Five delicious microwave meals that take ten minutes or less to prepare and cook
MOVE over air fryers and slow cookers, families are going back to cooking delicious and easy meals in their microwaves.
Not only can the energy-efficient ovens prepare a dish in double-quick time, they can also save you big money on electricity bills.
Microwaves have even impressed the experts, with physicist-turned-food writer George Vekinis recently claiming they are the best way to cook a steak.
Food editor Kirsty Spence brings you five delicious ideas from recipe book Cook Smart: Microwave by MasterChef and Steph’s Packed Lunch star Dean Edwards.
All these recipes take ten minutes or less to cook.
- Cook Smart: Microwave by Dean Edwards (£20, Hamlyn) is out on Thursday. Photography: Tom Regester.
Pork & Peanut Satay Noodles
Serves 2
Prep: 15 minutes
Microwave: 8 minutes
YOU NEED:
- 100ml full-fat coconut milk
- 1 heaped tbsp Thai red curry paste
- 1 tbsp peanut butter
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 heaped tsp garlic and ginger paste
- 200g minced pork
- 200g tenderstem broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 150g dried flat rice noodles (pad Thai noodles)
- 2 green bird’s-eye chillies, finely chopped
- Lime wedges, to serve
METHOD: Pour the coconut milk into a microwave-safe baking dish measuring about 24×18cm. Add the curry paste, peanut butter, fish sauce and garlic and ginger paste. Mix well, then add the minced pork and stir well to combine.
Cover and cook on full power for five minutes. Place the broccoli on top, then cover again and cook for a further three minutes. Leave to stand for two minutes, then stir well to combine all the ingredients.
Meanwhile, rehydrate the rice noodles according to the packet instructions (usually soaking them in boiling water for five minutes).
Drain the noodles, then fold them through the sauce and portion into serving bowls. Scatter with the chopped chillies and serve with a couple of lime wedges.
Chicken Tikka Masala
Serves 2
Prep: 15 minutes
Microwave: 6 minutes
YOU NEED:
- 2 skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2.5cm pieces
- 200ml tomato passata
- 50ml double cream, plus more to serve
For the marinade:
- 1 tbsp butter or ghee, melted in the microwave
- 1 heaped tbsp tikka masala paste
- 1 heaped tsp curry powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 heaped tsp garlic and ginger paste
To serve:
- Steamed rice
- Finely chopped coriander
- Finely chopped red chilli
- Mango chutney
- Crispy poppadums
METHOD: Mix together all the marinade ingredients in a microwave-safe dish and fold in the chicken pieces. Space out the chicken into a single layer, then cover and cook on full power for two minutes. Use a probe thermometer to make sure the chicken has reached an internal temperature of at least 75C.
Pour in the tomato passata and double cream, then stir to combine. Cover again and cook for a further four minutes. Once cooked, leave to stand for a minute.
Serve with rice, a drizzle of double cream, a scattering of chopped coriander, chopped red chilli, mango chutney and crispy poppadums.
Chicken Shawarma Couscous
Serves 4
Prep: 15 minutes
Microwave: 7 minutes
YOU NEED:
- 400g skinless boneless chicken thighs
- 2 tbsp shawarma seasoning
- 100ml boiling chicken stock, plus 150ml
- 200g couscous
- 50g dried apricots
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Juice ½ lemon
To serve:
- 50g flaked almonds
- Chopped coriander
- Lemon wedges
- Natural yoghurt sprinkled with shawarma seasoning (optional)
METHOD: Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces, then coat with the shawarma seasoning. Place into a microwave-safe baking dish measuring about 24×18cm, ensuring the chicken is in an even layer.
Pour in the first amount of chicken stock (100ml) until it comes about one-third of the way up the chicken. Cover and cook on full power for five minutes.
Make sure the internal temperature of the chicken has reached at least 75C with a probe thermometer.
Sprinkle in the couscous, stir well, then pour over the second amount of stock (150ml).
Scatter over the apricots, cover again and cook for a further two minutes. Leave to stand for three minutes to allow the couscous to finish steaming.
Add the oil and a squeeze of lemon juice to taste, then scatter over the flaked almonds and chopped coriander and serve with lemon wedges and seasoned natural yoghurt.
Prawn Laska
Serves 2
Prep: 8 minutes
Microwave: 4 minutes
YOU NEED:
- 2 × 50g nests vermicelli rice noodles
- 400g can coconut milk
- 200ml chicken stock
- 1 heaped tbsp laksa paste
- 1 tsp garlic and ginger paste
- 1 to 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 150g cooked prawns
- 2 handfuls beansprouts
- Juice ½ lime
- Sliced red chilli, to garnish
METHOD: Soak the rice noodles in boiling water for five minutes, then drain and divide between two bowls.
Pour the coconut milk and stock into a large microwave-safe bowl, stir through the laksa paste, garlic and ginger paste and soy sauce, cover then cook on full power for three minutes.
Stir well, then add the prawns and beansprouts, cover again and cook for a further minute.
Add lime juice to taste, then ladle the broth over the rice noodles.
Serve garnished with red chilli slices.
Chilli Beef Tacos
Serves 4
Prep: 15 minutes
Microwave: 8 minutes
YOU NEED:
- 400g minced beef
- 1 tsp garlic paste
- 1 heaped tbsp tomato purée
- 25g pack taco seasoning
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 400g can kidney beans, drained
- 1 green pepper, deseeded and chopped
- 100ml beef stock
- 1 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
- 12 crispy taco shells
To serve:
- Shredded lettuce
- Chopped tomato
- Lime wedges
- Soured cream sprinkled with taco seasoning (optional)
METHOD: Place the minced beef into a microwave-safe baking dish measuring about 24×18cm, then use a fork to spread it out into an even layer.
Cover and cook on full power for three minutes.
Once cooked, break the beef up again with a fork, then stir through the garlic paste, tomato purée, taco seasoning, oregano, beans, pepper and stock until well combined.
Cover again and cook for five minutes. Leave to stand for two minutes, then add the chilli and mix well.
Serve in the taco shells, along with some lettuce, tomato, lime wedges and seasoned soured cream.