Easy, Flavorful Meals To Get You To Thanksgiving Day
chili crisp noodles; coconut poached cod with ginger and lime
This month is flying by so quickly! I honestly can’t believe Thanksgiving is next week. Whether you’re hosting a large feast or simply attending as a guest, it’s pretty unlikely that planning your weeknight meals is top of mind right now.
So, today’s newsletter is focused on easy yet flavorful recipes to get you through the week.
P.S. Still looking for Thanksgiving recipes? Check out my previous newsletter, which includes 10+ recipe ideas and a FAQ guide with answers to every possible Thanksgiving question!
Weeknight Dinner: Chili Crisp Noodles
Cook time: 10 minutes
In my opinion, Sophia of Kiln and Kitchen is the queen of easy noodle dishes. The first time I tried her chili crisp noodles recipe, I was blown away by the simple list of ingredients yielding a flavorful and addictive sauce.
The dish is amazingly straightforward: saute some garlic in butter, then add the sauce ingredients. Reduce the sauce slightly, then toss with the noodles and top with scallions and sesame seeds if you feel so inclined.
Key flavors: slurpable, chewy noodles cling to a salty, sweet, umami sauce with hints of spice (it’s not very spicy!)
Tips & Tricks
We double the sauce when we make this. I’m of the opinion that more sauce is always better :)
For the noodles, Sophia calls for a wide, chewy shape, like these knife cut noodles, or homemade ones (if you want a project!). We found the below package of Guanmiao Noodles at our local Chinese grocery store, and we love them. I love that the slightly ridged texture allows the sauce to cling to the noodles. But you can use whatever noodles you have at home (even ramen will work great).
On its own, these noodles won’t serve as a complete meal for dinner (though they’re great as a quick lunch or snack). Here are some easy add-ons to round out the meal:
Add-ons:
Soft-boiled eggs or fried eggs
Canned tuna
Tofu
For a full spread: Smashed Cucumber Salad and Salmon with Lime Herb Butter
Grab the full recipe below ↓
Weekend Project: Coconut Poached Cod with Ginger and Lime
Cook time: 30 minutes
This flavorful weeknight meal features cod and bok choy poached in an aromatic Thai-inspired broth topped with crispy fried ginger, chilies, and lime wedges. The recipe takes inspiration from the flavors of tom kha gai with a few modifications.
The crispy ginger is my favorite part. You fry up the ginger until golden-brown and crispy, then use the residual ginger-scented oil to saute the rest of the aromatics.
Key flavors: sweet nuttiness from the coconut milk; aromatic, fragrant notes from the lemongrass, ginger, and garlic; umami saltiness from the fish sauce
Tips & Tricks
Poached fish sounds intimidating…but it’s simpler than you may think! Really, all you’re doing is cooking the fish slowly at a low temperature. The liquid should barely be simmering. Through gentle heating, the fish will stay moist without overcooking.
Keep tasting and seasoning the poaching liquid as you go through each step of the recipe. Ask yourself whether the dish has enough saltiness (from the fish sauce), acidity (from the lime juice), sweetness (from the brown sugar), and umami flavor (from the ginger and garlic). Ensure the poaching liquid is seasoned well before cooking the fish!
Go easy on the pickled chilies. They add a lot of heat, so if you’re sensitive to spice, start with a little bit at a time.
Mussels, clams, and shrimp are some great protein alternatives to fish.
Grab the full recipe, plus additional tips and tricks below ↓
Other Quick and Easy Recipes
Smoky White Beans with Eggs and Pickled Onion: White beans simmer in a smoky base of chipotle and tomato. Creamy poached eggs and tangy pickled onion balance out the rich, earthy flavors of the beans.
Paneer Bhurji Sandwiches: These paneer bhurji sandwiches feature flavorful scrambled spiced paneer with pickled red onion for a vegetarian take on Sloppy Joes.
Creamy Pumpkin Vodka Pasta: This saucy pumpkin pasta is a twist on classic vodka sauce!
- Karishma