Help! I eat the same stuff all the time!

[snotrag]

I love food. Really, I love food, a LOT. I wish I was a good cook.

But, I tend to eat the same things all the time - basic pasta stuff, frozen pies, fish etc, peas and carrots, yawn...

What can I do to indulge my love of scoffing... but bearing in mind I'm a student so have little money or time, and am usually cooking for one :getyourviolinsoutsmilet: so stuff need to be freezable.

Any pointers, inspiration or bright ideas?

[driverrob]

My life saver when I was a student was "cooking in a bed-sitter" (IIRC). If it's no longer in print there's probably a more up-to-date equivalent.

[Wadeski]

learn to cook curries?

dirt cheap.
really easy.
tastes better the next day.
freezes really well.
million different varieties (1 billion Indian people arent wrong)

Edited by Wadeski on Thursday 18th October 23:15

[bint]

Wadeski said:

learn to cook curries?

dirt cheap.
really easy.
tastes better the next day.
freezes really well.
million different varieties (1 billion Indian people arent wrong)

Edited by Wadeski on Thursday 18th October 23:15

Use http://www.spicebox.co.uk/ to get proper curry pastes and mixes - one pack plus random selection of veg and meat will give you 4 generous servings. Top nosh.

Alternatively, look for a cookery book called the 3 ingredient cook book - I have it and it's brilliant.

[jmorgan]

Good one, simple, chicken and a tin of tomatoes. Bake. You can substitute the chicken for any small cut you like. Get the herbed tomatoes for variety.

Stir fry veg. Or another take is to boil some rice till done. Strain and rinse a lot with running water to get all the starchy goo out. Then stir fry that with some eggs and mushrooms etc. Say spring onions. I find stir frying veg etc very quick and simple, many variations.

Can of fish soup, Cullen Skink does well, get some cheap cuts of fish and chuck it in. Cooks quickly. Big crusty roll and butter and Bob's yer mothers brother.

Lamb neck cuts do well. Roasted in herbs and baby potatoes. Crush but not mash when don and chuck in a couple of them small cartons of garlic butter.

[dougc]

Stir fry. Its a piece of cake and can vary massively. Get a cheap and cheerful recipe book on the subject and go nuts - or even just make it up as you go along.

Last night I did Prawn, Squid, Ginger, Garlic, Chili and Pak choi. Took about 10 minutes to prep and 5 to cook. Make sure you have plenty of cold Tsingtao to hand.