beginners

Don't call the local takeaway – impress friends and family by cooking this fragrant and creamy Thai green chicken curry. It's easy and quick to make

Thai green chicken curry

new potatoes,cut into chunks

green beans,trimmed and halved

vegetable oil

garlic clove,chopped

tbsp

coconut milk

tsp Thai fish sauce

tsp caster sugar

boneless skinless chicken(breasts or thighs), cut into bite-size pieces

lime lime

basil leaves

boiled rice,to serve

Put 225g new potatoes, cut into chunks, in a <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/five-best-saucepans">pan</a> of boiling water and cook for 5 minutes.

Add 100g trimmed and halved green beans and cook for a further 3 minutes, by which time both should be just tender but not too soft. <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/test-five-best-colanders">Drain</a> and put to one side.

In a <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/top-five-woks">wok</a> or large frying pan, heat 1 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil until very hot, then drop in 1 chopped <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/top-five-garlic-gadgets">garlic</a> clove and cook until golden, this should take only a few seconds. Don’t let it go very dark or it will spoil the taste.

Spoon in 1 rounded tbsp Thai green curry paste and stir it around for a few seconds to begin to cook the spices and release all the flavours.

Next, pour in a 400ml can of coconut milk and let it come to a bubble.

Stir in 2 tsp Thai fish sauce and 1 tsp caster sugar, then 450g bite-size chicken pieces. Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook, covered, for about 8 minutes until the chicken is cooked.

Tip in the potatoes and beans and let them warm through in the hot coconut milk, then add 2 finely shredded kaffir lime leaves (or 3 wide strips lime zest).

Add a good handful basil leaves, but only leave them briefly on the heat or they will quickly lose their brightness.

Scatter with lime to garnish and serve immediately with boiled rice.

Barney guides you through a step-by-step guide to making a mushroom risotto - you might even find it relaxing!

Mushroom risotto

dried porcini mushrooms

vegetable stock cube

olive oil

onion,finely chopped

garlic cloves,finely chopped

pack chestnut mushrooms,chopped

risotto rice,such as arborio

x 175 milliliters glass white wine

butter

parsley leaves, chopped

Put 50g dried porcini mushrooms into a large <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/top-five-mixing-bowls">bowl</a> and pour over 1 litre <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/top-five-clever-kettles">boiling water</a>. Soak for 20 mins, then <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/test-five-best-colanders">drain</a> into a bowl, discarding the last few tbsp of liquid left in the bowl.

Crumble 1 vegetable stock cube into the mushroom liquid, then squeeze the mushrooms gently to remove any liquid.

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a shallow <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/five-best-saucepans">saucepan</a> or deep <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/top-five-non-stick-frying-pans">frying pan</a> over a medium flame. Add 1 finely chopped onion and 2 finely chopped garlic cloves, then fry for about 5 mins until soft.

Stir in 250g chopped chestnut mushrooms and the dried mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and continue to cook for 8 mins until the fresh mushrooms have softened.

Tip 300g risotto rice into the pan and cook for 1 min. Pour over a 175ml glass of white wine and let it bubble to nothing so the alcohol evaporates.

Keep the pan over a medium heat and pour in a quarter of the mushroom stock. Simmer the rice, stirring often, until the rice has absorbed all the liquid.

Add about the same amount of stock again and continue to simmer and stir - it should start to become creamy, plump and tender. By the time the final quarter of stock is added, the rice should be almost cooked.

Continue stirring until the rice is cooked. If the rice is still undercooked, add a splash of water. Take the pan off the heat, add 25g butter and scatter over 25g grated parmesan or Grana Padano <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/top-graters">cheese</a> and half a handful of chopped parsley leaves.

Cover and leave for a few mins so that the rice can take up any excess liquid as it cools a bit. Give the risotto a final stir, spoon into bowls and scatter with the remaining 25g grated cheese and the remaining chopped parsley leaves.

This is an easy cheesecake for kids to prepare with just a little supervision – they'll love smashing up the biscuits for the base.

No-Bake Orange Cheesecake

digestive biscuits

tbsp butter,melted

curd cheese

mascarponecheese

caster sugar

tbsp milk

pot double cream

No-bake orange cheesecake

Crush the biscuits roughly. You can do this by putting them in a plastic food bag and crushing them with a wooden spoon.

