5 easy family dinners for £25 – Chicken and chorizo tortelloni soup, coconut fish curry, spiced lentil shepherd-less pie…

Monday: Indian-spiced potato and pea burgers

1 large baking potato (around 400g), scrubbed and cut into 3cm chunks
2½ tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, finely diced
200g frozen peas
5cm fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 red chilli, very finely chopped, deseeded if you prefer
2 tsp ground turmeric
15g fresh coriander, half chopped, half torn
4 wholemeal rolls, halved
4 tbsp mango chutney

1. Preheat the oven to gas 6, 200°C, fan 180°C. Simmer the potato chunks in a pan of boiling water for 12-15 mins until cooked through.

2. Meanwhile, heat ½ tbsp oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat and fry the onion for 8-10 mins until golden brown and soft. Bring another pan of water to the boil and cook the peas for 3 mins, then drain and run under cold water until cool, then set aside.

3. Add the ginger, garlic, chilli and turmeric to the onion and cook for a further 2-3 mins until soft and fragrant; set aside.

4. Once the potatoes are cooked, drain and leave to steam-dry for 5 mins. Add to a mixing bowl and mash until smooth, then stir through the onion mix. Add the drained peas and the chopped coriander and mix everything together really well. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then shape into 4 patties, each about 9cm wide x 3cm thick. Heat the remaining oil in a nonstick frying pan over a medium-high heat and fry the patties, in batches if needed, for 3-4 mins each side until deep golden brown and crispy. Don’t be tempted to move them around in the pan as they are frying as they need to stay still to form a crust.

5. Transfer the burgers to a baking tray and bake for 8 mins or until piping hot throughout. Bake the halved buns on a second tray for the final 3 mins until warmed through.

6. To assemble, top each bun bottom with a burger, 1 tbsp mango chutney and some torn coriander, then top with the bun lid to serve.

Wednesday: Chicken and chorizo tortelloni soup

75g chorizo sausage slices
1 tbsp vegetable oil, plus 2 tsp
½ onion, finely diced 1 carrot, scrubbed and finely diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 reduced-salt chicken stock cube, made up to 1.5ltrs
30g fresh basil, torn
1 lemon, ½ zested, whole juiced
2 x 300g packs chicken & chorizo tortelloni

1. Set aside 8 chorizo slices, then chop the rest into small pieces. Heat 2 tsp oil in a saucepan over a medium-high heat. Fry the chopped chorizo for 3-4 mins until golden. Add the onion and carrot and cook for 8 mins or until softened, lowering the heat if it starts browning too quickly.

2. Add the garlic and cook for a further 1-2 mins until fragrant, then add the stock. Season and simmer for 10 mins until the carrot is tender. Meanwhile, blitz the remaining oil, basil and lemon juice to a fairly smooth pesto, adding 1 tbsp water if needed to loosen.

3. Cook the remaining chorizo in a frying pan over a medium-high heat for 1-2 mins each side until crispy; set aside. Add the tortelloni and the lemon zest to the soup and cook for 3 mins until the pasta is just cooked. Divide among bowls, then top with the chorizo and pesto.

Friday: Coconut fish curry

1 tbsp vegetable oil
½ onion, finely diced
5cm fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 red chilli, finely chopped, deseeded if you prefer
2 tsp ground turmeric
400ml tin reduced-fat coconut milk
1 reduced-salt vegetable stock cube
300g frozen spinach
520g pack frozen fish fillets, defrosted and cut into 3cm chunks
1 lime, zested and cut into wedges
15g fresh coriander, chopped
300g long-grain rice
4 tbsp mango chutney

1. Heat the oil in a lidded frying pan over a medium heat and cook the onion for 6-8 mins until softened. Add the ginger, garlic, chilli and turmeric and cook for 2 mins. Add the coconut milk, 50ml water, the stock cube and the spinach. Season and simmer for 10-12 mins until the spinach has defrosted and the sauce has thickened slightly. Add the fish and lime zest to the curry and bring back to a simmer. Cover and cook, stirring a couple of times, for 4-5 mins until the fish is cooked through. Stir through half of the coriander.

2. Meanwhile, cook the rice to pack instructions.

3. Divide the rice among bowls and top with the curry, remaining coriander, lime wedges and mango chutney.