1. Vegetable stir fry
This take on an authentic Pad Thai is a tried and tested student favourite – the recipe is so cheap, so easy and needs so little washing up. And don't forget, a low-meat diet tends to be better for our health and the planet.
This cheap vegetarian meal needs:
- Half an onion, or a couple of spring onions (use the rest in your money-saving stew below).
- A clove of garlic (use some more of the bulb in the stew below).
- 2 tsp of sugar (or a couple of sachets from your last coffee run).
- 3 tbsp light soy sauce.
- 2 tsp tamarind paste (this will also go for miles but, if you prefer, save extra pennies by using a bit of lime juice instead with some white wine vinegar and sugar mixed in).
- A couple of handfuls of beansprouts.
- A handful of mushrooms and/ or a red pepper.
- An egg.
- A block or 2 of noodles (the straight-to-wok kind are easier, but dried ones are usually cheaper, and you can pre-cook them in hot water for 3 mins using the same pan if you want).
- Feeling fishy? Make this low-meat, not no-meat, and add a few MSC-certified prawns for some variety. For another flavour combination, use half a breast of free-range chicken cut into strips instead.
- Get authentic: for real Pad Thai flavour, serve with some crushed peanuts and a wedge of lime.
Get cooking the best veggie stir fry
All these ingredients might look a bit daunting, but this meal is super quick and super easy. Cook your noodles first in the same pan to save on washing up, or leave them heating in some boiling water while you do the rest.
Mix the sugar, tamarind paste and soy sauce together in a cup and leave them to sit.
Chop your onion and garlic and chuck them in some hot oil in a big frying pan.
Stir them for 30 seconds.
Add the chopped mushrooms and/ or pepper and cook for a couple of minutes (a bit of crunch is fine).
Now move everything to one side of the pan, crack the egg and stir it around in the clear bit for 30 seconds – it'll look like a really broken omelette.
Add your beansprouts and any prawns, then pour over your cup of sauce, stir everything for another minute or 2, and mix in the cooked noodles.
Serve with peanuts and lime if you're feeling posh. Done!
2. One-pot money-saving stew
Be a money-saving expert with this cheap stew recipe. This is a great way to use up any leftover vegetables from your stir-fry. It'll also keep for ages, so use your biggest pot for cooking.
To make cheap vegetable stew you'll need:
- Half an onion.
- A couple of cloves of garlic.
- Some spices for taste – I like a couple of teaspoons of chilli powder, some garam masala and a bit of five-spice... mix it up.
- Some veg stock (tins of veggie boullion powder are ultra-cheap and last for ages).
- A tin or 2 of cheap chopped tomatoes.
- A tin of kidney beans (or any other tinned bean goodness).
- A tin of lentils or chickpeas.
- All the veg you can find – I use a potato, some courgettes, carrots and a leek or 2. Peel your root veg for use in the chips recipe below.
- Any leftover veg you need to eat.
- For a low-meat alternative, transform this dish into a cheap chicken casserole. Boil the leftover bones from some chicken legs to make a stock, and add any leftover chicken meat to the pan after it boils.
Get cooking your budget stew:
This is a simple student recipe. Start by chopping the onion and garlic, and add them to the pot with your spices to soften.
After a minute or so, tip in all your harder veg (leave things like courgettes, peppers or mushrooms for later) and stir them around with everything.
Add the tinned tomatoes, beans and lentils/ chickpeas. Do a bit more stirring, then in goes your stock and hot water to 3 cm or so from the top of the pan.
Chuck a lid on the pot and bring to the boil. Now cook until all your hard veg has gone soft, then add the rest of your veg to warm it through.
I keep topping the pot up with more hot water as it cooks to get a fairly liquid stew that lasts for days, but if you prefer you can let it boil down for something a bit more stodgy. Sorted.
3. Student chips from veg peelings
Even your veg peelings don't need to go to waste. If you've got an oven in your student accommodation, save your skins for this super-easy fast-food snack.
To make cheap chips you'll need:
- Veg peelings.
- Salt.
- Oil.
Get roasting your chips:
Pre-heat your oven to about 200°C, then spread your peelings out on a baking tray.
Chuck out potato peelings that are green and throw salt, pepper and oil over the remainder. Stir to ensure all the skins are covered, then pop them in the oven.
Roast for 15-20 minutes, giving them a shake once or twice during cooking.
Serve with your favourite dips, or grate a bit of cheese over the top for a tasty snack. Enjoy!
