School Holiday Stir-Fried Noodles
Most kids like Asian noodles and will enjoy the drama of cooking them. There are several cooking tasks involved, with something suitable for every age. To make fried rice, use the same recipe, substituting 2 cups cool cooked jasmine rice for the noodles.
Use rice vermicelli or thin egg noodles. Both these are packaged in bundles of noodles. Use one bundle for each full serving.
It is best to prepare the optional garnishes before you cook the noodles. See the end of the recipes for some suggestions.
Serves 1 adult and 2 children.
Ingredients
- 2 bundles rice vermicelli or thin egg noodles
- 1 small onion
- 2 plump cloves garlic
- thumb-sized piece fresh ginger
- 3 tablespoons peanut oil, or other mild oil
- 1 can shrimps, drained and rinsed, or 100g tender beef, finely sliced (or both)
- salt
- large handful (100g) fresh bean spouts
- three-quarters cup frozen peas
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- quarter cup water
Method
Fill a large bowl with hot water and add the dry noodles. Set aside to soak. Peel and roughly chop the onion, garlic and ginger. Put in a mini-processor together with a tablespoon of the oil. Whiz to form a lumpy paste (or finely chop the onion, garlic and ginger on a board).
Put the paste or chopped ingredients into a wok or large frying pan, together with the remaining oil. Stir over moderate heat until the mixture starts to colour to a pale gold.
Add the drained shrimps or/and beef slices. Sprinkle with a little salt and use a spatula or wooden spoon to fry until the beef is no longer pink.
Add the bean sprouts, frozen peas and soy sauce.
Drain the noodles and add them to the pan. Stir thoroughly until evenly mixed.
Add the water and cover for a couple of minutes to soften the noodles. Pile onto plates and serve with any or all of the garnishes.
Optional Garnishes
Fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped
Sweet chilli sauce
Thinly sliced telegraph cucumber
Shredded thin omelette, made by whisking 1 egg with salt and pepper. Lightly oil a heavy frying pan, heat, and pour the whisked egg into it. Tilt the pan so that the bottom is thinly covered. When the egg is set turn the omelette with a spatula to cook the second side, then lift onto a plate. Cut into shreds.