Only got 15 minutes? Here are some dinner ideas

Scrap the eggs on toast and turn to a quick pasta, canned beans or stir-fried salad for your next dine and dash.

Honey mustard salmon Source: Kitti Gould

--- The Cook Up with Adam Liaw's fourth season airs weeknights on SBS Food (Ch.33) at 7.00pm. All episodes available anytime on SBS On Demand. --- 

 

Is it possible to make a good meal, that you'll really enjoy eating, in 15 minutes? Adam Liaw and friends say it absolutely is. 

"I mean you have to be thinking in terms of simplicity, big flavour and, I guess, energy in the kitchen as well," says Mike Bennie, when he joins Liaw on a Cook Up episode all about quick, nourishing dishes. 

Here are some fast but fab meal ideas that can be put on the table in a quarter of an hour.

Pork with green capsicum and bamboo shoots

Pork with green capsicum and bamboo shoots Source: Kitti Gould

"If you want to cook quickly, one of the easiest things you can do is find things that cook quickly," says Liaw - and thinly sliced meat is one of those good, quick-cooking choices. This stir-fry uses thinly sliced pork belly with a quick marinade to add speedy flavour. Pre-sliced hotpot meat is a great convenience product which you can pick up from the freezer section of your local Asian grocer.

Liptauer

Liptauer Source: Kitti Gould

Start by making a quick cabbage pickle, then whip up the liptauer - a savoury spread that is popular in many Central European countries. The spread is made from a soft cheese, combined with butter, paprika, caraway seeds and finely chopped onions. It can be eaten immediately but is even better if you make it the day before and refrigerate as the caraway seeds soften. If you make both the spread and the cabbage ahead, it's great for when you know you'll have even less than 15 minutes to get a meal on a plate. Serve with dark rye bread or your favourite toast.

Penne with fresh Napoli sauce and prawns

Penne with fresh Napoli sauce and prawns Source: Kitti Gould

Prawns don't take long to cook so they are a great choice for a quick pasta dish. This five-ingredient penne is a simple, yet flavourful dish. Keep a stash of prawns in the freezer for added convenience.

Stir-fried salad (pancetta, kale, pumpkin)

Stir-fried salad (pancetta, kale, pumpkin) Source: Kitti Gould

Another great recipe from Adam Liaw, this recipe gives the salad a wok makeover, and combines the crunch of toasted pine nuts, crispy pancetta, spicy-sweet pumpkin and wilted kale. Hearty enough to be a meal and ready in 10 minutes. All you need to do is a bit of light chopping.

Burnt spring onion oil noodles

Burnt spring onion oil noodles Source: Kitti Gould

There's serious flavour here, in a recipe from The Cook Up guests Rosheen Kaul and Joanna Hu. Spring onion oil noodles are deceptively moreish, yet quick and easy. Frying spring onion in plenty of oil until almost burnt, and then adding a touch of soy and vinegar, creates a deeply umami savouriness. It's as easy as throwing together a simple spaghetti or fried rice.

Miso pork and eggplant

Miso pork and eggplant Source: Kitti Gould

Another idea from Adam Liaw, this saucy pork stir-fry makes a great meal for 2, ready in 15. Just chop, toss in a wok, then serve up with a bowl of rice or noodles.

Honey mustard salmon

Honey mustard salmon Source: Kitti Gould

In this 15-minute recipe from Mark Humphries, the salmon is coated in a mixture of honey, soy sauce and wholegrain mustard then cooked just enough to char but stay tender. Serve with a bed of garlicky, lemony butter beans just heated from a tin. A good one to keep up your sleeve if you're not in the mood for pasta or noodles.

Mushroom vermicelli in soy

Mushroom vermicelli in soy Source: Kitti Gould

Vermicelli rice noodles cook super fast, so are a great staple to have in your pantry for busy weeknights. This recipe from Aaron Fa'Aoso has plenty of mushrooms and bok choy in the mix to provide a balanced meal.

 

You can find many more great ideas for easy meals from The Cook Up with Adam Liaw on the program page, which has links to recipes from all four seasons. Or dive into SBS Food's Quick Dinner Recipes collection. And if you need a quick dessert, try this chocolate cake in a cup.