One issue many time-strapped professionals who like to cook face (especially myself) is keeping fresh herbs, spices and other ingredients readily available and minimising wastage when you don’t cook every day. Luckily, Very Lazy has a launch of squeezy pastes including garlic, lemongrass, ginger, and its brand-new chilli.

Tube of Very Lazy Chilli pasteWhat’s more, Very Lazy’s range of pre-chopped and ready-to-use essentials now have an even better taste and look. These eye-catching little tubes have a new and improved formula with less chilli seeds, less vinegar, finer chopping and even more flavour.

I tried the chilli paste when cooking at home, and found it a great alternative to fresh chilli to have to hand when you’re only cooking at home a few times a week, or haven’t been able to get to the shops. It’s not overly spicy so I did have to use quite a sizeable spoonful, however when mixed with soy sauce, ginger and garlic it created a fantastic marinade for a simple steamed fish dish, and gave my stir fry a real warming boost.

I was very impressed with this flavour-packed tube from Very Lazy and will definitely be using them again when I was to quickly inject a spice boost into home-cooked meals.

www.verylazy.com

Very Lazy Thai Salad

Serves: four people Prep: 10 mins Cooking: 10 mins

Ready in just 20 minutes with a seriously moreish Asian zing

225g vermicelli rice noodles

1 tablespoon oil

225g minced pork

3 teaspoons very lazy chopped garlic

1 teaspoon very lazy chopped ginger

4 teaspoons very lazy fire roasted sliced red chillies

2 teaspoons caster sugar

150g cooked peeled prawns

2 tablespoons fish sauce

2 tablespoons lime juice

50g roasted peanuts, chopped

6 spring onions, finely chopped

Small handful coriander, chopped

  1. Place the noodles in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave to stand for 3 minutes. Rinse thoroughly in cold water, drain well and place in a bowl.
  2. Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan, add the pork, garlic, ginger, chillies and 1 teaspoon of the sugar. Stir- fry for 3-4 minutes until the pork is cooked. Stir the mixture into the noodles with the prawns.
  3. In a small bowl mix together the fish sauce, lime juice and remaining sugar, stir until the sugar has dissolved. Pour over the noodles and mix well. Stir in most of the peanuts, spring onions and coriander (reserving some for garnishing) and mix well.
  4. Serve in bowls, garnished with the reserved peanuts, chillies and spring onions. 
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