Put the biscuits into a bowl and mix in the melted butter. Put the mixture into a 23cm cheesecake tin, then use the back of a spoon to spread it evenly and press it down in the tin to form the base. Put the tin into the fridge to set. This should take about 30 mins.

Put the curd or cream cheese, orange zest, mascarpone, sugar and milk into a bowl and mix it well with the wooden spoon.

Put the cream in a clean bowl and whisk until it is the consistency of thick custard. Add to the orange mixture and mix thoroughly.

Remove the cheesecake tin from the fridge. Pour the filling over the biscuit base and spread evenly. Decorate with segments of orange and return to the fridge until ready to serve (at least 4 hours or overnight).

Cheap and dead easy to make - stuff our simple falafels into warm pittas with salad, or serve with couscous and hummus

Homemade Falafels

tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil

onion,finely

garlicclove, crushed

can chickpea,washed and drained

tsp cumin

tsp ground coriander(or use more cumin)

herbs

egg,beaten

Homemade falafels

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large pan, then fry the onion and garlic over a low heat for 5 mins until softened. Tip into a large mixing bowl with the chickpeas and spices, then mash together with a fork or potato masher until the chickpeas are totally broken down. Stir in the parsley or dried herbs, with seasoning to taste. Add the egg, then squish the mixture together with your hands.

Mould the mix into 6 balls, then flatten into patties. Heat the remaining oil in the pan, then fry the falafels on a medium heat for 3 mins on each side, until golden brown and firm. Serve hot or cold with couscous, pitta bread or salad.

Show off with minimal effort, this delicious salad is simple to prepare but looks so pretty on the plate

Goat's cheese & beetroot salad

cooked beetroot (fresh

log firm goat's cheese,

small-leaf salad, containing rocket and herbs

garlic clove, crushed

lemon juice

Dijon mustard

tsp clear honey

walnut oil

Thinly slice the beetroot, either with a very sharp knife or on a mandolin. Arrange overlapping slices over four dinner plates.

Put all the dressing ingredients into a jar, replace the lid, then shake well to mix. Drizzle a little over the beetroot. Slice the goat’s cheese into 12 and put 3 slices on top of each serving of beetroot. Toss the salad leaves in a little dressing, then put a small pile of leaves on top of each serving of cheese. Drizzle with the remaining dressing.

This great chilli recipe has to be one of the best dishes to serve to friends for a casual get-together. An easy sharing favourite that uses up storecupboard ingredients.

Chilli con carne recipe

onion

red pepper

garlic

tbsp oil

paprika

lean minced beef

beef stock cube

can chopped tomatoes

marjoram

tsp sugar(or add a thumbnail-sized piece of dark chocolate along with the beans

tomato purée

red kidney beans

plain boiled long grain rice, to serve

Prepare your vegetables. <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/top-five-paring-knives">Chop</a> 1 large onion into small dice, about 5mm square. The easiest way to do this is to cut the onion in half from root to tip, peel it and slice each half into thick matchsticks lengthways, not quite cutting all the way to the root end so they are still held together. Slice across the matchsticks into neat dice.

Cut 1 red pepper in half lengthways, remove stalk and wash the seeds away, then chop. <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/top-five-garlic-gadgets">Peel</a> and finely chop 2 garlic cloves.

Start cooking. Put your <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/review/best-saute-pans">pan</a> on the hob over a medium heat. Add 1 tbsp oil and leave it for 1-2 minutes until hot (a little longer for an electric hob).

Add the onion and cook, stirring fairly frequently, for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is soft, squidgy and slightly translucent.

Tip in the garlic, red pepper, 1 heaped tsp hot chilli powder or 1 level tbsp mild chilli powder, 1 tsp paprika and 1 tsp ground cumin.

Give it a good stir, then leave it to cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Brown 500g lean minced beef. Turn the heat up a bit, add the meat to the pan and break it up with your spoon or spatula. The mix should sizzle a bit when you add the mince.

Keep stirring and prodding for at least 5 minutes, until all the mince is in uniform, mince-sized lumps and there are no more pink bits. Make sure you keep the heat hot enough for the meat to fry and become brown, rather than just stew.

Make the sauce. Crumble 1 beef stock cube into 300ml hot water. Pour this into the pan with the mince mixture.

