Prepare like a pro

TWO weeks to go and you should be feeling organised with your menu and in fully-fledged holiday mode.

Call me Santa, but I’m a big one for making a list and checking it twice!

Jot down all your ingredients, noting what can be bought now, a week from now, and those perishables just before Christmas Day.

Did I mention you should check it twice?

Pick up items from the shops while you’re there for tonight’s weeknight dinner, making your holiday shop so much easier and efficient.

Grab ingredients that can hang out for a while on the counter or in the fridge, such as the passionfruit for your prawns; eggs and cream for your pav custard; garlic, capsicums and eggplant for your tomato salad. Pick up that ham, too.

I find it handy to schedule recipe prep and note what can be done on each day leading up to Christmas, going as far as breaking down what can be done right up to the minute before serving.

When a guest or family member asks what can they do to help, you can quickly peek at your list and put those kitchen elves to work. Plus, crossing off completed tasks on your list feels so great!

Next week will be a big one for buying all your proteins and perishable fruit and vegies. Make sure that your fridge is as clean and empty as possible. Give the Esky a good hose down, too, as you may just need it for cold space!

This recipe comes together in minutes, but to get ahead and get great results, here are some pro tips to keep in mind.

GET AHEAD

• Chop your onions, ginger and garlic ahead of time. Store the ginger and garlic together, since you will add them to the pan together.

• Measure your spices and store them together at room temperature.

• Be sure the spices are fresh for the most vibrant flavours to come through. Using outdated spices is like throwing sawdust on your food. Not good.

ALL IN THE TIMING

• Before you even begin making the creamed spinach or searing the barramundi, start cooking your rice.

• Make sure your rice and spinach are done before cooking the barra. They’ll hold until the fish is done, but the fish will go cold quickly, so you don’t want to delay serving it as soon as it is ready.

MAKING PERFECT RICE

• For the fluffiest rice, rinse it through a sieve before adding it to the pot of water.

• Never “boil” your rice; doing so will split apart the rice grains. Always cook your rice covered and at a gentle simmer to keep the grains intact.

• Never stir your rice while it is cooking, since doing so releases all the starches in rice, which make it gummy.