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Our favourite fakeaways: 8 homemade takeaway recipes

by Malou Herkes

published on 12 February 2020

Whether you fancy Friday night fish and chips or a weekend curry feast, make it cheaper, healthier and tastier by ditching the takeaway menu and making your own fakeaways at home. Inspired by Chris Bavin's new cookbook, Fakeaway: Healthy Home-cooked Takeaway Mealswe've rounded up eight of our favourite takeaway swaps. Most of them are super quick to make so you can have your dinner on the table in the time it takes to order in. Bonus! 

Cheap and healthy altnernatives to takeaways | Chicken Katsu Curry

Chicken Katsu Curry from Fakeaway: Healthy Home-cooked Takeaway Meals by Chris Bavin

Crispy coated chicken with a peanut curry sauce, served with rice and sliced chilli, this Japanese fast food is best made at home. 

From the book

Chris Bavin

Cheap and healthy alternatives to takeaways | Chicken Shwarma Nadiya Hussain Time to eat

Chicken Shawarma from Time To Eat by Nadiya Hussain

Nadiya's spiced roasted chicken shawarma tastes so much better than the kebab shop version. Serve it up with flatbreads and a delicious broccoli slaw. Yes!

Order a copy of Time To Eat here.

Cheap and healthy alternatives to takeaways |  Nadiya Hussain Time to Eat

Lamb Jalfrezi Meatballs from Fakeaway: Healthy Home-cooked Takeaway Meals by Chris Bavin

“Lamb jalfrezi is a perfect slow-cooked recipe, but sometime we just don’t have the time to use cuts of lamb that take time to tenderise”, says Chris Bavin with this cheat's alternative to a curryhouse classic using spicy meatballs and a quick jalfrezi sauce. 

Order a copy of Fakeaway here.

Cheap and healthy alternatives to takeaways |  No guilt fish and chips Feelgood Family Food Dean Edwards

No-guilt Fish and Chips from Feelgood Family Food by Dean Edwards

This chippie classic is made with a lot less of the bad fats and is packed with flavour – breadcrumb-coated white fish, homemade sweet potato fries and mushy pancetta peas. Serve it up on the table on a huge sheet of greaseproof paper with lashings of ketchup, then when you're done, scrunch it up and throw it away to reduce your washing up.

Order a copy of Feelgood Family Food here

best fakeaways chris bavin falafel feast

Healthier Falafel Feast from Fakeaway: Healthy Home-cooked Takeaway Meals by Chris Bavin

Chris Bavin shows you how to make your own spiced baked falafels in this healthier twist on the original. Bring them to the table with hot pittas, hummus, pickles, crispy fresh veg and chilli sauce, then let everyone load up their own. 

Order a copy of Fakeaway here.

our favourite fakeaways peanut butter noodles the cornershop cookbook

Peanut Butter Noodles from The Cornershop Cookbook by Sophie Missing & Caroline Craig

Ready in 15 minutes, this fast noodle dish makes the most of storecupboard and cornershop staples. Make your own DIY garlic chilli oil to drizzle on top along with a fried egg and extra lime wedges. Perfect Friday night TV fodder. 

Order your copy of The Cornershop Cookbook here.

our favourite fakeaways chris bavin prawn tacos

Prawn Tacos from Fakeaway: Healthy Home-cooked Takeaway Meals by Chris Bavin

Paprika prawns, zingy cabbage slaw and chilli mayo stuffed into soft tortilla wraps, these crowd-pleasing tacos take less than 30 minutes to get on table and they're so delicious! 

Order a copy of Fakeaway here.

our favourite fakeaways quick meatball pizza the quick roasting tin rukmini iyer

Quick Meatball Pizza from The Quick Roasting Tin by Rukmini Iyer

Ok so this might not be a pizza in the traditional sense (the base is puff pastry), but it takes 40 minutes to make and as Rukmini says; “this stunning, unashamedly loaded pizza-style tart is possibly one of my proudest creations”. With quick homemade meatballs, tomatoes and mozzarella, we totally agree. 

Order a copy of The Quick Roasting Tin here.

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