Famous recipes you need to make from from popular restaurants

In amongst all the awful, there have been a number of great things to come out of Lockdown and one of them has been restaurants revealing recipes for some of their most popular dishes! From the beloved Ikea meatballs to Wagamama’s Chicken Katsu we’ve rounded up the best ones for you below to enjoy! 

We would love to see your creations! #littlebirdgiveitago

Ikea Meatballs 

Okay we admit it – sometimes we go to Ikea under the pretence of needing more coat hangers and cushions but really it’s for the meatballs. 

Thankfully Ikea released their famous meatballs and cream dish so you can now create this delicious delight at home. One of the LittleBirds kids absolute favourites

See recipe card here 

Wagamama’s Chicken Katsu Curry

What happy news! When Wagamama released the secret to making its much-loved chicken katsu curry at home. The popular pan-Asian chain shared the recipe so fans could recreate the dish from their own kitchens. 

In a series of videos shared to Instagram, the chain’s executive chef Steve Mangleshot gave a step by step guide to how to make it. Watch it here and see the recipe below.  

Wagamaa’s Chicken Katsu Recipe

For the sauce (serves two)

• 2-3 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 2.5cm piece of ginger, peeled and grated
• 1 teaspoon of turmeric
• 2 heaped tablespoons of mild curry powder
• 1 tablespoon of plain flour
• 300ml chicken or vegetable stock
• 100ml coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon of light soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon of sugar, to taste
• For the dish (serves two)

• 120g rice (any type of rice you would like)
• katsu curry sauce, made from ingredients above
• 2 skinless chicken breasts
• 50g plain flour
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 100g panko breadcrumbs
• 75ml vegetable oil, for deep-frying
• 40g mixed salad leaves

Method

• To start making the katsu curry sauce, place the onions, garlic and ginger in a pan on heat on the hob and stir them as they soften.
• Next add the curry mix, before then adding the turmeric and continue to stir as the strong flavours are released.
• Allow the mixture to sit on a low to medium heat for a minute or so.
• Then add the flour, which will help to thicken the sauce, continuing to mix for a minute as it combines with the spices.
• After watering down your chicken or vegetable stock, start slowly adding it to the mixture. Add a little bit at a time, stirring as you do so.
• Once the chicken or vegetable stock as been added and stirred in, you can start to add the coconut milk. Although the recipe says to use 100ml, it is up to you how much you would like to use. The more you add, the creamier it will be. Just as with the stock, add a little bit at a time as you stir.
• Next, add a little bit of a sugar and small amount of soy sauce to finish off your sauce.
• Moving on to the rest of the dish, split your chicken fillet in half before turning it over in a bowl of flour, then in a bowl of lightly beaten eggs, and lastly in a bowl of panko breadcrumbs.
• Once the chicken fillet has been coated in breadcrumbs, you need to deep fry it in vegetable oil, turning it over with tongs to achieve a golden colour. Executive chef Mr Mangleshot recommends being very cautious at this stage to make sure you do not burn yourself. 
• Before serving your dish, strain the curry sauce to ensure it is as smooth as possible.
• Cook the rice, which can be any type you would like, and pour it on the serving plate.
• Once your chicken is cooked, remove it from the pan with your tongs, slice it diagonally in a Wagamama-esque fashion and place it on the plate next to the rice before adding mixed leaves as well.

Pizza Express’s Margherita Pizza, Dough Balls, Florentina and other favourites

Pizza Express fans shared their joy after the high-street chain released the recipes for its much-loved Margherita pizza so you can now recreate the popular pizza at home, with a simple 12-step recipe. Plus other favourites including cheese and bacon dough balls and a vegan Mezze Calzone. See all recipes here 

Pret’s Dark Chocolate Cookie

Pret have listened to the calls of customers missing their daily fix, and have been releasing some of their most requested recipes on social media, under the hashtag #PretRecipeBook, for fans to recreate at home. One of our picks is the dark chocolate chunk cookies recipe.

See recipe here with a step by step video! 

Greggs Steak and Bake 

Bakery chain Greggs has unveiled the recipe for its iconic steak bake – allowing foodie fans to make them at home during lockdown. Check out their facebook page for the how-to-video and find the recipe below. 

Gregg’s Steak and Bake Recipe

Ingredients

• Finely diced beef
• Beef stock
• Cornflour (or flour) mixed with water
• Puff pastry
• An egg

Method

• Sizzle the beef in a frying pan until browned and as per packet instructions

Pour on the beef stock and then the cornflour mix

• Thicken to your taste and leave to cool
• Cut two pieces of pastry (180mm X 94mm if you want to be precise) and egg wash the edges
• Spoon on the beef filling on one piece of pastry and pop the other on top
• Fork the edges and score six lines in the middle of the pastry and egg wash 
• Stick in the oven for 20 minutes at 200 degrees or until golden brown and piping hot
• To watch Greggs’ method in full click on the video above.

Nando’s Peri Sauce and other favourites

Kids missing Nandos? Now you can make some of their most famous recipes. From Peri peri chicken wings, mac & cheese and chicken pasta…See here