In our fast-paced life, getting meals on demand is a constant. Back in the 80s, take-away meals meant a deep-fried, battered piece of flake or a Whopper dripping with cheese. The 00s are about healthier alternatives. Deep fryers have been replaced for fresher options – salad bars, noodle bars, and organic burgers. Not only that, our food culture has developed to a point where you can cook a quality meal in under 15 minutes.
Greek food may not lend itself to traditional fast food options but you can’t look past a yiros as the king of Greek take away. And when in Greece, getting a plate of pork souvlakia rules the roost. But, if it’s a healthier meal you are looking for, you can still do it, you just need to change your way of thinking. Ask for the meat to be finely cut, and for it to be served in container with lots of Greek salad to go. Grill your own pita bread at home to make sure it isn’t lathered in butter and hey presto, healthy take away.
Take away food is something that is in the Greek migrant’s blood. The early migrants chose the life of the take away shop, especially fish and chip and burger bars. It is astounding to think that a culture so rich in food, took the path of classic British fare in fish and chips and the American dream of the burger bar. And it’s not just take away shops; the quick fast meal is now established in our supermarkets.
Whole aisles dedicated to international foods. The Mexican aisle has taco kits, burrito kits and salsa jars as far as the eye can see. The Italian aisle is made up of pasta of all shapes and sizes, pesto and a plethora of stir-through sauces. The Asian section features highlights from Thai, Japanese, Indian and Chinese cuisine. Jars of curry paste, oodles of noodles, miso paste and wasabi. But what you probably won’t find, is a Greek section. Apart from the odd dolmatha-in-a-can option in the antipasto aisle and the tub of tzatziki in dairy, you won’t find a ready-made meal in your supermarket. Today, in a world so obsessed with getting things on demand, it’s little wonder we can find a way to feed a family of four using a kit.
And with Jamie Oliver telling us that in half an hour we can cook a four course meal, we really don’t have excuses anymore. But does Jamie really work the hours we do? There is no such thing as Monday to Friday 9.00 am to 5.00 pm anymore. Working mums are just that, working mums. The days of finishing up at school and coming home to freshly baked cakes (not ones out of the packet) are things of the past. Parents are working even harder than they ever did. Home-cooked meals are now the luxury, not take away. And foods like pastitsio, kleftiko, gouvarelakia, are foods relegated to the weekend when mum and dad have more time to cook.
Many entrepreneurial Greek cooks have worked out a way to combat this by creating a range of home-cooked meals that people can pick up after a hard day at the office ,and still provide their families with a nutritious meal. Even the singletons, who are giving the office 40+ hours a week, can find a small tray of moussaka for one and a tub of risogalo to wash it down with.
If you want to create quick tasty Greek meals at home, you will need to think creative and outside the box. Don’t look at foods that need to take time braising, such as kokkinisto or stifado. Look at foods that can be done on-the-spot using fresh ingredients that can be sourced at the supermarket and think of things you already have in your pantry that can be used.
A Greek salad doesn’t take long to prepare at all, and with some fresh chunky bread can make a nutritious meal option. Serve with some fried calamari, which takes under ten minutes to prepare (if the calamari is already cleaned) and under ten minutes to flour and fry. Remember, Greek food is all about meze. With the weather warming up, a sliced fresh tomato, chilled feta, tzatziki and fresh bread makes a meal alone. Another way you can keep ahead is to cook up a big feast on the weekends and make use of your freezer.
There is nothing wrong with cooking up a big beef kokkinisto on the weekend then dividing it up during the week. Spaghetti, mashed potato and couscous are all great partners of kokkinisto and only take 15 minutes to make. And bake up big. There’s nothing better than Tupperware container in the cupboard filled to the brim with kourabiethes for a mid-week snack with a hot cuppa. Greek soups like fasoulatha and fakes freeze well too. See what’s in your pantry, in your fridge and get creative.