Add a 400g can of chopped tomatoes. Tip in ½ tsp dried marjoram, 1 tsp sugar and add a good shake of salt and pepper. Squirt in about 2 tbsp tomato purée and stir the sauce well.

Simmer it gently. Bring the whole thing to the boil, give it a good stir and put a lid on the pan. Turn down the heat until it is gently bubbling and leave it for 20 minutes.

Check on the pan occasionally to stir it and make sure the sauce doesn’t catch on the bottom of the pan or isn’t drying out. If it is, add a couple of tablespoons of water and make sure that the heat really is low enough. After simmering gently, the saucy mince mixture should look thick, moist and juicy.

Drain and rinse a 410g can of red kidney beans in a sieve and stir them into the chilli pot. Bring to the boil again, and gently bubble without the lid for another 10 minutes, adding a little more water if it looks too dry.

Taste a bit of the chilli and season. It will probably take a lot more seasoning than you think.

Now replace the lid, turn off the heat and leave your chilli to stand for 10 minutes before serving. This is really important as it allows the flavours to mingle.

Serve with soured cream and plain boiled long grain rice.

Slow-roasting is a great way to keep chicken nice and moist. Adding the potatoes to the roasting tin infuses them with plenty of flavour, too

Foolproof slow roast chicken

butter,for greasing

chicken

1kg roasting potatoes,halved

garlic heads,halved through the middle

milliliters white wine

chicken stock

bay leaves

Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Brush a large <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/review/test-five-best-roasting-tins">roasting tin</a> all over with butter and smear some over the skin of the chicken.

Place the chicken in the tin and arrange the potatoes around it. Put the halved garlic heads in the tin, pour over the white wine and stock, then cover with foil and place in the oven. Cook for 1 hr then remove the foil and give the potatoes a shake. Add the herbs and lemon wedges, then cook uncovered for 50 mins.

Turn the heat up to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Cook for 30 mins more, then remove the chicken and potatoes from the pan. Cover the chicken loosely with foil and leave to rest on a plate for at least 10 mins before carving. Keep the potatoes warm. Serve with any pan juices.

Love meatballs but worry about the fat content? This low-fat version will be a real treat

Creamy Swedish meatballs

onion, finely chopped

minced pork (or lamb)

dill,

soured cream

Mix together the onion, pork, egg yolk and half the dill in a bowl. Lightly wet your hands, then shape the mixture into 12 balls, each about the size of golf ball.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Tip in the meatballs and fry, turning often, for about 12-15 mins until golden all over. Mix together sour cream and remaining dill, then spoon over the meatballs. Serve with mashed potato or tagliatelle.

Think paella's too much of a challenge? Think again, this easy recipe makes it foolproof and is full of fantastic flavour

Easiest ever paella

leek

pack chorizo sausage, chopped

turmeric

long grain rice

hot fish or chicken stock

frozen pea

frozen seafood mix,defrosted

Heat the oil in a deep <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/top-five-non-stick-frying-pans">frying pan</a>, then soften the leek for 5 mins without browning. Add the chorizo and fry until it releases its oils. Stir in the turmeric and rice until coated by the oils, then pour in the stock. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 15 mins, stirring occasionally.

Tip in the peas and cook for 5 mins, then stir in the seafood to heat through for a final 1-2 mins cooking or until rice is cooked. Check for seasoning and serve immediately with lemon wedges.

Enjoy this super-healthy classic French vegetarian dish, safe in the knowledge that it counts as four of your five-a-day

Ratatouille

aubergines

courgettes

peppers

tomatoes

basil

medium onion,peeled and thinly sliced

garlic cloves,peeled and crushed

tbsp red wine vinegar

tsp sugar(any kind)

Cut 2 large aubergines in half lengthways. Place them on the <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/test-five-best-chopping-boards">board</a>, cut side down, <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/top-five-paring-knives">slice in half</a> lengthways again and then across into 1.5cm chunks. Cut the ends off 4 small courgettes, then across into 1.5cm slices.

<a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/test-five-best-peelers">Peel</a> 2 red or yellow peppers from stalk to bottom. Hold upright, cut around the stalk, then cut into 3 pieces. Cut away any membrane, then chop into bite-size chunks.

Score a small cross on the base of each of 4 large ripe tomatoes, then put them into a heatproof bowl. Pour <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/top-five-clever-kettles">boiling water</a> over, leave for 20 secs, then remove. Pour the water away, replace the tomatoes and cover with cold water. Leave to cool, then peel the skin away.

