Crafty Meals – easy recipes for healthy meals

Asian Fish Hot Pot
Serves 4
Prep time : 10 minutes
Cooking time : 37 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
2 teaspoons peanut oil.
1-2 tablespoons Thai yellow curry paste.
400ml coconut cream.
2 cups fish stock.
1 lemongrass stalk, white part only, bruised.
4 finger eggplants, sliced.
100 grams green beans, trimmed.
750 grams firm white fish fillets, cut into large pieces.
3 teaspoons fish sauce.
3 teaspoons lime juice.
Steamed rice, to serve.
Lime wedges, to serve.

Method
Place a large saucepan or wok over medium heat and add the oil.
Add the yellow curry paste and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes.
Pour in the coconut cream, stock and add the lemongrass.
Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
Uncover, add the eggplant and beans and cook for 10 minutes.
Add the fish, fish sauce and lime juice and cook for a further 5 minutes.
Remove the lemongrass.

Serving
Serve with steamed rice and extra lime wedges.

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Pork and Pineapple Stir-fry
Serves 4
Prep time : 10 minutes
Cooking time : 15 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil.
400 grams lean pork steaks.
250 grams rice stick noodles.
1/2 small sweet pineapple, halved, sliced thinly.
1 teaspoon sesame oil.
1 onion, sliced thinly.
1 clove garlic, crushed.
150 grams beansprouts.
250 grams green beans, halved.
1 1/2 tablespoons honey.
2 tablespoons soy sauce.
Steamed basmati rice, to serve.

Method
Brush both sides of the pork steaks with 2 teaspoons of olive oil
Place a wok over medium heat and add pork.
Cook for 3 minutes each side, until cooked through. Remove to a plate, cover and rest for 5 minutes.
Slice thinly.
Prepare noodles according to packet directions. Drain.
Place a large wok over high heat, and add sesame oil and remaining olive oil.
Tilt pan to cover.
Once to temperature, add onion and garlic, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until onion is soft.
Add beansprouts and green beans and stir-fry for 1 minute.
Add noodles and sliced pork to the wok and pour in honey and soy sauce. Toss to combine.
Add pineapple and cook for a further 1 minute, until heated through.

Serving
Serve with steamed basmati rice.

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Mongolian Lamb
Serves 4 to 6
Prep time : 8 minutes
Cooking time : 14 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
750 grams lean lamb strips.
1 1/2 cups rice.
3 teaspoons olive oil.
4 medium onions, quartered.
2 cloves garlic, crushed.
3 shallots, chopped.
2 red chilies, chopped finely.
2 teaspoons cornflour.
2 tablespoons light soy sauce.
1 tablespoon oyster sauce.
1/2 cup chicken stock.

Method
In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook rice, following packet directions.
Over high heat, place a wok or large frypan and add oil. Tilt pan to coat surface.
Stir fry lamb in batches and remove to a plate.
Add onions, garlic, shallots and chilies and stir fry for 2 minutes.
In a jug, combine cornflour, soy sauce, oyster sauce and stock.
Return lamb and any juices to the pan.
Stir through the corn flour mixture and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the sauce has thickened slightly.

Serving
Serve with rice.

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Pad Thai
Serves 4
Prep time : 12 minutes
Cooking time : 8 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
250 grams rice noodles.
1/4 cup fish sauce.
2 tablespoons brown sugar or palm sugar.
1/4 cup lime juice.
2 tablespoons peanut oil.
2 chicken breast fillets, cut across the grain in thin slices.
3 eschallots, sliced thinly.
2 cloves garlic, crushed.
1 small red chili, chopped finely.
2 eggs, lightly beaten.
1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts, chopped finely.
125 grams beansprouts, trimmed.
Coriander and lime wedges to serve.

