--- The Cook Up with Adam Liaw airs weeknights on SBS Food from Monday April 19 at 7pm and 10pm. It will encore on SBS Food at 11am weekdays and at 3.30pm on SBS. SBS Food will air a marathon on Sundays at 2.00pm, and series will be made available after broadcast on SBS On Demand. ---
Looking for some dinner inspiration? Adam Liaw knows what it's like to be planning night after night of cooking up something fun - and cooking up some fun! SBS's brand new show, The Cook Up with Adam Liaw, will be sharing 600 (yes 600!) recipes from Adam and a range of guests.
In each episode, Adam is joined by two food-loving friends for cooking and chat, lots of laughs and occasionally some fiery (literally) moments. Every night has a theme, and to kick things off, the show is starting with family dinners. There are plenty more family-friendly recipes and mid-week meal ideas coming our way over the weeks ahead, too. Here's a taste, plus more family dinner ideas from Adam that we love.
Ready in 20: Lamb chops and lemon pepper yoghurt
This is a super-easy family dinner idea from Adam, bursting with fresh flavours: grilled lamb chops, a mix of fresh and grilled vegetables and a peppy yoghurt (there's some Japanese mayo in there too). A fitting recipe to kick off the first night of the show!
Another fast fave: Saganaki burger
First-episode guest Yumi Stynes shares this burger, stuffed with bacon, saganaki cheese and pineapple. It's full of flavour and ready in 20 minutes.
Hearty roast: Pork belly one tray roast and roast potatoes
Plan ahead for this one - salting the skin of the pork a few days before cooking will pay off. This recipe from guest Colin Fassnidge also includes his favourite roast potatoes. It's a fantastic family feast!
Get a head start: Peri Peri chicken burger
Make the marinade a day ahead and let the chicken thigh fillets soak up flavour overnight, then dinner is fast and easy, in this recipe from The Cook Up guest Lucy Tweed.
Bowl of plenty: Lemongrass pork belly on rice
Adam loves Vietnamese broken rice (cơm tấm) dishes, but for times when you don't have all the elements, he's shared this simplified version for an easy dinner.
Family of two: Poached prawn, lemongrass and lime juice
This refreshing salad from The Cook Up guest Martin Boetz is made for two, but of course you can double or triple the recipe.
Leave room for dessert: Sticky banana and white chocolate puddings with butterscotch sauce
There are plenty of sweet ideas coming up on The Cook Up, too, including these indulgent puds from Lyndey Milan.
PLUS
Always a favourite: Egg fried rice
The recipes above are a taste of what you can look forward to in The Cook Up, but if you simply can't wait for more Adam Liaw recipes, don't forget there are hundreds more that he's shared with us in previous shows and books waiting right here. Among them is this enduring favourite, his egg fried rice. It's simple comfort food that you can whip up in ten minutes.
"I think what makes a Hokkien noodle dish truly Hokkien is the characteristics of Fujian where its inspirations originated. Travellers from inland came to the coast to start their journeys abroad, and so their noodle dishes combined both meat and seafood with vegetables, along with whatever noodles they found in their adopted lands. It’s a simple recipe that tells an amazing story." Adam Liaw, Destination Flavour China
Half the world loves a kebab, and the other half just hasn’t got around to knowing them yet. The secret to a delicious Azeri chicken skewer is the souring agent, such as lemon juice or vinegar in the marinade. It seasons the dish and also tenderises the meat.
One of the most useful skills in wok cooking is blanching. Par-cooking vegetables before frying means they will cook faster and more completely when combined in the wok.
One of my favourite Japanese foods is okonomiyaki, a kind of Japanese savoury pancake where the batter is mixed with whatever toppings take your fancy. But the toppings used with okonomiyaki are also fantastic in a baked potato. Try these with bacon and cheese, grilled prawns or any leftovers you may have in the fridge.