Spring is a key time of year for eating seasonally – hello, greenery – and we also know that the Good Food app community come to us every day for quick and easy dinners. This new spring eating plan by Chetna Makan combines the two.
Designed for weeknights as well as weekend entertaining, these mix-and-match recipes from Chetna combine incredible flavour, easy techniques and genius new combinations (including an inventive way to use an entire jar of mango chutney).
There are overlapping ingredients to avoid waste, and they’re all foods that are easy to find in supermarkets, like new potatoes, asparagus, leek and cauliflower. The recipes serve four but lots make great lunch leftovers if you’re cooking for a smaller household.
“I loved developing these recipes for the Good Food app. Spring is one of the best times of year for cooking with seasonal ingredients, and I’ve picked some of my favourite vegetables and made them star of the show. These easy dinners are the recipes I make for my own family time and again, on the busy evenings when I want to serve up something that has bags of flavour but I don’t have the time for fiddly recipes. Lots of these dishes are a case of chucking in lots of spice, or using clever hacks like a whole jar of chutney to flavour chicken and potatoes. I hope you love making them as much as I loved writing them for you.”
Chetna
Which recipe will you cook first? For more from Chetna, visit her author page.
Chetna Makan’s easy spring dinners
Roast chicken tomato curry
“I love a good chicken curry, and there are so many amazing ways to make one. This recipe keeps it simple and uses just a few spices and a couple of cans of chopped tomatoes.”
Paneer asparagus sabji
“Simple flavours, basic spices – this is a whole a new way to eat seasonal asparagus. It can be served on its own with rice or as part of a spread alongside the beetroot dal and chicken curry”
Beetroot red lentils
“These red lentils, also known as masoor dal, are one of the quickest dishes to cook, and the grated beetroot adds a light sweetness and earthiness. Keep it vegan by making the tadka with oil instead of ghee. As the texture is quite loose, you can also enjoy as a soup, served with some toasts for dipping.”
Roast cauliflower pasta
“When I cook this for myself, I prefer it without any cheese on top, so try it first before adding the cheese, if you like.”
Sticky & spicy potatoes with sesame rice
“This is a meal my kids love eating, and it’s great for a lunchbox too. The sticky spicy potatoes are just so moreish and delicious served piping hot, or at room temperature. You can add more veg to the rice if you like, or if double carbs isn’t your thing, you can serve it on its own with eggs, fish or chicken for extra protein.”
Garlicky leek & prawn rice
“A delicious, speedy meal using a simple base of leeks and garlic. Swap the prawns for chopped chicken or cubes of tofu.”
Mango chutney chicken potato traybake
“The mango chutney adds a gentle sweetness, which along with the curry powder gives a nod to coronation chicken (which I love). Serve this with some rice or a crunchy, leafy salad.”
