Dishes that make returning to the office a piece of cake
Emily Weinstein plates up easy, tasty post-commute meals
Hello from the office, where I am for the first time since Covid banished me to my home, which I know makes me fortunate. But, wow, I felt stress pangs as I left the house. How will I make dinner when I’ll be commuting more often?
I hope I did not just stress you out, too. We’re fine! Here are recipes that are fast and easy enough to break out as soon as you walk through the door. And, of course, they are just as good when there is no commute, and especially so on warm evenings when the first order of business is a cold drink.
Salt and pepper prawn rolls
Inspired by jiao yan xia, the classic Chinese dish of head-on, fried prawns finished with a Sichuan or white pepper salt seasoning, these shrimp rolls celebrate the flavours of salt and pepper. Peeled prawns are seasoned, breaded with cornstarch and fried until super crunchy, then sprinkled with a black pepper-salt. Once cooked, they’re tucked into toasted rolls smeared with a zingy garlic mayo. Fresh coriander, sliced chilli and a squeeze of fresh lime brighten the hearty sandwich. Store any leftover pepper-salt in an airtight container and use it as a seasoning for roasted meats and vegetables.
By: Kay Chun
Makes: 4 servings
Total time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
Vegetable oil, for frying (about 600ml)
115g mayonnaise
¼ tsp grated garlic
1 tsp ground black pepper
½ tsp salt
4 hot dog buns, preferably top-split
450g peeled and deveined king prawns (16 to 20 prawns), tails removed
60ml whole (or 2 per cent) milk
120g cornstarch
2 Fresno chillies, thinly sliced
Tender coriander sprigs, for garnish
Lime wedges, for serving
Method:
1. In a 30cm cast iron or heavy frying pan, heat 2.5cm of oil over medium-high until an instant-read thermometer registers 180C.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine mayonnaise and garlic; mix well. In a separate small bowl, combine pepper and salt.
3. Heat a medium non-stick frying pan over medium. Using 1 teaspoon of garlic mayonnaise per bun, spread on outer sides of buns, then toast them until golden, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to plates.
4. Season prawns with about 1 teaspoon of the pepper-salt, dip in milk, then dredge in cornstarch, gently pressing so cornstarch adheres. Working in two batches, fry prawns until crispy and cooked through, turning halfway, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Season with more of the pepper-salt mixture.
5. Smear some garlic mayonnaise on the inner centre of buns, then divide prawns among buns. Top with chillies, coriander and more pepper-salt. Serve with lime wedges.
Rotisserie chicken salad with greens and herbs
This is a no-recipe recipe, a recipe without an ingredients list or steps. It invites you to improvise in the kitchen.
By: Sam Sifton
Pick up a roast chicken at the supermarket on the way home – it’s OK! – and tear it apart to feed four, or half of it for two, shredding the meat with your fingers. Mix the chicken with a few handfuls of baby rocket, a