Mince is a must-have in most weekly shops, but there’s so much more to this affordable protein than spaghetti bolognese. To add Asian flair to your midweek meals, be inspired by these 10 wallet-friendly ways to cook with mince.
One of our favourite ways to cook mince for the family is a batch of san choy bau. Kids love digging in with their hands – and we love sneaking in a couple of serves of vegetables (try adding extra diced carrot, mushrooms or capsicum).
Works well with: pork, chicken or turkey mince.
Give your classic rissole recipe an Asian accent by grated ginger and chopped spring onion to the mince mixture. Serve them Vietnamese-style, like this authentic bun cha, or for an Asian take on spaghetti and meatballs, roll up some beef and water chestnut patties, then serve them with a bowl of egg noodles.
Works well with: beef, pork, veal or chicken mince.
Mince is a must when making Asian dumplings, as the fine texture makes for a juicy filling. For a hit of texture and flavour, add vegetables such as shredded cabbage and spring onion, like this recipe for Japanese gyoza, or add sweet little nubs of prawn meat, like these Chinese-style pork and prawn dumplings.
Works well with: pork or chicken mince.
Stir-fries have become staples in Australian kitchens, thanks to their quick cooking time and flexible recipes. While we usually reach for rump steak or chicken fillets when whipping up a stir-fry, it’s worth giving mince a whirl – it cooks quickly and evenly, and is more affordable that prime cuts. For starters, try this Thai recipe for minced pork stir-fried with laksa paste. Or discover the authentic flavours of Sichuan cuisine with this poetically named ‘Ants climbing a tree’ recipe.
Works well with: beef, pork or chicken mince.
And for those nights when you want the comfort of spaghetti bolognese, why not try an Asian version instead? Za jiang mian is often dubbed “Chinese Bolognese”, thanks to its rich, savoury sauce of pork mince seasoned with dark soy and chilli bean paste, served over tender wheat noodles. For a warming Sichuan version, try spicy dan dan mian, Or, for a speedy Japanese “spaghetti”, try this stir-fried pork with soba noodles and sweet soy sauce, ready in under 30 minutes.
Works well with: beef or pork mince.
For more family meals, try our kid-friendly Asian recipes for easy midweek dinners.
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