Dining in takeaway style
Set the scene for a classic takeaway night by stocking the house with relaxed tableware, such as white paper boxes for serving noodles, paper napkins for easy cleaning and plenty of chopsticks. While you can eat these feasts at the table, there's something fun about sitting down around the coffee table, enjoying a movie and your favourite takeaway foods. Here are a few move takeaway tips to make the meal fun:
- Don't forget the condiments: tomato relish, tartare sauce and garlicky aioli complete these meals, so make sure you stock up on plenty to serve alongside the meal.
- Give the linen a miss: opt for paper napkins and don't worry about a tablecloth to keep the mood relaxed and fun.
- Plan ahead: buy everyone their own pair of chopsticks or noodle bowl to complete the experience.
Fish and chips
Very few can resist a fish and chip feast and it's easy to recreate this favourite at home. The hero of any fish and chip meal is the fish. Choose the freshest fish you can and use one of these great batter recipes for flawless results.
- Beer Batter Fish
- Restaurant Fish Batter
- Easy Tempura Batter
Crunchy chips are the perfect side and can easily be whipped up at home. For a spin on the classic potato chip, try using sweet potatoes instead.
- Chips
- Sweet Potato Chips
- Beer Battered Chips
The quintessential fish and chip sauce, tartare, is a cinch to make at home. Try one of these recipes and you'll never choose the bottled stuff again.
- Tartare Sauce
- Creamy Tartare Sauce
- Tartare Sauce
Pizza
No matter what your pizza preference is, the best way to enjoy it is by making your own. Either choose one of these recipes to make the crust or buy a premade base. Alternatively, for a quick, healthy, option use pita bread.
- No Yeast Quick Easy Pizza Base
- Herbed Pizza Dough
- David's Amazing Pizza Base
Have fun making up your own pizza from your favourite toppings, or try one of these favourite combinations:
- Prosciutto Gourmet Pizza
- Thai-Style Chicken Pizza
- Pizza Bianca
Pad Thai
Perhaps the most famous Thai dish, these stir-fried rice noodles are loved the world over. Traditionally, pad Thai is made from rice noodles, egg, peanuts, dried prawns, spring onions, tofu, bean sprouts, tamarind juice, and, sometimes, chicken and fresh prawns. Don't miss adding the array of favourite condiments to make it your own – from fresh lime juice to fiery chilli powder.
- Chicken Pad Thai
- Prawn and Tofu Pad Thai
- Chicken Pad Thai
Hamburgers
Everyone should have a go-to hamburger recipe for those moments when only a burger will do. The good news is, by making them yourself you know exactly what's in these burgers, making them a not-too-unhealthy treat. Try making a double batch and keep some in the freezer, ready to fry up whenever you're in the mood for a good burger.
- Hamburgers with Chutney Sauce
- Best BBQ Hamburgers
- BBQ Hamburgers
- Hamburger Patties
Of course, hamburgers are nothing without their sauces, so try your hand at making your own from scratch.
- Garlic Aioli
- Basic Mayonnaise
- Tomato Relish
Nachos
The base of any nacho dish is the corn chips, and this is one time you don't want to get too fancy with your seasonings. Opt for plain salted corn chips so that the flavouring doesn't overwhelm all the other components of the dish. Use one of these recipes to perfect this Mexican favourite, and a real crowd pleaser:
- Nachos with Guacamole
- Nachos
- Vegetarian Nachos
- Chicken Nachos
Chips and gravy
The key to the simple takeaway favourite is to start off with a base of perfect chips or wedges. Either choose to use premade frozen chips or try one of these recipes:
- Chips
- Tasty Wedges
- Beer Battered Chips
Next you'll need a great gravy to dredge them in. Here are some of our favourite, easy to make, gravies.
- Beef or Chicken Gravy
- Terry's Mushroom Gravy
- Sean's Creamy Gravy
Fried chicken
You can use your favourite mix of herbs and spices to come up with your own fried chicken recipe, or use one of our these great recipes.
- Crunchy Fried Chicken
- Best Fried Chicken
- Southern Fried Chicken
To ensure you get the famous crunch, try these tips:
- Try soaking your chicken in buttermilk either overnight or for at least 8 hours. This will give you unbeatably moist, succulent chicken that will contrast with the crunchy coating.
- Choose a heavy-based frying pan with enough room to add at least three chicken pieces without them touching. Add enough oil so that it will come roughly halfway up the thickest part of the chicken.
- Use a zip-lock bag to coat the chicken with the seasoning mixture. Simple add the chicken pieces and give them a good to shake to ensure they're thoroughly coated.
- Using tongs, carefully lower the chicken into the hot oil one piece at a time. Keep at least 5cm between each piece of chicken to prevent them from not cooking properly.
- When the chicken is ready to turn, use the tongs rather than a fork, to avoid piercing the skin and losing all the juices.
- Once your chicken is done, remove it from the hot oil and place it on a rack set over a paper towel-lined tray.