Method
Place noodles in a large bowl, and pour enough warm water to cover. Allow to stand for 7 minutes. Noodles should be tender.
Drain and refresh under cold water.
In a jug, mix fish sauce, sugar and lime juice together and put to one side.
Heat a wok over high heat, and once very hot, add 2 teaspoons of oil. Tilt the pan to coat the surface.
Add one third of the chicken and cook for 1 minute, or until sealed.
Remove to a bowl.
Repeat this process with remaining oil and chicken, remembering to make sure that the wok is brought to a high heat each time.
Pour remaining oil into wok and add eschallots, garlic and chili. Cook for 1 minute.
Push to one side of the wok and add the eggs. Cook until lightly set, then stir eggs to scramble.
Return chicken and add all other ingredients to wok and stir fry for 1 to 2 minutes, until warmed through.

Serving
Top with coriander leaves and serve with lime wedges.

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Malaysian Pork
Serves 4
Prep time : 7 minutes
Cooking time : 10 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
250 grams dried rice noodles.
2 tablespoons peanut oil.
500 grams pork strips.
2 large brown onions, sliced into wedges.
2 long red chilies, deseeded and sliced thinly.
1 bunch baby bok choy, leaves separated, stems sliced.
1 lime, juiced.
2 tablespoons kecap manis.
1 tablespoon white sugar.
Wedges of lime to serve.

Method
Cook the noodles according to the packet directions. Drain and set aside.
Heat a wok over high heat. Once to temperature, add 2 teaspoons oil and swirl to coat.
Add one quarter of the pork strips, cooking for 2 minutes, or until seared.
Remove to a bowl.
Repeat this process with remaining pork, ensuring the wok and oil are brought back to a high temperature each time.
Add remaining oil to wok.
Add the onions and stir-fry until opaque and tender.
Add chilies and cook for 1 minute.
Return Pork to wok along with any juices.
Add bok choy stems.
Stir fry for 1 minute.
In a jug, combine 2 tablespoons lime juice, kecap manis and sugar in a jug.
Pour over pork and vegetables and stir-fry for 1 minute.
Add bok choy leaves and stir through.

Serving
Spoon stir-fry over noodles. Serve with lime wedges.

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Sesame Beef and Asian Greens
Serves 4
Prep time : 12 minutes
Cooking time : 6 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons Sweet Chili Sauce.
1 tablespoon Hoisin Sauce.
2 tablespoons Ketcap Manis.
500 grams Beef Fillet, finely sliced across the grain.
2 tablespoons Sesame Seeds.
2 1/2 tablespoons Peanut Oil.
1 red onion, cut into thin wedges.
2 cloves garlic, crushed.
1 bunch baby bok choy, stems chopped and leaves separated.
1 bunch Choy Sum, stems chopped and leaves separated.
1 red capsicum, quartered, deseeded and finely sliced.

Method
Combine Sweet Chili, Hoisin Sauce and 1 tablespoon Ketcap Manis in a jug.
Mix the remaining Ketcap Manis with the Beef in a bowl and mix well, to ensure the Beef is well coated.
Place wok over high heat, until very hot.
Dry-fry the Sesame Seeds until golden. Remove to a plate.
Reheat wok to high temperature.
Add 2 tablespoons oil to wok, and swirl to coat the surface.
Add a quarter of the Beef and stir fry for 30 seconds or until seared.
Transfer to a bowl.
Repeat with remaining Beef, making sure that the wok and oil are reheated to high temperature each time.
Add the remaining oil to the wok.
Add the onion and garlic. Stir fry for 1 minute, or until the onion is opaque and soft.
Add the bok choy and choy sum stems, and capsicum. Cook for 30 seconds. Add 1 tablespoon water.
Cover and cook for 20 seconds.
Remove cover and return Beef and any juices to wok.
Add sauce mixture and stir fry for 1 minute.

Serving
Stir through Sesame Seeds. Serve over steamed Jasmine Rice.

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Sesame & Garlic Asian Greens
Serves 4 as a side dish
Prep time : 10 minutes
Cooking time : 5 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
1 bunch baby bok choy, base trimmed, washed & leaves and stems separated (chop stem & keep separate).
1 bunch choy sum, base trimmed, washed & leaves and stems separated (chop stem & keep separate).
1 bunch gai lum, base trimmed, washed & leaves and stems separated (chop stem & keep separate).
1 bunch broccolini, base trimmed & cut into thirds.
2 tablespoons sesame seeds.
1 tablespoon peanut oil.
4 cloves garlic, crushed.
3cm piece ginger, peeled & grated.
1 tablespoon soy sauce.
1 tablespoon honey.

