Category Archives: Dinner

Dinner, Quick Meals, Slow Cooker

Malay Beef Rendang – Slow Cooker

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I still can’t believe this recipe originated from the free Woolworths monthly cookbook? A real gem!

Recipe ideas can come from anywhere so don’t be too quick to judge as I once did. It may seem like there are a million spices, but once you buy them once, you’ll find they are used in many tasty recipes. 

Malay Beef Rendang – Slow Cooker

Rating: 1 out of 5.

Ingredients (serves 4)

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 jar Ayam Malaysian Rendang Curry Paste – you can use any Rendang paste, simply follow quantity instructions on jar.
  • 3 teaspoons ground corriander
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 6 fresh kaffir lime leaves (jar leaves are ideal to use and have in fridge as backup when you can’t find fresh)
  • 1kg chuck steak or rump, cut into 3cm pieces
  • 270ml coconut cream
  • 1/4 cup tamarind purée 
  • Cooked wild rice
  • Kachumber salad (optional extra on the side). A mixture of tomato, cucumber, red onion, coriander, lime juice or white wine vinegar and a little salt.

Method

  • Select SAUTÉ on slow cooker. Heat oil, spices and lime leaves, and cook stirring for 3 minutes.
  • Add beef and stir to coat.
  • Add coconut milk, tamarind purée, and stir well to combine.
  • Set slow cooker to HIGH for 1.5hrs.
  • Serve with rice and Kachumber salad (optional).
Dinner, Stove Top

Thai Laksa

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This recipe is based on Jamie Oliver’s Thai Style Chicken Laksa from his book “Jamie’s 15 Minute Meals.”

I could dine with Jamie’s daily, so long as he cooks. Whilst he can whip up multi-faceted, three course meals in 15 minutes, I am not a trained chef, nor have the kitchen stocked to the level he does.

I have most of Jamie’s books, (did I mention how great he is?), and I have come to realise I can extract one aspect of his recipe and cook it as a standalone meal – a showstopper in its own right!

I’ve always cooked Jamie’s full version of this meal (including the Chinese five spice chicken accompaniment – worth checking out), however when cooking off-grid I realised, the Laksa element is a star on its own – and filling too. It’s also a great way to introduce a meat-free meal into your diet. 

Meal planning tip: pair this meal in your weekly (or monthly), meal plan, with Beef Rendang as you can share the kaffir lime leaves ingredient – which can seem all too exotic if you aren’t used to it.

Make ahead of time

Like the pressure/slow cooker meals, this meal can be made ahead of time and finished off just before serving. Make the paste and put in the fridge until you are ready to put it all together and eat.

Add any greens you like such as asparagus or green beans.

Thai Laksa

Rating: 1 out of 5.

Ingredients (serves 4)

  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic/ 2 cloves of garlic 
  • 2 teaspoons minced ginger / 5 cm piece of ginger 
  • 1 fresh red chilli (seeds removed)
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric 
  • ½ a bunch spring onions / shallots 
  • 1 heaped teaspoon peanut butter 
  • 4 kaffir lime leaves 
  • ½ a bunch of fresh coriander 
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil 
  • 1 tablespoon low-salt soy sauce 
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce 
  • 300g laksa / vermicelli noodles 
  • 1 head of broccoli, cut into small pieces
  • 1 x 400g tin of light coconut milk 
  • 800ml boiled water 
  • 1 chicken or vegetable stock cube

Method

In a small blender / processor add the garlic, ginger, chilli, turmeric, shallots, peanut butter, lime leaves, coriander stalks (saving the leaves), sesame oil, soy and fish sauce. Blitz to a paste.

Boil the stock, add in the paste, coconut milk, and broccoli and stir. Boil for 2 mins, then add the noodles, turn the heat down to LOW and stir for another few minutes until noodles and broccoli is soft.

Serve with lime wedges, sprinkling with the coriander leaves and slices of fresh chilli.

Dinner, Quick Meals, Stove Top

Mince Chow Mein

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This family-favourite is quick and easy to make, but best of all economical!

I usually make a double batch and freeze for when we’re spending the day on the boat, or if we have a big day planned and want something easy for dinner.

Mince Chow Mein

Rating: 1 out of 5.

Ingredients (serves 4)

  • 500g mince
  • 1/4 wombok cabbage, shredded
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 250g beans, chopped
  • 2 sticks celery, chopped
  • 1 brown onion, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons uncooked rice
  • 1 packet chicken noodle soup mix
  • 1 teaspoon curry powder
  • 2.5 cups boiled water

Method

  • Brown onion and mince.
  • Add all ingredients and cook on LOW for 20 minutes, stirring regularly.
  • Add soy sauce to taste.
  • Optional – serve with rice, or mix through any form of noodles.
Dinner, Pressure Cooker, Quick Meals

One Pot Fajita Chicken & Rice – Pressure Cooker

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This meal is a perfect mid-week solution for busy families.

It’s fast, yummy, and can be made with any vegetables you have on hand. We love the sweet flavour of the yellow capsicum and it was what we had available at the time. I’d love to try this with green beans, or maybe even peas, just add them before you pressure cook.

We added the capsicum at the end only because I prefer crunchy capsicum, and our kids haven’t learnt to love it yet.

One Pot Fajita Chicken & Rice – Pressure Cooker

Rating: 1 out of 5.

Ingredients (serves 4)

  • 2 chicken breasts, cut into 2cm chunks
  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil
  • 1 red onion, diced
  • 1 tomato, diced
  • 2 carrots, chopped small
  • 2 cups brown rice, rinsed
  • 2 cups water
  • 1/2 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 yellow capsicum, chopped
  • Optional – 4 tablespoons green yoghurt

Method

  • Select SAUTE setting on pressure cooker, heat the oil, add the chicken and brown.
  • Move chicken to the side and add the red onion, cooking for a few minutes.
  • Add the tomato, carrots, rice, fajita seasoning (spices), and stock.
  • Pressure cook on HIGH for 8 minutes.
  • When finished, carefully release the steam. Open the lid, and stir in the yoghurt if using. Give the rice a quick stir.
  • Serve with fresh, chopped capsicum.
Dinner, Quick Meals, Slow Cooker

Massaman Chicken Curry – Slow Cooker

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Slow cooker curries are simply the best!

Anything you add takes on the flavour, so I like to throw in some cannelloni beans to change things up.

Massaman Chicken Curry – Slow Cooker

Rating: 1 out of 5.

Ingredients

  • 400ml can coconut milk
  • 500g chicken, cubed
  • 1 brown onion diced
  • 1/2 jar massaman curry paste (or follow quantity on jar)
  • 400g tin cannelini beans, strained
  • 3 potatoes, cubed
  • 3 sweet potato, cubed
  • 2 carrots, cubed
  • 400ml tin coconut milk
  • Optional: packet of poppadoms.

Method

  • Select SAUTE setting on pressure cooker, heat the oil and cook the onion for 2 minutes.
  • Add the chicken and brown.
  • Add the paste, stir and cook for 2 minutes.
  • Add the cannelloni beans, vegetables, and coconut milk.
  • Stir and slow cook in HIGH for 4 hours.
  • Optional: serve with poppadoms.