Having good stable recipes to rely on when it comes to cooking at home is important. Having a bunch of meals that you’re confident in preparing and have memorised the method for can make life a whole lot easier for you. Especially if you work a full-time job or have to take care of a few little ones or even both.
Building up those few meals that you have a good hold of can be tricky. Once you know a couple of recipes, it’s likely for you to fall back on them and stick to them when you get into the kitchen. But it doesn’t hurt to be a bit experimental!
Trying new things in the kitchen will help you broaden your cooking knowledge and build up your confidence behind the stove. Most importantly, you can try more delicious meals from the comfort of your home!
Here are some ideas for new meals for you to try to spice up your home menu!
1. Bibimbamp (Korean mixed rice)
Bibimbamp literally translates to mixed rice and is a delicious dish which at its most basic contains rice, vegetables such as carrot and cucumber, and an egg on top. Meat can be added to the dish for extra flavour, as well as sauces and condiments that spice up the dish.
This dish can be easily made by stir-frying your vegetables, meat, and egg in the pan separately and combining them in your dish. Remember that this isn’t fried rice, so the ingredients should not be combined until they are all cooked.
Part of the fun in eating this dish is mixing the lot together at the end! Adding sauces when mixing and serving will contribute to a great dish that you and your family will love.
2. Biryani rice
If you love your spices, you’ll love being able to cook this great Indian dish. A combination of vegetables and loaded with spices, biryani rice is a simple yet wholesome dish that will widen your palate of flavour. Search for simple food solutions, like HelloFresh recipes that is one-pan only, which makes cleaning up simple.
You can mix in meat depending on your personal preference to build the perfect dish for you. The most important part of the dish is that you have the right combination of spices – that’s what really gives the dish its character.
3. Tortilla soup
A bit different from your typical Mexican classics of nachos or burritos, this great dish is a Mexican tomato-based soup that is great for warming you up during winter! With hearty ingredients such as onions, kidney beans, and zucchini, this soup is nutritious and a great comfort food.
This dish is simple to make and serving it with a side of tortilla chips, avocado, and Greek yoghurt will give it that extra touch of flavour!
4. Risotto
This incredible Italian dish is full of flavour and texture and you’re guaranteed to love it once you master the recipe. Its creamy consistency adds something different to your dinner table, and with vegetables and nuts, it’s a wholesome meal that will provide your body with nutrition.
Adding this classic to your repertoire of dishes will help you build a spectrum of dishes to choose from, so that you can cook something you really feel like eating rather than eating out. Having the right measure of ingredients and watching your method is crucial to cooking the perfect risotto!
5. Noodle stir-fry
Caving in on your Chinese takeaway cravings can be prevented by making your own! Stir-fried noodles are easy to make and cooking them yourself will ensure you know exactly what is in the dish and how healthy it is.
It also gives you the chance to customise the dish, by using your preferred choice of noodles and ingredients. Using a combination of Asian flavours, such as hoisin and soy sauce, allow you to create the taste you crave!
Learning how to cook these dishes is now easier than ever, with access to online recipes and subscription services such as HelloFresh, which send the ingredients you need straight to your door. Taking advantage of this accessibility is a great way for you to try new things! Adding new dishes to your cooking repertoire will help you become more learned in the kitchen and give you a better hold of your food intake.
As our lives get busier and more hectic, we tend to choose the easier option when it comes to eating our meals. But the satisfaction that comes with learning how to cook a meal is worth the trouble. Being able to create a dish and rely on yourself to cook rather than takeout or delivery is definitely a satisfactory feeling.
