4 recipes that are faster than takeaway

As the weather gets colder and the nights draw in early, it can feel all too tempting to stay rugged up on the lounge and order some takeaway rather than heading into the kitchen to spend ages cooking something for dinner. But whipping up a tasty, satisfying meal doesn’t have to take hours; we’ve got four recipes here that take less time to cook than it takes to wait for home delivery. And they all feature fresh Aussie seafood.

Food for health

While we’re blessed with an abundance of fresh, nutrient-dense produce here in Australia, the convenience of takeaway all too often wins over the effort of cooking, especially at this time of year. But takeaway meals can be decidedly unhealthy. If you want to future-proof your immune system to keep you healthy over the entire cold and flu season, you need to maximise your nutrient intake. Luckily, this doesn’t have to mean compromising on taste or spending hours in the kitchen, fussing over finicky recipes.

“What many of us face in the cooler months is the post-work slump, when it’s dark at night and we’re looking at the pantry with little recipe inspiration,” says dietitian Susie Burrell. “I recommend having a bank of two or three quick, easy and delicious recipes that can be prepared in just five or 10 minutes. From this, you can meal plan and shop at the beginning of the week. It will help reduce the temptation to order high-fat, high-calorie fast food.”

Like a tiger

This winter, tiger prawn farming network Tropic Co is encouraging Australians to “bring home the takeaway” and enjoy the belly-warming fresh produce we have access to.

“As well as being low in fat and high in omega-3s, tiger prawns have fewer calories in comparison to other meats,” Burrell says. “Four to five tiger prawns only contain around 113 calories. Compare this to a chicken drumstick, which contains almost 200 calories, or a couple of chops or sausages which contain almost double this per serve.”

“For simple stir-fry recipes that can be made in minutes, try adding 10-12 large Australian tiger prawns. At 30g protein per serve, tiger prawns are one of the leanest protein-rich superfoods. Not to mention the fact they cook in a matter of seconds.”

Burrell also suggests limiting your carbs by swapping your stir-fry filler from white rice to cauliflower rice. This adds an extra serving of veg and still fills you up.

To help you whip up a tasty dinner in less time than it takes to order Uber Eats, Tropic Co has launched a range of recipes that are all ready to eat in 10 minutes or less.

Greek tiger prawn skewers with lemon & dill yoghurt

You’ll need:

20 extra-large Tropic Co whole raw tiger prawns, head and shell removed, deveined, tail on
1 zucchini, cut in half lengthways, sliced 1cm thick
1 red onion, peeled and sliced 1cm thick

For the marinade:

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp each dried oregano, fennel seeds, ground cumin
1 clove garlic, crushed
Pinch of salt
1 lemon, zested

For the lemon dill sauce:

200g Greek yoghurt
½ clove garlic, crushed
1 lemon, juice
½ bunch dill, chopped
1 bunch chives, finely sliced
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. For the marinade, in a large bowl, combine marinade ingredients, add prawns and set aside in the refrigerator for half an hour.

2. For the sauce, mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Set aside in the refrigerator.

3. Thread prawns onto skewers, alternating with zucchini and red onion. Place onto baking paper-lined tray and brush over any remaining marinade.

4. Heat BBQ or grill pan and cook skewers for 5-6 minutes, turning once, making sure the prawns and vegetables are nicely charred.

5. Serve with lemon dill sauce and lemon wedges.

Tip: if using wooden skewers, soak in water for 10 minutes before use.

Chilli prawn spaghetti

You’ll need:

500g Tropic Co whole raw tiger prawns, head and shell removed, deveined
500g spaghetti
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 chilli, sliced
100ml white wine
Basil leaves
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Cook pasta in salted water as per packet instructions. Drain and set aside, reserving some of the cooking water.

2. Heat a non-stick frypan, add olive oil, garlic and chilli. Toss and cook gently for 1-2 minutes until slightly softened.

3. Add prawns and white wine, cook gently until prawns are almost cooked.

4. Add pasta, basil leaves and season with salt and pepper.

5. Add 1-2 tbsp of reserved cooking water and toss together in the pan.

6. Serve and garnish with additional basil leaves and a drizzle of olive oil.

Tips: an easy way to peel garlic is to place into a jar, close the lid tightly and shake until skin is peeled off. Try this recipe with alternative types of pasta like casarecce or fettucine.

Prawn noodle soup

You’ll need:

500g Tropic Co whole cooked tiger prawns, head and shell removed, deveined
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 lemongrass stalk cut into large pieces, bashed with a rolling pin or meat mallet
2 tbsp ginger, peeled and roughly sliced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly sliced
1-2 red chillies, whole
2 kaffir lime leaves
1 litre chicken or vegetable stock
1 tbsp fish sauce
½ lime, juiced
Pinch brown sugar
1 pack Asian noodles
8 shiitake mushrooms
125g cherry tomatoes, cut in half
½ pack bean sprouts
½ bunch coriander

Method:

1. Heat oil in large pot. Add lemongrass, ginger, garlic. Gently fry for 1 minute until fragrant.

2. Add chilli, kaffir lime and stock. Bring to a simmer and season with fish sauce, lime juice and sugar. Continue to simmer on low heat for 5 minutes, then add mushrooms, cherry tomatoes and prawns. Simmer for another 2 minutes.

3. Cook noodles as per pack instruction and divide into soup bowls.

4. Ladle soup over the noodles, garnish with bean sprouts and coriander.

Tip: sprinkle with crispy Asian dried onions for extra depth of flavour and crunch.

Tiger prawn, chilli & rocket pizza

32 extra-large Tropic Co whole raw tiger prawns, head and shell removed, deveined, tail on
4 pizza bases
8 tbsp pesto
6-8 large bocconcini, sliced
2 large red chillies, sliced
1 red onion, sliced
1 medium bag (120g) baby rocket leaves
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted
Grated parmesan, to serve

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 220°C. Spread pesto on pizza bases, add bocconcini slices, top with prawns, chilli and onions.

2. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden, cheese is melted and prawns are fully cooked.

3. Remove from the oven, top with rocket and a drizzle of olive oil and pine nuts. Serve with a generous sprinkle of grated parmesan.

Tropic Co farms are located across the coastline of Queensland and northern New South Wales, with Australia’s largest farm located along the Gregory River. For more information and recipes, head to tropicco.com.au