Stir Fry

You'll be feeling hot, hot, hot this winter with this hearty and healthy stir fry that takes approximately just 15 minutes to make. If you're after a quick and easy meal to have before heading out for a big night, or if you'd simply like a lazy night in and can't bothered making an elaborate meal - well this recipe is perfect for you.

We used:

1. udon noodles
2. shitake mushrooms (you can use any kind of mushrooms really, shitake taste best in stir fries, though)
3. red and yellow capsicum
4. snowpeas
5. baby sweet corn
6. two chilies 
7. soy sauce
8. rice vinegar
9. garlic clove
10. sugar
 

You could also add cashew nuts, carrot, bok choy, tofu (or meat - if that's what floats your boat).


First step, get the sauce sorted. This involves chopping up the garlic and chilies as finely as possible then add to a small mixing bowl (or a glass).

 

Add roughly five to six tablespoons of soy sauce (you can see how much we added below - it's not much, but just pour in roughly the same amount) and then add about half that amount of rice vinegar, plus the secret ingredient: a pinch of sugar.

 

Place a pot of water on the stove and heat to boil (but, don't put too much water in or else it will take ages to boil. Just add enough water to cover the noodles).

While you wait for water to boil, chop your vegetables to roughly the same size, which ensures that they cook are roughly the same time. If your vegetables are chopped into different sizes, cook the biggest first, adding the smallest last.

Add the noodles to the boiling water. Heat a dollop of olive oil in a pan, then add the vegetables. The udon noodles we use take just five minutes to cook as do the vegetables. If you're udon noodles that take longer, make sure you add them before the vegetables, so that the noodles and vegetables are ready at the same time. Also remember NOT to overcook the vegetables. Vegetables should taste lightly cooked and still crunchy... there's nothing worse than soggy vegetables. (this goes for the sauce too, you don't want to smother your meal in sauce as vegetables should still taste like vegetables - just with added flavour).

Add the sauce to the pan with vegetables. Take the noodles out of the pot once cooked, drain them of water and add to the pan. Mix the noodles, vegetables and sauce together in the pan... and there you have it: a quick and tasty meal for two.