Richard Makin’s professional food journey started just over a decade ago when he set up a mobile ice-cream sandwich van – a popular but possibly niche business.
He eventually ditched that to become a vegan food blogger and then during lockdown wrote a book which became the bestselling Anything You Can Cook, I Can Cook Vegan.
Now he’s back with a new book, Stress-Free Dinners, which are basically speedy vegan recipes. He has a winningly witty style, so it’s no surprise that on Instagram, where he goes by the handle @schoolnightvegan, he has 546k followers. In his new book, he sets out the “three universal truths of adulthood”, which are: “Fitted sheets never quite fit, the oven clock is permanently wrong and midweek dinners are a drag.”
His vegan recipes are easy to whip up. None take longer than 30 minutes (some are done in 10) and there are chapters on Dining Solo, Make-Ahead Meals and more. As Richard admits: “There are nights when cooking feels like a joy – when the whole family chips in, joyfully peeling vegetables and laughing together like a Getty Images stock photo. And then there are real-life non-imaginary nights when even the thought of frying an onion feels like an unreasonable demand.”
He shares his simple recipe for a spicy noodle dish for two from the No Cook Nights chapter.
Who better to introduce it than Richard himself? "It's been one of those days where you blinked somewhere around 9.45am and somehow it’s now 8.30pm. It’s an orange alert for hanger outbursts and that out-of-date granola bar in your handbag barely touched the sides. Luckily this nutritious dinner requires zero cooking and can be on the table in 10 minutes.”
Words by Jane Ferguson
Photographs © Richard Makin
Richard’s spicy tahini lime noodles
Serves 2
Ingredients
190g thin rice noodles
40g kale, destemmed and roughly chopped
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
2 tbsp tahini paste
2 tsp gochujang (or harissa paste)
2 tbsp soy sauce (or tamari sauce)
2 tbsp lime juice
1 small garlic clove, finely minced
½ tbsp minced fresh ginger
160g cooked edamame beans
½ cucumber, sliced
2 spring onions, sliced
2 tsp crispy chilli oil (shop-bought or see recipe below; optional)
1 tsp sesame seeds
Method
Place the rice noodles in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Let them soak for 5-7 mins, or until tender. Drain and set aside.
While the noodles are soaking, put the kale in a separate bowl, drizzle with toasted sesame oil and massage until it softens slightly.
In a small bowl, mix together the tahini, gochujang, soy sauce, lime juice, garlic and ginger to create a creamy dressing.
Add the drained noodles to the bowl with the kale. Pour the dressing over the noodles and toss everything together until well coated.
Divide the dressed noodles between two bowls. Top each bowl with half of the edamame, cucumber slices, spring onion, crispy chilli oil, if using, and sesame seeds.
Serve warm or cold.
Crispy garlic chilli oil
Ingredients
(Makes around 300ml. Prep time 10 mins, cooking time 8 mins)
225ml vegetable oil
2 shallots, peeled and finely sliced
4 large garlic cloves, finely sliced
50g crushed red chilli flakes
1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1 tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp caster sugar
½ tsp MSG (optional but highly encouraged!)
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tbsp black vinegar (or balsamic vinegar)
Method
Put the vegetable oil in a medium saucepan (ideally one with a spout, if you have one) and set over medium heat.
After a few minutes, test the oil by dropping in a piece of shallot. If it starts to bubble immediately, the oil is ready. Add the remaining shallots and garlic and cook for 5-8 mins, stirring occasionally, until they turn golden brown.
Meanwhile, place a few sheets of kitchen paper on a large plate to drain the shallots and garlic once fried.
In a large heatproof bowl (ideally stainless steel), combine the remaining ingredients.
Once the garlic and shallots are golden brown, remove them from the oil with a slotted spoon or spider strainer and transfer them to the prepared plate to drain.
Carefully pour the hot oil over the chilli flake mixture in the bowl. The mixture will bubble violently, so be cautious of the steam and use an oven mitt if you have one.
Let the mixture cool for 5 mins, then add the crispy garlic and shallots to the oil.
While the mixture is still warm, spoon it into sterilised jars, seal, and store in the fridge for up to 6 months. The flavour will develop over time, so try not to open it for at least a week after making.
Stress-Free Dinners by Richard Makin is published by Bloomsbury, £22; buy it at a discount at the Nerve Bookshop)