What is the difference between striploin, ribeye and tenderloin?

Tenderloin is the most tender and mildest in flavour. Ribeye is medium-tender with rich, buttery marbling. Striploin sits in between, with a firm bite and a bold, beefy flavour. All three are premium steak cuts.

Is striploin a tender steak?

Striploin is medium-tender. It is firmer than ribeye and tenderloin but rewards you with a stronger, beefier flavour. Cook it no further than medium and slice against the grain for the most tender result.

Which steak cut is best value in Singapore?

Striploin and ribeye usually offer the best balance of flavour and price. For wagyu-like richness at a lower price, marbled Meltique striploin and ribeye are popular choices. Tenderloin is the most expensive due to its tenderness.

Where can I buy fresh steak in Singapore?

Tasty Food Affair cuts steak in its own butchery and delivers across Singapore in its own refrigerated trucks, with free delivery on orders above S$65.

Garlic butter prawns cooking in a pan for a quick weeknight dinner

Easy 30-Minute Weeknight Seafood Dinners (Singapore)

October 6, 2026

Why seafood is the weeknight protein

Seafood is the fastest protein there is. Most fish fillets cook in six to ten minutes; prawns and squid in two to four. This makes seafood ideal for weeknights, provided you respect the one rule that matters more than any other: do not overcook it. Seafood goes from perfect to rubbery in the space of a minute, so these recipes are built around short cooking times and clear visual cues for doneness. Each can be on the table in under 30 minutes, including preparation.

All six work with flash-frozen seafood, thawed in the fridge overnight or in cold water before cooking. None requires special equipment beyond a pan and, in one case, an oven.

1. Garlic butter prawns (12 minutes)

Heat butter and olive oil in a pan. Add sliced garlic and a pinch of chilli flakes, cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Add peeled prawns in a single layer, cook two minutes per side until pink and curled into a loose C. Finish with lemon juice, chopped parsley, and salt. Serve over rice, pasta, or with crusty bread to soak up the butter. The whole dish is about the prawns and the garlic butter — nothing else needed.

2. Pan-seared fish with brown butter (15 minutes)

Pat fish fillets (barramundi, snapper, cod, or seabass) completely dry and season with salt. Heat oil in a pan until hot. Lay the fillets skin-side down, press gently for the first 20 seconds so they do not curl, and cook three to four minutes until the skin is crisp. Flip, cook another two to three minutes. Remove the fish, add butter to the pan, let it foam and brown, add a squeeze of lemon and capers, and spoon over the fish. Restaurant-quality result, minimal effort.

3. Quick prawn and tomato pasta (20 minutes)

Boil pasta. While it cooks, sauté garlic in olive oil, add halved cherry tomatoes and cook until they collapse, add a splash of the pasta water and a pinch of chilli. Add prawns in the last three minutes — they cook in the sauce. Toss with the drained pasta, basil, and a drizzle of good olive oil. Dinner timed to the pasta.

4. Sambal-style stir-fried squid (15 minutes)

Score cleaned squid in a crosshatch and cut into pieces. Heat oil very hot. Stir-fry aromatics (garlic, shallot, a spoon of chilli paste or sambal) for a minute, then add the squid and stir-fry over high heat for just two to three minutes until it turns opaque and curls. Squid is done the moment it turns white — any longer and it turns rubbery. Finish with lime and serve with rice.

5. Baked fish parcels (25 minutes)

Place a fish fillet on a square of baking paper or foil. Top with sliced ginger, spring onion, a splash of soy and sesame oil, and a few slices of chilli. Fold into a sealed parcel. Bake at 200°C for 12 to 15 minutes. The fish steams in its own moisture and aromatics. Open the parcel at the table. Almost no cleanup, and very hard to overcook because the parcel buffers the heat.

6. Seared scallops with peas (15 minutes)

Pat scallops very dry — this is essential for a sear. Season with salt. Heat a pan until smoking hot, add oil, and sear the scallops 90 seconds per side until a golden crust forms and the centre is just opaque. Do not move them while searing. Serve over crushed minted peas or a simple salad. Scallops are a premium ingredient that needs nothing more than a good sear and not a second of overcooking.

The doneness cues that prevent overcooking

Each type of seafood signals when it is done. Fish: the flesh turns from translucent to opaque and flakes when gently pressed, but should still look moist. Prawns: opaque, pink, curled into a loose C (a tight O means overcooked). Squid: opaque white, just curled — two to three minutes maximum over high heat, or it turns rubbery. Scallops: a golden crust on each side, centre just turned opaque. When in doubt, pull seafood off the heat slightly early; residual heat finishes it on the plate.

Frequently asked questions

Can I make these with frozen seafood?

Yes. Thaw flash-frozen seafood in the fridge overnight or in cold water before cooking. Pat it very dry afterwards, especially for searing scallops or crisping fish skin, since surface moisture prevents browning.

How do I stop fish sticking to the pan?

Make sure the pan is properly hot before the fish goes in, the fish surface is dry, and there is enough oil. Then leave it alone — fish releases from the pan on its own once a crust forms. Trying to move it too early is what tears the skin.

What is the most beginner-friendly seafood dish here?

The baked fish parcels. The sealed parcel steams the fish gently and buffers the heat, making it very hard to overcook, and there is almost no technique or cleanup involved.

How do I know when prawns are done?

They turn opaque and pink and curl into a loose C shape. This takes only two to four minutes. If they curl into a tight O, they are overcooked. Pull them as soon as they turn pink and curl loosely.

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