Quarter the tomatoes, scrape away the seeds with a spoon, then roughly chop the flesh.

Set a <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/top-five-non-stick-frying-pans">sauté pan</a> over medium heat and when hot, pour in 2 tbsp olive oil. Brown the aubergines for 5 mins on each side until the pieces are soft. Set them aside.

Fry the courgettes in another tbsp oil for 5 mins, until golden on both sides. Repeat with the peppers. Don’t overcook the vegetables at this stage.

Tear up the leaves from the bunch of basil and set aside. Cook 1 thinly sliced medium onion in the pan for 5 minutes. Add 3 crushed <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/top-five-garlic-gadgets">garlic</a> cloves and fry for a further minute. Stir in 1 tbsp red wine vinegar and 1 tsp sugar, then tip in the tomatoes and half the basil.

Return the vegetables to the pan with some salt and pepper and cook for 5 mins. Serve with basil.

Sara Buenfeld’s fast and easy fried rice with bacon and vegetables makes for a delicious Chinese-style supper

Easy egg fried rice

American long grain rice

frozen peas

sunflower oil

back bacon rashers, roughly chopped

red pepper, chopped

garlic cloves, thinly sliced

eggs

Chinese five-spice powder

Fill a roomy saucepan with water, bring to the boil and tip in a heaped teaspoon of salt - the water will bubble furiously. Pour in the rice, stir once and return to the boil, then turn the heat down a little so that the water is boiling steadily, but not vigorously.

Boil uncovered, without stirring (this makes for sticky rice) for 10 minutes. After 8 minutes, throw in the frozen peas, boil for 2 minutes and drain (don&rsquo;t rinse).

Heat the sunflower oil in a wok and stir fry the bacon for 3-4 minutes until crisp. Tip in the red pepper and the garlic cloves and stir fry for 2 minutes.

Beat the eggs, pour into the pan and stir fry until the egg just sets. Toss in the Chinese 5-spice

Tomato, onion and garlic pasta sauce with sausage chunks for a bit of substance – brilliant for students (and as a hangover cure)

Sausage pasta

pork sausages

onion,

garlic cloves, crushed

tsp chilli powder

short pasta

Put a large pan of water on to boil.

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/top-five-non-stick-frying-pans">frying pan</a> and fry chunky pieces of 8 pork sausages on a fairly high heat until they are golden brown all over.

Now turn the heat down and add 1 large chopped onion and 2 crushed garlic cloves, cooking them until they have softened.

Stir in 1 tsp chilli powder and 400g chopped tomatoes with the sausages, bring the sauce to the boil then turn the heat down and let it bubble for about 10 minutes while you cook the pasta.

Drop 300g pasta into the pan of boiling water and cook according to the pack instructions.

Drain the pasta, then tip it into the frying pan with the sausage sauce, mixing well to coat. Dish up immediately with crusty bread.

Fresh, fruity and light, this dessert gets a touch of luxury with cream and a splash of liqueur

Top 40 beginners recipes from across the web

The most viewed beginners recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Thai green chicken curry

Mushroom risotto

No-Bake Orange Cheesecake

Homemade Falafels

Goat's cheese & beetroot salad

Chilli con carne recipe

Foolproof slow roast chicken

Creamy Swedish meatballs

Easiest ever paella

Ratatouille

Easy egg fried rice

Sausage pasta

Raspberry & orange syllabub

Cheese soufflé in 4 easy steps

Anzac biscuits

Hollandaise sauce

Iced fairy cakes

Pad Thai

Lemony prawn & pea pasta

Tomato pasta bake

Quick chicken chasseur

Prawn & melon salad

Squash, pea & feta frittatinis

Gratin of carrots & root vegetables

Courgette salad

Mushroom risotto

Spicy Indian rice

Quiche Lorraine in 4 easy steps

Carrot cake

Ultimate chocolate cake

Chicken Caesar salad

Cacio e pepe with runner beans

Shakshuka

Blackberry coulis

Leek, bacon & potato soup

Fastest ever lemon pudding

Strawberry cheesecake in 4 easy ste...

Cheesy scrambled egg croissants

Tomato soup

Classic sponge sandwich

The most viewed beginners recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine