Prawn thai red curry

This is speedy recipe that tastes so good! It’s perfect for those mid-week nights when you don’t have much time to cook or a healthy weekend alternative to a takeaway.

Prawns are a great source of protein, vitamin B12 and folate (B9) (energy and red blood cell production), antioxidant vitamin E (anti-inflammatory, heart protective), iodine (thyroid function/ metabolism), selenium and zinc for immune system support.

Ingredients

• 1 garlic clove, grated

• 1 thumb ginger, grated

• 1 x 400ml tin coconut milk

• 1 tbsp Thai red curry paste

• 150g sugar snap peas

• 150g raw king prawns

• 1 x 300g mixed stir fry vegetables

• Juice of ½ lime

• ½ red chilli, fine slices

• Handful of fresh coriander

• Serve with sticky rice, brown rice or noodles

Method

• Heat a glug of ground nut oil in a large skillet.

• Add the garlic and ginger, frying gently for a couple of minutes.

• Add the coconut milk and red curry paste and warm through.

• Next add the sugar snap peas and prawns cooking for 30 seconds before adding the bag of veggies.

• Cook for 1-2 minutes until the prawns are fully pink and cooked through.

• Spread the chilli and coriander evenly on top and serve with Thai sticky rice, brown rice or noodles.

Asparagus with poached egg on sourdough

Last night was a rare occasion; husband was away and kids all fed in one way or another. I found myself starving at 8pm and looking into the fridge with despair, until I noticed the asparagus that I had bought from the local farmer's market at the weekend. I decided on a classic combo, pairing griddled asparagus with a soft poached egg on sourdough. Wow, what a dish! Very simple, very effective - my perfect mid-week dish description.

Having said this would also make a great breakfast, brunch or lunch!

Ingredients

Serves 1

• 6 asparagus spears

• 1 egg

• Fresh bread (of any variety)

• Pinch of sweet smoked paprika

• 1 tablespoon parmesan, finely grated

• Salt & pepper

Method

• Baste the asparagus in a little olive oil and heat a griddle, or frying pan if you don't have one. Place the asparagus in the pan and allow to colour on both sides. This shouldn't take much more than 4-5 minutes. 

• As the asparagus goes in the pan, bring a pan of water to boil and poach the egg; put the bread in the toaster. Everything cooks quickly, so it all have to go on together pretty much. 

• Once the toast is done, butter and put on the plate followed by the asparagus, sprinkled with a little paprika and then top with the egg. Finish with the grated parmesan and there you have one of the tastiest, quickest meals you'll ever make.

Tip

Perfect poached eggs

Ever wondered how chefs get their poached eggs into small neat looking bundles that wobble delicately on top of you toast? The trick is to to put the whole egg (still in the shell) on a spoon and place it in boiling water for 10 seconds. Then remove and crack into the water. You'll find that the small amount of heat you gave it in the shell just keeps the white together nicely, so it forms a better shape when poached. Of course if you have super fresh eggs then this isn’t necessary, but it’s a good trick to know for most standard supermarket ones!