Method
Dry-fry sesame seeds in wok over high heat, stirring constantly, until showing color.
Remove to a plate.
Re-heat wok until hot and add the oil.
Add only the stems of the asian greens and all of the broccolini.
Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Add the ginger, soy, honey and the remaining leaves.
This will require only 1-2 minutes of cooking – just until the leaves start to wilt.
Stir through the sesame seeds and serve immediately.

Serving
This dish is a good accompaniment to Steamed Rice and a Green Chicken Curry.

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Sweet and Sour Chicken

Serves 4
Prep time : 15 minutes
Cooking time : 15 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
600 grams chicken tenderloins (use breast meat for a cheaper option).
2 egg yolks.
2 tablespoons soy sauce.
1 tablespoon corn flour.
1/4 cup extra coorn flour.
400 grams tinned pineapple pieces, drained.
1 red capsicum, deseeded and cut into 1-2cm squares.
1 green capsicum, deseeded and cut into 1-2cm squares.
1 brown onion, halved and cut into thin wedges.
2 cloves of garlic, crushed.
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger.
2 tablespoons cup tomato sauce.
2 tablespoons cup caster sugar.
2 tablespoons white vinegar.
2 tablespoons water.
2 teaspoons cornflour.
Oil for deep frying.
2 teaspoons peanut oil.

Method
Combine the egg yolks, soy sauce and 1 tablespoon of cornflour in a medium glass bowl. Mix into a paste.
Cube the chicken into bite sized pieces, add to the cornflour paste and coat well. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
Heat oil in a saucepan for deep frying. Oil is hot enough when a wooden sppon dipped in the oil appears to fry.
Remove chicken from fridge and slowly add remaining cornflour to the mix to make a thick batter coating the chicken.
Deep fry the chicken in batches until deeply golden, set aside to drain on absorbent paper.
Heat the peanut oil in a wok over medium heat.
Add the onions and cook for 2 minutes.
Add the garlic and ginger and cook for a further minute.
Add the capsicums and pineapple and reduce heat to low and allow vegetables to soften slightly, about 2 minutes.
In a jug whisk together the tomato sacue, vinegar, water and sugar until sugar dissolves. Whisk in 2 teaspoons of cornflour.
Add chicken to the wok to reheat, pour in sauce and stir until it thickens.

Serving
Serve over fluffy rice.

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Laksa
Serves 4
Prep time : 10 minutes
Cooking time : 30 minutes
For conversions, click here to use our handy guide.

Ingredients
6 square fried bean curd puffs.
1/2 cup peanut oil.
400 ml coconut milk.
1 tablespoon sugar.
800 ml chicken stock. Try our stock recipe.
500 grams yellow wheat noodles.
150 grams bean shoots, scalded.
1 chicken breast fillet, steamed and sliced.
150 grams small fresh prawns, steamed and peeled.
2 stalks lemongrass.
4 cloves garlic.
1 teaspoon turmeric.
1 tablespoon fresh grated galangal.
5 peanuts.
1 medium onion, chopped.
8 fresh long chillies, seeded.
1 tablespoon shrimp paste.
1 tablespoon fresh grated piece ginger.

Method
Soak the curd puffs in hot water for 5 minutes. Squeeze to remove excess, cut into triangle quarters.
Combine the lemongrass, garlic, turmeric, galangal, peanuts, onion, chili, shrimp paste and ginger in a blender, blend until smooth.
Add some of the oil to combine into a paste if needed.
Heat remaining oil in a wok over medium heat.
Fry the spice paste for at least 5 minutes, or until the highly fragrant.
Add the prawns and chicken, fry for 2 minutes.
Add coconut milk, sugar and stock and bring to the boil. Add puffs and simmer for 15 minutes.
In a seperate pan , boil the noodles for 2-3 minutes, add the shoots then remove and drain.

Serving
Split the noodles and shoots between bowls, top with meat and laksa liquid.
Top with fresh picked coriander leaves.

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