You can pull this quick Thai green curry together in under 30 minutes. That doesn't make it any less authentic, quite the opposite. Whether the ever popular chicken version, seafood, tofu or a combination thereof, combined with vegetables and creamy coconut, it’s popular for many reasons. Just one of these is that it makes a perfect weeknight meal when you don’t want to spend too long in the kitchen.

This stir fried monkfish with Sichuan pepper is not one of the traditional Chinese recipes my father picked up on his travels in Asia and later taught me, but something I created after being reminded of the joys of monkfish in Scotland. But, it owes everything to him. Here the buttery monkfish works perfectly with spiky ginger, elegant star anise and tingly Sichuan pepper. Accompanied by egg fried rice and a side dish of bok choy and sweetcorn.

My father chanced upon this spicy Sicilian spaghetti with scallops in Palermo in the 1960s and it's been a family favourite ever since. It's brimming with flavours—scallops, anchovies, peperoncino, capers, shallots, and more—but takes less than 30 minutes to make. Above all, good quality olive oil is the star. It's a healthy, easy option perfect for hot weather.

This easy yakisoba can be made with pork, chicken, seafood or tofu—or a combination thereof— and is a mix of noodles, vegetables and a cooking sauce that gives the dish its name. It’s the perfect, quick meal to put together when you don’t have a lot of time to spare.

This recipe for pasta with pumpkin, spinach and thyme sauce takes barely 30 minutes to prepare and is surprisingly delicious for something that is so easy to cook with relatively few ingredients. Ideal for when you need to pull something impressive together with little time on your hands.

This Lebanese white fish en papillote (i.e. cooked in paper) is a very easy recipe that, with the right side dishes, creates a very interesting meal, no mean feat if you also want to keep it very low-fat, as it is here. Rich, deeply flavoured regional grains and a succulent side salad offset the simple, delicate flavours of the fish.

This vegan mushroom masala from Durban has become a go-to weekday curry, easy and fairly quick to make. If you love mushrooms and a bit of spice, this should definitely be in your repertoire. It's also easily adapted for non-vegans.

Haddock with anchovy caper cream - a light dish served with celeriac remoulade, puy lentils and a classic cold sauce. Hearty but healthy

This Ligurian pasta with mushrooms, capers and walnuts and other ingredients; ready in under 30 minutes; vegan, vegetarian or other

Tiger prawn nasi goreng, a version of this Indonesian quick-to-cook crowd pleaser of spiced fried rice, seafood, egg, salad and pickles

Mustard chicken with beetroot soured cream spätzle is a gorgeous combination of North German Baltic flavours

Low-fat char siu chicken with noodles, beans and bamboo shoots is a quick and easy dish my dad learn in Hong Kong in the 1960s

This Singapore noodle hot pot is a simple but delicious soup-and-noodle dish easily turned vegan, vegetarian or pescatarian.

This quick and easy pescatarian dish of tuna and mushroom tacos is a blend of traditional Mexican cooking and the Cali-Mex traditions of...

Pea, spinach and lemon risotto, a vegetarian meal—vegan if you leave out the cheese. Another healthy summer dish for kids

A quick and easy variation on non-baked cheesecake with baklava as the base, lemon zest and caramelised pistachio nuts

Jalfrezi is a popular style dish across the Indian Subcontinent. This Indian Ocean version looks to okra as a key ingredient

A quick and easy summer fresh pasta dish that foregrounds broccoli and anchovies; perfect for summer

A simple yet superb pasta dish with a classic tomato sauce that's easy and quick to prepare and, for me, its fantastic flavours are...

A classic steak dish served with a twist; served with celeriac, potato and butternut squash rösti