Quick and easy marinades

Looking for easy recipes that won’t leave you in a flap? Marinades are the answer! Not only are they quick and easy but also require a lot less oil when you cook.

Here are some them – give them a go!

• All these recipes serve 2
• About 300g chicken breasts cut into strips / 10-12 prawns / 1½-2 cups veggies
• Stir fry chicken strips for not more than 5-7 mins.
• When stir frying chicken, beat an egg lightly and add to the marinade, the chicken cooks much better.
• Keep the bite in the veggies, don’t overcook
• Make sure your oven is pre-heated when baking
• Marinate everything for at least 20mins.

1) This one is great for chicken and green peppers or bhindi & potato or paneer and green peppers.

1¼ tbsp dark soy sauce
1¼ tbsp vinegar (apple cider / red wine / white wine / malt)
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp ground garlic
1 tsp ground ginger
1 hot green chili or 2 medium hot green chilies chopped fine
2-3 spring onions chopped fine
salt and pepper to taste
Marinate the meat or vegetables in the paste and stir fry in 1 tbsp sesame oil. The Chinese sesame oil is better – It has a touch of soy as well which makes it different from our til oil.

2) This one can be enjoyed with cherry tomatoes, sliced onions, yellow peppers and whole baby spinach leaves. If you’re using chicken use the tomatoes, peppers and onions – they add great flavour of their own.

3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp ground garlic
1 tsp red chili flakes
¾ tsp dried oregano
or
1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
1 tbsp parmesan shavings
½ cup roasted pine-nuts (chircoza)

Keep the pine-nuts separate and add just before serving. Marinate and bake in the oven at 180C. Add the parmesan shavings 5 minutes before your dish is done. If you are using spinach, keep the spinach leaves separate. Stir fry in a pan in ½ tsp olive oil for 1 minute and add to the ready dish. If you are using chicken, put the tomatoes and onions in the oven first for about 20 minutes, then add the chicken and bake for another 7-8 mins.

If using dried herbs, add to marinade, if fresh add after cooking.
If you are using veggies only add ½ tsp of dried rosemary or 1 tsp fresh rosemary chopped.
If you are using chicken, add 2 tbsp of chopped fresh basil or ½ tsp dried basil.

3) I like to use this for chicken & roasted cashews (about ¼ cup) You can try mushrooms and cashews for a vegetarian alternative.

½ tsp red chili powder
½ tsp garam masala
½ tsp curry powder
Juice of 1 orange
1 tbsp brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste
coriander and lime juice after cooking

Marinate the meat, stir fry and then add the cashews at the end.

4) This one goes well with fish, prawn, chicken or paneer and mixed peppers.

1 tbsp wholegrain mustard or ½ tbsp yellow mustard
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp red chili powder
1 hot green chili, chopped fine
1 tbsp soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste
Rind of 1 orange
1 tbsp lime juice (after cooking)
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

Marinate the meat or vegetables in the paste and stir fry in 1 tbsp sesame oil (again, Chinese for this recipe)

5) You can give this one a go with strips of chicken or fish or shrimps. For the vegetarians, water chestnuts and mushrooms are the best choice.

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 tsp brown sugar
¼ tsp Tabasco
1 tsp chili flakes
salt and pepper to taste

Marinate and then stir fry in 3 tbsp of Olive oil.