables into a bowl.

Return the pan to the stove over medium-high heat. Pour in sauce ingredients, mix, and allow to simmer for 2-3 minutes until syrupy. Don’t hold back here − syrupy means a deep sauce colour and great flavour.

Transfer the chicken and vegetables back in. Toss well for 1 minute to coat everything beautifully in the sauce.

Serve over rice, sprinkled with spring onions, if desired.

Quicker (and cheaper) than ordering takeaway, this simple dough is a game-changer for pizza fans.

RecipeTin Eats’ 30-minute no-yeast pizza will change your life

tomato passata

tomato paste

¼ tsp caster sugar

tsp extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 230C fan-forced (250C conventional). Place a shelf in the top quarter of the oven.

To make the pizza sauce, mix the ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.

To make the pizza dough: In a food processor bowl, add the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar and pulse twice using the standard S blade. Add the water and olive oil and blitz on low for 40 seconds – the ingredients will come together into a shaggy ball. 

Roll out the dough: Sprinkle the benchtop with half of the extra flour and scrape the dough out of the food processor bowl onto the bench. Sprinkle with the remaining extra flour and shape the dough into a ball. It should be soft and elastic and not stick to your hands, but it will not be completely smooth like yeast dough. Roll out into a 30cm round.

Assembling the pizza base: Spray a pizza tray (preferably one with holes, which creates a crisper base) or a baking tray with olive oil and transfer the dough to the tray. Use your fingers to stretch the dough outwards from the centre to fill the tray to the edge. Avoid pinching the edges (to ensure puffy crust!)

Top and bake: Top the dough with pizza sauce, leaving a 2cm margin around the edge. Add the toppings in the order listed and spray the exposed crust edge with olive oil spray.

Bake for 12 minutes, until the edges are crisp and golden. Cut and serve immediately.

When a craving for filled Turkish flatbread strikes, this cheeky shortcut will allow you to get them on the table in a flash.

RecipeTin Eats’ spicy lamb gozleme are ready in 30 minutes flat thanks to this handy hack

olive oil

onion, finely diced

lamb mince

cumin powder

paprika

cayenne

(4 heaped cups) baby spinach

Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over high heat. Cook the onion and garlic for 1 minute until softened but not coloured. Add the capsicum and cook for 2 minutes. Add the lamb and cook until it changes from pink to brown, breaking it up as you go.

Stir in the cumin, paprika, cayenne, salt and pepper. Cook for 1 minute. Add the spinach, stirring until wilted. Transfer the filling to a bowl and let it cool for 10 minutes.

Hold the phone. This fiery and fragrant Thai restaurant favourite starring pork mince is quicker than takeaway.

RecipeTin Eats’ spicy Thai chilli and basil pork stir-fry is for those who like it hot

tbsp oyster sauce

tbsp light soy sauce

tbsp dark soy sauce

tsp white sugar

Mix the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan over high heat. Cook the onion for 1 minute, then add the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes or until the onion is soft and translucent.

Add the pork mince and cook, breaking it up as you go, until the pork is no longer pink. 

Add the sauce, and cook until nicely caramelised, about 3 minutes. Stir in the chilli and toss for 30 seconds. Just before serving, stir in the Thai basil. 

Serve immediately over rice, garnished with a few extra Thai basil leaves and slices of fresh chilli, if you dare!

With its warm spicy flavours and sunset hues, this is a soulful curry that comes together quickly.

RecipeTin Eats’ golden coconut pumpkin curry is quick, cheap and easy (and just so happens to be vegan)

star anise

cinnamon

turmeric (see note)

tsp garlic

tsp ginger

1.5kg pumpkin, peeled,

vegetable stock

can chickpeas, drained

coconut cream (see note)

coriander leaves (lightly packed), plus extra for garnish

crispy fried shallots,

Combine the spice mix ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large heavy-based pot over medium-high heat. Add the star anise and cinnamon, and stir for 1 minute.

Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes to soften. Add the turmeric, garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute.

Add the spice mix and stir for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the pumpkin and stir for 2 minutes.

Add the stock, chickpeas and coconut cream. Stir and bring to a simmer. It’s fine if some pumpkin is not submerged in the sauce. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pumpkin is soft all the way through, but not collapsing.

Stir in the coriander and serve, garnished with extra coriander leaves and crispy fried shallots.

Quick, easy, flexible and delicious, Nagi Maehashi turns to this dependable recipe after a long day, and you will too.

RecipeTin Eats was almost too embarrassed to share her incredibly simple go-to dinner with crispy chilli oil

beef scotch fillet steaks (see note)

tsp vegetable oil,

½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper

Lao Gan Ma crispy chilli oil (see note)

Take the steak out of the fridge. (See note below about salting overnight.) Pat the surface dry with a paper towel then leave the steak on the counter for 1 hour to remove the chill. This will help it cook more evenly. 

Put the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with 5cm of water. Add 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to medium-high, and cook for 12-15 minutes or until the potatoes are soft all the way through. Drain in a colander, transfer to a bowl, and crush them lightly with a fork so they burst open slightly. Drizzle with butter, sprinkle with salt, pepper and parsley, if using, then gently toss and keep warm until you’re ready to serve. 

Preheat a dry cast-iron frying pan on high heat until it is smoking hot (look for wisps of smoke). Do not put oil in the pan or use a non-stick pan (you’ll destroy it).

Meanwhile, drizzle the oil on the steak and rub it all over, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. 

Place the steaks in the pan and cook the first side for 2½ minutes or until a deep golden-brown crust forms. Turn and cook the other side for 2 minutes or until the steak’s internal temperature reaches 51C (medium-rare) – see note for other levels of doneness.

Remove the steaks from the pan and rest for 5 minutes on a rack over a plate (this prevents the bottom from becoming “sweaty”). The internal temperature will rise to 56C. Cut the steaks into thick slices.

While the steaks are resting, add the asparagus to the still-hot pan over high heat. Toss for 2 to 3 minutes or until tender-crisp. The residual oil, salt and pepper will season the asparagus. 

To serve, divide the steak slices among two plates and place the potatoes and asparagus alongside. Dollop as much crispy chilli oil as you want across the steak. Then dig in!

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