15-Minute Weeknight Meals: Easy Beginner Recipes for Variety Every Day

After living abroad for fourteen years, coming back to Shanghai's fast pace felt like entering a new world. But since I started working in early December, I've found a busy but manageable rhythm. The many dining options and the ease of takeout are both appealing here. But I like the challenge of making quick, easy, and healthy meals with just a few ingredients.

And let's be honest, the body needs a break from eating out all the time!

These seven meals I'm going to share with you all take about fifteen minutes to make and will give you a week's worth of variety. They're the kind of meals that make rice disappear quickly, so they're great for beginners. I really believe that no matter how busy life gets, a little bit of homemade warmth can make everything better.

Each serving is for two people.

1.Teppanyaki-Style Black Pepper Beef with King Oyster Mushrooms

Ingredients: 3–5 cloves of garlic, 5–7g of butter, 1–2 teaspoons of cornstarch, ½ tablespoon of oyster sauce, a lot of black pepper, and salt as needed.

1. Cut the beef tenderloin and king oyster mushrooms into cubes that are 2 to 3 cm wide. To make sure the beef cubes are tender, mix them with oyster sauce, cornstarch, and a little bit of vegetable oil.
2. Put the butter in a pan that doesn't stick and heat it over medium heat. Sauté the minced garlic for 1 to 2 minutes, or until it smells good.
3. Put the beef and mushroom cubes in the pan and stir-fry them for about five minutes, or until the beef is just done. Add a lot of black pepper and a little salt to finish.

The creamy smell of butter, the savory juices from the beef, and a kick of black pepper, along with the mushrooms' natural umami, remind me of my favorite teppanyaki place. Every bite brings back memories of childhood!

Use soy sauce instead of oyster sauce for a change.

2.Snow Vegetable and Tender Black Fish Fillets

Ingredients: Black fish fillets (250g), cornstarch (2 teaspoons), cooking wine (½ tablespoon), white pepper (as needed), snow vegetables (50g), salt (as needed), and winter bamboo shoot (optional).

1. Soak the fish fillets in white pepper, cornstarch, and cooking wine.
2. If you're using winter bamboo shoots, cut them into pieces and boil them for three minutes. Let it drain well.
3. In a medium-hot non-stick pan, cook the diced chili, minced garlic, and chopped green onions for 1 to 2 minutes, or until they smell good.
4. Add the fish, bamboo shoots, and snow vegetables, and season with salt. For about three minutes, cook the fish until it goes from clear to white.

The cooking wine and white pepper bring out the fish's freshness, while the bamboo adds crunch and the snow vegetables add a unique taste. There is also a hint of heat. It tastes great on both noodles and rice.

3.Salted Egg Yolk Chicken Bites

Ingredients:250g of chicken thighs or breasts, 2 cooked salted egg yolks, 2 cloves of garlic, 1 chili pepper, 1 teaspoon of cooking wine, and 1–2 teaspoons of cornstarch

1. Cut the chicken into pieces or slices and mix it with cornstarch, cooking wine, and a little salt.
2. In a non-stick pan that is moderately hot, sauté the diced chili and minced garlic for 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Add the chicken and break up the cooked salted egg yolks so that the chicken is evenly covered.
4. Stir-fry until the chicken is done, tasting and adding more salt and pepper as needed before serving.

Choosing chicken thighs over breasts because they are more tender, the rich salted egg yolk mixes with the juicy chicken to make a dish that is truly delicious.

4.Non-Fried Crispy Curry Chicken Wings

Ingredients: 1½ teaspoons of curry powder, ½ teaspoon of salt, ¼ teaspoon of baking soda, and as many breadcrumbs as you need. You can also add shredded coconut if you want.

1. Get the chicken wings ready by poking holes or cutting slashes in them. Add curry powder, salt, and baking soda, then let it sit for 30 to 60 minutes.
2. Cover the wings in breadcrumbs (add some shredded coconut for an extra flavor) and bake them in a preheated oven at 190°C for 15–20 minutes, turning them once.

A little baking soda does the trick, making the skin perfectly crispy without any oil. The outside is crunchy, and the inside is juicy and tender, thanks to the warmth of the curry. These wings are amazing, even without the coconut.

5.Pork Belly with Enoki Mushrooms

Ingredients: 250g of pork belly or slices, 200g of enoki mushrooms, 1/2 an onion, 1 teaspoon of cooking wine, 2 cloves of garlic, 2 teaspoons of soy sauce, and pepper and white sesame seeds to taste

1. Begin by heating a medium-hot pan and sautéing the onion and garlic until the onion is soft and see-through.
2. Add the pork slices and torn enoki mushrooms. Stir-fry them with soy sauce for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the pork is fully cooked.
3. Before serving, stir in the pepper and white sesame seeds.

Adding Iberian pork makes this dish even better. The pork's natural richness and the enoki's umami make this quick dish stand out, and it would be worth three times the price at a restaurant! Keep an eye on the pork; it's done when it turns white and is soft to the touch.

6.Rice Cooker Yellow Braised Chicken

Ingredients: 2 medium-sized potatoes, ½ onion, 2 king oyster mushrooms, 1 chili pepper, 3 cloves of garlic, 10–15g of rock sugar, 2 teaspoons of cooking wine, and 1 tablespoon of yellow bean paste are all you need.

1. Cut the chicken, potatoes, onion, and mushrooms into small pieces.
2. Put all the ingredients in the rice cooker and add enough water to cover them.
3. Press the cook button and watch the magic happen.

Hit the cook button twice to make the sauce thicker. As the onion melts into the broth, it adds a natural sweetness that makes the chicken and potatoes tender and tasty. A little bit of spice and sugar makes the dish better, and even the rice cooked in the leftover broth smells great.

7.Rice Cooker Sweet and Sour Ribs

Ingredients:400g of ribs, a bunch of green onions, 2 teaspoons of cornstarch, 2 teaspoons of cooking wine, 20g of rock sugar, 20ml of light soy sauce, and 35ml of Chinkiang vinegar.

1. Use cooking wine and cornstarch to coat the ribs.
2. Heat some oil, then add the ribs, sugar, and green onions. Cook until the sugar melts and the ribs are lightly browned.
3. Add the soy sauce and vinegar, then take it off the heat.
4. Put everything in the rice cooker and add enough water to cover the ribs.
5. Cook as usual, or press the cook button twice until the sauce thickens into a shiny glaze.

You don't need to boil good ribs ahead of time. A little searing brings out their flavor, and a last sprinkle of sesame seeds makes it even better. The ribs are so tender that they fall off the bone, and the thick, sweet-sour sauce makes even wilted green onions taste good.