Ready to Cook

You probably haven’t thought about cooking or food shopping when you start uni but now is the time to get prepared so you don’t end up living on takeaways, super noodles and toast.

27 Aug 2021   2 min read

Ready to Cook

If you’ve never cooked before, ask someone to show you a few basics to get you started and get some practice. Check out our quick, simple and cheap 5 ingredient recipes to help inspire your culinary adventures!

The Swedish Chef from the Muppets

Chickpea Curry

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp medium Indian curry paste, such as tikka masala
  • 400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 227g can chopped tomatoes
  • 25g/1oz creamed coconut, from a block, roughly chopped
  • 250g sachet basmati rice or 125g uncooked basmati rice

Cost

£3.43 – 2 portions (full recipe in link)

Top tip

if you are boiling your own rice – after draining, rinse the rice in hot water to remove the starch and give you fluffy rice!

Eating Pie - So good.

Sausage Pasta

  • 1 red pepper, seeds removed, finely chopped
  • 400g sausages, skins removed
  • 350g tomato and chilli pasta sauce
  • 350g penne
  • freshly grated Parmesan

Cost

£4.09 – 4 portions (full recipe in link)

Top tip

an easy way to remove the sausage skin is to cut of the tip with scissors and squeeze the meat out.

Child eating Spaghetti

Chorizo and Butterbean Stew with Baked Potato

  • 4 baking potatoes
  • 200g chorizo
  • 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
  • 2 x 400g tins butter beans
  • 50g fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped

Cost

£5.86 – 4 portions

Top tip

for speedy baked potatoes, prick with a fork, place on a microwave safe dish with 2x tablespoons of water and cook for 5 mins either side.

Dancing potato

Carrot and Coriander Soup

  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 450g carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1.2 litres/2 pints vegetable stock
  • large bunch fresh coriander, roughly chopped

Cost

£3.75 – 4 portions

Top tip

save your plastic takeaway containers and freeze your leftovers.

A Dog Cooking

Fish cakes

  • 450g potato, chopped into chunks
  • 450g mixed frozen fish such as cod, haddock, salmon, smoked haddock
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 free-range egg, beaten
  • vegetable oil, for frying

Cost

£6.49 – Makes 8-12 fishcakes

Top tip

If you can’t get to a supermarket for the fish, supplement with tinned tuna or salmon.

If you are moving into student accommodation, look out for the Hungry in Halls programme. Gain confidence in the kitchen, learn how to budget when you shop and earn Edge award accreditation.