Instant Ramen Stir Fry
Instant noodles are an instant winner when you're in a rush or too knackered to make a fancy meal. No judgement - we've all been there! However, for this dish we thought we'd try boost their flavour and nutritional value by ditching the processed seasoning packets, and chucking in a bunch of colourful, tasty veg - exactly the kind that are likely to be lurking around in your fridge right now. Feel free to add or remove whatever you've got to hand though - this is a super speedy and flexible recipe!
Serves
Ingredients
For the vegetables
<item-todo-done>2 garlic cloves<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 inch piece of ginger<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>3 spring onions<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>6 medium mushrooms<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 carrot - ribboned<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 cabbage - thin wedge <item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 red bell pepper<item-todo-done>
For the stir-fry
<item-todo-done>1 tbsp chilli oil<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>3 tbsp toasted sesame oil<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>4 tbsp soy sauce<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 tbsp rice vinegar<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 tsp sugar<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 tsp five spice powder<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>2 pack(s) of instant ramen noodles<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>100g peas - or any frozen vegetables<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>½ tbsp oyster sauce<item-todo-done><item-todo-done> white pepper pinch<item-todo-done>
To serve
<item-todo-done>1 tbsp sesame seeds<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>2 tbsp crispy onions<item-todo-done><item-todo-done> Juice of 1 lime<item-todo-done><item-todo-done> Sriracha<item-todo-done>
Before you start
Kettle boiled | Wok | Grater | Saucepan | Colander or sieve
Prepare the ingredients
- Boil a kettle
- Peel and grate the garlic and ginger
- Trim and finely slice the spring onions
- Shred or finely chop the cabbage
- Finely slice the mushrooms
- Peel, trim and slice the carrots into matchsticks
- Halve, deseeded and finely slice the pepper
- Mix the soy sauce, rice vinegar and sugar into a small bowl, whisking until the sugar dissolves, and keep to the side
Prepare the noodles
- Put the saucepan on the stove over high heat and fill with boiled water from the kettle
- Add the noodles and cook for half the allotted time on the packaging (we only want these part-cooked as these will be finished off in the wok), normally around 2 minutes
- Once the noodles are done, drain with a sieve and toss them with some vegetable oil to stop them sticking
- Set aside while you finish the stir-fry
Start the stir-fry
- Warm the oils in a wok over a medium high heat
- Add the garlic, ginger and three quarters of the spring onions to the wok and stir for 30 seconds, until fragrant
- Add the mushrooms and five spice powder and stir for 3-4 minutes, until starting to soften
- Add the carrots, red pepper, cabbage, mixed frozen vegetables and half the sesame seeds to the pan, and stir together for 1 minute
- Add the soy sauce, rice vinegar, oyster sauce and sugar mix and toss to combine until thickening
- Add the drained noodles to the wok, toss to combine and fry for 1 minute
Time to serve
- Add the drained noodles and peas to the wok, toss to combine and fry for 1 minute
- Add white pepper, salt, and drizzle some chilli oil
- Use tongs to transfer the noodles to serving bowls
- Garnish with the remaining spring onions, sesame seeds, a drizzle of sesame oil, pinch of white pepper and crispy onions, a generous squeeze of lime, squeeze of sriracha and serve immediately