5 Junk Free Dinners with Nadia Lim

We love having Nadia's Food Bag for dinner every night. The variety of the meals is outstanding, not to mention how easy they are to throw together! We wanted to share with you our 5 favourite Nadia Lim recipes from her website which are great for you and your family! Not to mention, all these recipes come with DF/GF options!

Be sure to check out Nadia Lim's full blog for her complete recipe collection here.
​For more information about her food bag, click here!

1. Sri Lankan Prawn Coconut Curry

You'll Need:
​

• oil, 2 tablespoons
• onion 2, chopped
• garlic 3 cloves, chopped
• mustard seeds 3 teaspoons
• curry powder 2 teaspoons
• ground turmeric 1 teaspoon
• salt ¾ teaspoon
• ginger 3 cm piece, peeled and grated or finely chopped
• coconut milk 400 gm can
• shredded coconut ½ cup
• crushed tomatoes 400 gm can

• tamarind purée 2 tablespoons (or 2tbsp lemon juice mixed with 2 tsp brown sugar)
• lemon 1, juice
• brown sugar or coconut sugar 1 tablespoon
• prawns 600 grams, raw, shelled, with the tails left on (king tiger prawns are great if within budget but any raw prawns will do)

to serve...

• toasted shredded coconut
• fresh red chilli chopped
• steamed rice

1. Heat oil in a wok or a large heavy-based frying pan on medium heat. Cook onion for 8-10 minutes or until golden. Add garlic, mustard seeds, curry powder, turmeric, salt and ginger and continue cooking for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until spices are fragrant.
2. Stir in coconut milk, shredded coconut, tomatoes, tamarind purée, lemon juice and sugar. Simmer for about 8-10 minutes to allow sauce to reduce slightly.
3. Add prawns and continue to cook for about 5 minutes or until prawns are just cooked through. Season to taste with more salt if needed but it should be about perfect.
4. Garnish with some toasted shredded coconut and chilli. Serve with rice.

2. Moroccan Lamb Shanks with Roast Beetroot and Walnut Couscous

​Lamb shanks

• lamb shanks 4
• plain flour, seasoned with 1 tsp salt ¼ cup
• olive oil 1 tablespoon
• red wine 1 cup
• chicken stock 1 cup
• crushed tomatoes 1 x 400g can
• tomato paste 3 tablespoons
• brown sugar 1 teaspoon
• orange zest of ½, juice of 1
• onion 1, finely sliced
• garlic 2 cloves, finely chopped
• ras el hanout spice mix* 1 tablespoon (see below)
• dried figs 4, cut in half (or use 6-8 dried apricots, cut in half)

*Ras el Hanout: In a small dry fry-pan on medium heat, toast 2½ tablespoons cumin seeds, 2 tablespoons coriander seeds, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 teaspoon ground turmeric and 2 teaspoons black peppercorns for around 1 minutes until fragrant and darkened in colour a little. Grind toasted spices in a mortar and pestle, or in a spice grinder.

Roast beetroot and walnut couscous

• carrots 3 medium, chopped into 2-3cm chunks
• beetroot 1 large, chopped into 2-3cm chunks
• olive oil 1 tablespoon
• runny honey 1 tablespoon
• chicken stock 1 cup
• couscous 1 cup
• walnuts 2/3 cup, roughly chopped
• flat-leaf parsley ¾ cup, chopped

PREHEAT oven to 170°C.

1. Pat lamb shanks dry with paper towels. Coat shanks in seasoned flour. Heat oil in a flameproof, ovenproof casserole dish or large fry-pan on medium heat. Brown shanks all over for 5–6 minutes.
   
2. While shanks are browning, combine red wine, chicken stock, tomatoes, tomato paste, brown sugar, and orange juice and zest.
3. Set browned shanks aside. Wipe casserole dish or pan clean with paper towels to remove any blackened flour. Add a good drizzle of oil to the dish or pan and cook onion and garlic until soft, 2–3 minutes. Add ras el hanout and cook for 1 minute further. Stir in liquid mixture. Return shanks to casserole dish or fry-pan along with figs (or transfer everything to a casserole dish). Cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 2½–3 hours until meat is tender.
4. Toss carrots and beetroot with olive oil and honey in a baking dish. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for about 30 minutes until vegetables are soft and caramelised.

1. When shanks and vegetables are cooked, make the couscous. Bring stock to the boil in a small pot, remove from heat and stir in couscous. Cover and leave for 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork and toss with roasted carrot and beetroot, walnuts and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

TO SERVE spoon some couscous onto each plate and top with a lamb shank and a fig. Spoon over some sauce.

3. Naked Beef Burgers with Beetroot and Carrot Salad and Chunky Chips

Chunky chips

• agria potatoes 600g, scrubbed

Naked beef burgers

• beef mince 450g
• brown onion ½, finely diced
• garlic 1 clove, minced
• carrot 1, grated
• gluten-free breadcrumbs ½ cup
• egg 1
• gluten-free soy sauce or tamari 1 tablespoon
• salt ¼ teaspoon
• rosemary leaves 1 tablespoon, finely chopped
• parsley 2 tablespoons, chopped
• cheese e.g. cheddar, edam or colby ¾ -1 cup, grated (optional)

Beetroot carrot salad

• beetroot 1
• carrot 3
• sunflower seeds 3 tablespoons
• extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon
• balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon
• runny honey 1 teaspoon

To serve

• parsley ¼ cup, chopped

PREHEAT oven to 220°C. Line two oven trays with baking paper. Preheat BBQ hot plate to medium (if using).

