Recipes: Extracts from Gwyneth Paltrow's new book

Gwyneth Paltrow.

Yes, Gwyneth Paltrow does eat carbs! An exclusive extract from her new book, It’s All Easy.

Singapore rice noodles
Vegetarian, gluten-free, less than 30 minutes
SERVES 4

These pan-fried noodles are gluten-free, full of veggies, and kid-approved (mine inhale this). The prep does take some time, but once you're cooking, the dish comes together quickly, so be ready with all the ingredients. Add chicken, shrimp, or beef for a little extra protein and, if you don't have a wok or a really big non-stick pan, use two smaller pans - these noodles don't like to be crowded. Pan-frying noodles is not an exact science, so trust your instincts and add a couple more glugs of oil if things are looking dry or starting to stick.

100g thin rice noodles
4 Tbsp peanut oil
2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
½ cup finely chopped broccoli
½ cup chopped green beans
½ cup fresh or frozen peas
200g firm tofu, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 tsp Madras curry powder, or more to taste
1 large egg
¼ cup tamari
2 spring onions, thinly sliced
¼ cup chopped fresh coriander
Salt, if desired

Soak the rice noodles in hot water for 10 minutes or according to the package instructions. Meanwhile, heat a wok or large non-stick saute pan over medium-high heat and add 1 Tbsp each of the peanut and sesame oils. When the oils are hot but not smoking, add the onion and cook, untouched, for 1 minute to sear.

Reduce the heat to medium and saute, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes more.

Transfer the onion to a bowl. Add the broccoli, green beans, peas, tofu, and another tablespoon of peanut oil to the pan. Saute over high heat until the veggies are just cooked through and the tofu is beginning to brown (about 2 minutes); transfer the veggies and tofu to the bowl with the onion.

Add 1 Tbsp of the peanut oil, the remaining 1 Tbsp of sesame oil, the soaked and drained noodles, curry powder, and 2 Tbsp water to the pan and stir to combine. Make a hole in the middle of the noodles, add the remaining 1 Tbsp of peanut oil and crack in the egg. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon and let scramble until almost cooked through, then mix in with the noodles.

Add the tamari, spring onions, and coriander and stir everything to combine. Taste for seasoning, add salt if necessary, and serve.

Carbonara
Less than 30 minutes
SERVES 4

Carbonara is the perfect lazy dinner - it's cosy, comforting, and shockingly easy to make. Not to mention the fact that everyone almost always has the ingredients on hand. Keep some cubed bacon or pancetta in the freezer so you can make this anytime, in just minutes.

Salt
4-5 slices pancetta or bacon, cut in dice
2 egg yolks (or 3, to make it extra creamy)
1 large egg
1½ cups finely grated parmesan cheese, plus more as needed
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
340g bucatini

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over high heat for the pasta.

In an 8-inch saute pan, cook the pancetta over medium heat until crispy, 5-7 minutes. Combine the egg yolks, egg, parmesan, and pepper in a large bowl.

Cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the hot pasta cooking water (the temperature is important because you are going to use it to cook the egg) and set aside.

Next, drain the pasta, and add it to the bowl with the cheese and eggs, tossing immediately to mix everything together. Add the pancetta and any rendered fat from the pan to the bowl, toss to coat, and add the pasta water 1 Tbsp at a time until the sauce reaches a creamy consistency (this usually takes about ¼ cup). Adjust with extra cheese, pepper, and salt to taste.

Extract from It's All Easy by Gwyneth Paltrow, (Hachette $50).