This easy Japanese beef shigureni is a quick, easy dish that uses relatively few ingredients and is easily turned pescatarian or vegan. Succulent beef (or tofu) mixed with ginger in a sweet-meets-umami glaze. It's ideal for those wishing to dip their toes into the deep pool of Japanese cooking using ingredients widely available without having to stock up on many specialist items. Do as the Japanese ex-pats do.

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.