Salmon Cutlets with Penang Curry Sauce

1x400g salmon cutlet. Clean after rubbing rock salt on it. Put on a plate in the wok with spring onion and fresh kaffir lime leaves under and on top. Steam gently for 20 mins.

In separate small frypan, make sauce. Fry coriander root and onion in coconut cream. Add curry paste (1/3 tin of penang). Add coconut milk and chicken stock. Add 2 tsp sugar and 1 tsp fish sauce and 1 tsp lime juice. Cook for a bit to cook the onion. Chuck in some green beans, cook gently for 2 mins.

Pour sauce over fish. Serve with rice, coriander and spring onion. Fish serves 2. Could also add extra veges on the side like bok choy.

Result: 5
Preparation: really quick and easy, and low mess.

Can also be done with green curry, and better if salmon is cooked for 15 mins not 20. Result: 5.5.

Tomato & Cannellini Bean stew

Fry up: sliced onion, crushed garlic and cubes of eggplant. Add cinzano, chicken stock, water and salt. Add chopped tomatoes, passata and drained tin of cannellini beans. Cook for about 10 mins. Serve with buttered bread.

Result: 5 for lunch
Preparation: very quick and easy

Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni

Make a basic tomato sauce.

Wash and chop spinach. Mix in bowl with fresh ricotta, grated cheese, 1 egg, salt, pepper and breadcrumbs.

Cook 4 lasagne sheets (lasagna that needs pre-cooking) for about 5 mins. Run under cold water. Put some tomato sauce on base of oven dish. Form 4 logs from ricotta mixture and wrap with lasagne sheets. Top with more tomato sauce and some parmesan cheese. Cook at 160 degrees fan bake for about 30 mins.

Result: 4.5. Yum and good presentation too. Excellent to prepare ahead.
Preparation: lasagna is a bit fiddly, but otherwise it's very easy, especially if the sauce is used for something else too.

Lamb Chops with Salsa

Lamb chops, fan grill in oven 190 degrees for 20 mins (for quite well done, try 15 mins next time). Also cook corn in oven at same time.

Make a salsa with red and green capsicum, spring onion, coriander, cucumber and tomato. Sauced with vinegar and sugar and lime juice and tabasco.

Serve with burritos and jar of salsa dip.

Result: 3 - a bit random ...
Preparation: quick and easy.

Shallot Omelette and Veges

Lightly fry chopped shallots in wok. Mix in bowl with eggs, add a little water and beat lightly. Cook omelette in wok and remove.

Veges - green beans and brussels sprouts, chopped. Stir fry for a bit then add bok choy and some water and steam with wok lid on. Remove.

Make sauce: soy sauce, oyster sauce, chicken stock, sugar, sherry, sesame oil. Cook in wok till it boils. Only need a little bit of sauce.

Serve with rice and pour sauce over.

Result: 3.5
Preparation: dead easy and very fast.

Rice noodles with Pork Mince and eggplant

Homemade rice noodles - see previous recipe for Poh's noodles. Cut into strips.

Pork mince browned with garlic and sherry, remove from wok.
Stir fry eggplant, red capsicum and mushrooms and spring onion. Add chilli flakes, cumin seeds and five spice and white pepper, chicken stock. Add pork back in. Then remove all.
Fry noodles lightly for a minute or so. Add rest of stuff back in and add bok choy and a small splash of dark soy.
Top with spring onions.

Result: 4.5
Preparation: quick and easy, if noodles done earlier in day.

Pasta with Chicken, Sausage and Grilled Veges

Start with some chopped cooked chicken. Sliced onion, chorizo sausage chopped, mushrooms, fried up. Grill in electric grill zucchini, eggplant and red capsicum. Add to fried stuff with cinzano, chicken stock and pepper. Later add passata, sour cream and fresh basil. Serve with pasta.

Result: 3.5
Preparation: easy, about 40 mins.

Mexican Chicken Sandwiches

Chicken thighs, cut into small pieces and pan-fried until cooked in a little canola oil.

Serve in a roll with shredded lettuce, chopped tomato, grated cheese, mashed avocado, sour cream and tomato salsa.

Result: 4
Preparation: really easy and quick, and keeps well.

Lamb Kofta and Egg Tagine

see page 85 of 'cooking moroccan'. Basically make lamb koftas with lamb mince and herbs, and pan fry, then make a spicy tomato sauce, add koftas, then crack in a couple of eggs and slowly cook. Serve with veges and cous cous.

Result: 5

Preparation: somewhat time consuming between the koftas and the sauce.

Poh's Homemade Rice Noodles with Pork

Rice noodles (from Poh's Kitchen):
1 cup rice flour
1/3 cup cornflour
1/2 tsp salt
350ml water

Whisk till combined. Cook briefly in small saucepan on low heat until slightly thickened. Pour into container (9 inch springform works well). Have water simmering in wok. Place dish on trivet and steam for 7-10 mins. Cool (out of fridge) and cut into squares or slices.

Stir-fry noodles with roast pork, bok choy, capsicum and spring onion.

Result: 4 (would be 5 but too much grease!!)
Preparation: probably easier than dealing with fresh rice noodles.

Lamb Backstrap with Fattoush

Lamb backstraps from Halal Butcher
Rub in Dukkah

Pan-fry in non-stick frypan or griddle for a few minutes, put on a little oil, then transfer to oven on 200 degrees to finish cooking.

Serve with simple fattoush (lettuce & tomato salad with broken up bread bits), and home-made hommus.

Result: 5 for lamb, meal 4

Preparation: easy.