Cook Like a Pro! 5 Easy Recipes With Supermarket Ingredients

You want to spice up your usual weeknight lunch or dinner? Here are five easy recipes where each one takes 30 minutes or less with supermarket ingredients.

Pork Steak in Asparagus-Mustard Sauce
Let your pork steaks to rest on the counter for at least 30 minutes if it’s coming from the freezer. If the meat is too cold when you fry, the outside will get overcooked. 

Takes 30 minutes 
Makes 4 servings

4 pork steaks
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Olive oil for frying
2 tablespoons cream of asparagus soup powder
2 teaspoons prepared mustard
1 cup water

1. Season pork steaks with salt and ground black pepper to taste.
2. In a frying pan over medium heat, pan fry pork steaks in olive oil until done. Set aside.
3. Lower heat. In the same pan, sprinkle soup powder over 2 tablespoons leftover oil and stir to make a roux. Add in mustard and water and whisk to combine. Simmer until thickened. Pour over pork steaks and serve with steamed white rice and vegetables.

Recipe by Roselle Miranda. Photo by Miguel Nacianceno. Styling by Angelo Comsti. 

Spiced Ground Beef with Eggplants and Tomatoes 
This hearty alternative to the tortang talong is sooo good on rice. Soak the eggplant in water first and squeeze it dry so it doesn’t soak up a lot of oil.

Takes 30 minutes    
Makes 4 servings

2 onions, chopped 
1 teaspoon ginger, peeled, chopped 
3 garlic cloves, peeled, chopped
1/2 kilo ground beef 1 tablespoon curry powder 
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
2 small eggplants, cut into half moons 
1 cup tomatoes, chopped 
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste 
Oil for sautéing

1. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, heat about 2 tablespoons oil. Once hot, add and sweat onions followed by ginger and garlic until softened and aromatic. 
2. Increase heat to high and crumble in ground beef, cooking and stirring until it is no longer pink. Sprinkle in curry powder and ground cumin, and stir to combine. Lower heat back to medium, add eggplants, and cook until softened, stirring regularly. 
3. Add tomatoes and cook until heated through. Season with salt and ground black pepper, to taste. Serve with rice.

Recipe by Roselle Miranda. Photo by Erwin Obcemea. Styling by Chiqui Lloren.

Kung Pao Chicken 
The peanuts give this flavorful dish a delightful crunch; the red chili flakes add extra kick.

Takes 20 minutes
Makes 4 to 5 servings

1 packet kung pao chicken mix (25 grams)
1⁄2 cup water1 tablespoon oil1-inch piece ginger, cut in strips
1⁄2 kilo boneless, skinless chicken (thigh or breast) cut in small cubes
1⁄4 cup roasted unsalted peanuts1⁄2 cup roughly chopped leeks
1⁄4 cup chopped spring onions
1 teaspoon red chili flakes

1. Dissolve kung pao chicken mix in water. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a skillet, sauté ginger until edges turn golden brown. Add chicken and cook for about 10 minutes or until done. Add peanuts. Stir. 3. Add leeks, then pour dissolved kung pao chicken mix. Cover and bring to a quick boil. When sauce thickens, turn off the heat and add spring onions and chili flakes

Recipe by Divine Enya Mesina. Photo by Miguel Nacianceno. Styling by Cleone Baradas.

Steamed Lapu-Lapu with Lemongrass
Put red siling labuyo into the cavity of the fish for added zing.

Takes 30 minutes
Makes 4 to 6 servings 

1 bunch lemongrass
1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and sliced thinly
3 to 4 pieces red siling labuyo 
1 bunch spring onion, chopped
1 kilo lapu-lapu, gutted and cleaned
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Discard the green part of lemongrass. Slice the white part in half and crush.
2. In a small bowl, combine lemongrass, ginger, siling labuyo, and spring onion. Stuff into fish cavity. Season fish with salt and pepper.
3. Place fish in a steamer with boiling water and steam for about 20 minutes.
4. Serve with soy sauce and calamansi dip.

Recipe by Divine Mesina. Photo by Jun Pinzon. Food styling by Cleone Baradas. 

Kesong Puti, Kangkong, and Kamatis Omelet 
This breakfast omelet is easy to make and uses local ingredients.

Takes 15 minutes 
Makes 2 servings

2 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, peeled, chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled, chopped
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons evaporated milk (optional)
1/2 cup ripe tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup kesong puti, crumbled, divided
1 cup kangkong leaves, loosely packed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. In a large nonstick sauté pan, melt butter over medium heat. Sauté onion and then garlic.
2. Meanwhile, using a fork, beat eggs and milk in a bowl. Season to taste with salt and ground black pepper. Pour eggs into pan, mixing with the onion and garlic, and swirling the mixture to cover the pan. Cook eggs until edges are just set but center is still wet.
3. Scatter tomatoes, kangkong, and half of kesong puti over eggs, and then, using a spatula, fold half of omelet over the filling. Residual heat will wilt greens and warm tomatoes and cheese. Remove from heat. Grind black pepper over omelet, top with remaining cheese, and serve immediately with toast or garlic rice.
Recipe by Roselle Miranda.

Photo by Miguel Nacianceno. Art direction by Kara Ballesteros. 

All recipes originally appeared in Good Housekeeping Philippines magazine. Minor edits have been made by SmartParentimg.com.ph editors.