Seafood stir-fry

Cut the vegetables first and have the sauce ready, so the seafood cooks quickly. Stir-fry it over high heat just until prawns turn pink and opaque, fish is opaque and flakes easily, and squid turns opaque; remove it while you finish the vegetables, then toss it back in briefly.

Yes. Thaw it in the fridge or in a sealed bag submerged in cold water, then drain and pat it dry very well; excess water makes the ingredients steam instead of sear. Don’t thaw seafood on the worktop.

Try thinly sliced pepper, broccoli, mangetout, carrots or pak choi. Add dense vegetables such as carrots and broccoli first, and quick-cooking leaves near the end, so everything stays crisp-tender while the seafood cooks.

A little soy sauce, ginger, garlic and lime makes a quick savoury sauce; add chilli if you like heat. Stir in the sauce at the end, rather than letting it boil in the pan, so the seafood stays tender.

Serve it with steamed rice, egg noodles or rice noodles. For a one-pan meal, toss in cooked noodles at the end with a splash of water and the sauce.

Cool it promptly, refrigerate in a covered container and eat within two days. Reheat only once until piping hot throughout; avoid leaving it at room temperature for more than two hours.

Yes. Use firm fish cut into bite-sized pieces, or peeled prawns on their own; cook fish gently so it does not break apart, and add prawns only until they turn pink and opaque.