1. Slice potatoes lengthways into 1.5cm rounds, then into 1.5–2cm-thick chips. Toss with a drizzle of oil on first prepared tray and season with salt. Bake for 25–30 minutes until golden. Turn once during cooking.
   
2. Combine all naked beef burger ingredients (except cheese) in a large bowl, season with pepper and mix well using clean hands. Use a 1/3 cup measure to scoop out mixture and shape into 1.5cm thick patties. Place onto a plate and into the fridge to firm up while you make the salad.
   
3. Peel and grate beetroot and carrots and place in a medium bowl with remaining salad ingredients. Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine.
   
4. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large fry-pan (preferably non-stick) on medium heat. Cook patties for 3–4 minutes each side until just cooked through, then place onto second prepared tray. Top each with a sprinkle of cheese and place into oven, on highest oven rack to cook for 1–2 minutes or until cheese is melted slightly but still holds its shape. Alternatively cook through completely on BBQ (4–5 minutes each side) and place cheese slices on top to melt in last 1–2 minutes of cook time.
   

To serve, place a patty on each plate with beetroot and carrot salad and serve chunky chips on the side. Sprinkle over parsley.

4. Korean Steak Tacos with Daikon Slaw and Kimchi

Steak and Marinade

• beef steak (e.g. skirt, sirloin, rump) 400g, trimmed of fat
• soy sauce or Tamari (GF) ¼ cup
• water 2 tablespoons
• sesame oil 1 ½ tablespoons
• brown sugar 2 ½ tablespoons
• garlic 3 cloves, crushed
• ground coriander 2 teaspoons
• ginger 1 inch, finely chopped
• chilli paste or sauce 1- 1 ½ tablespoon

Daikon Slaw

• baby bok choy 2
• daikon (Japanese radish) ¾ cup coarsely grated (alternatively just use normal pink radishes, thinly sliced and cut into matchsticks)​

• spring onions (scallion) 2, finely sliced
• coriander (cilantro) ½ cup chopped
• sesame seeds 1 tablespoon, toasted
• Mayonnaise 3 tablespoons
• rice vinegar 1 teaspoon
• red chilli 1, finely sliced (optional)

To serve

• kimchi 200g (I used Chongga) alternatively, check out this recipe of Ben Warren's for Kimchi!
• soft corn (GF) or wheat tortillas 8

1. Combine soy sauce, sugar, water, chili, garlic, ginger, sesame, and coriander. Place skirt steak in a large dish and pour over the marinade. Cover and leave to marinate at room temperature for at least 20 minutes.
   
2. Meanwhile, make the slaw. Trim the bottom 1-2cm off the stems of the bok choy and very thinly slice the leaves and stems. Coarsely grate the daikon until you have about ¾ of a cup, finely slice the spring onions, and toss gently with the coriander, sesame seeds, Japanese mayonnaise and rice vinegar.
3. Heat the BBQ grill or a grill or fry pan on high heat. Lift steak from the marinade (but reserve the marinade) and grill the meat for about 3-4 minutes on each side, until cooked to medium-rare, or until done to your liking. Set steak aside to rest for 5-10 minutes. Pour the marinade into the hot pan and let it boil for about 1 minute until it is sticky and reduced.
4. Slice steak thinly across the grain, and toss quickly in the sticky reduced marinade in the pan.To serve, build tacos with a few slices of beef topped with some slaw and kimchi. Alternatively serve the beef on a plate with brown rice, slaw and kimchi on the side.

5. Chicken Meatballs with Sweetcorn Broth

• lean chicken mince 500 grams
• spring onions 2, finely sliced
• panko breadcrumbs ½ cup (or use gluten-free breadcrumbs)
• fresh ginger 1 teaspoon, finely minced
• garlic 1 clove, finely chopped
• sea salt ½ teaspoon
• chicken stock 1.5 litres (check label if eating gluten-free)
• leek 1, finely sliced
• whole corn kernels 410 gram tin, drained
• black sesame seeds 1 teaspoon

1. In a large bowl, combine the chicken and spring onions.
   
2. Add the breadcrumbs, ginger and garlic and season well with sea salt. Stir well until evenly mixed.
   
3. Roll into even-sized meatballs (approximately 24).
   
4. In a large saucepan, heat the chicken stock and add the sliced leek and sweetcorn. Bring to a simmer and cook for 4-5 minutes.
   
5. Add the meatballs one at a time, stirring so they remain separated. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until spongy and buoyant.
   Serve meatballs and broth in shallow bowls and top with a sprinkling of black sesame seeds.
   

Be sure to give these recipes a try and let us know which ones you and your family love the most! 

​From our home to yours,