Latest news with #chowmein
Irish Times
17-05-2025
- General
- Irish Times
Get your bold flavours fast with these two simple Asian dishes
This week's column focuses on speed, turning to some Chinese takeaway classics to showcase how to produce quick and delicious dining in record time. 'Chow mein' covers a wider description of regional Chinese dishes that involves stir-frying noodles in spices and seasoning with a variety of meats, seafood or in today's case: vegetables. This is the sort of dish that leans heavily on the store cupboard for rapid-fire flavours. It was also a staff food favourite where I worked for a period. It certainly ticks all the relevant boxes: quick, cheap, nutritious, delicious. I've been fortunate enough to travel throughout Asia, where a bowl of noodles on the side of the street, late at night, is one of life's great culinary joys. Spending a little extra on some local, seasonal vegetables will make the world of difference here. While I've used kale and chard leaves, you can substitute these and follow the same cooking method. The sauce uses soy, hoisin, some wine and sesame oil thickened with cornflour to pack a punch. It is a winner when you're on the go. Ten-minute chow mein with spring vegetables and peanuts. Photograph: Harry Weir The second dish is one of the world's most popular: sweet-and-sour chicken. This isn't exactly authentic, probably comprising elements from various regions of Asia. The concept is simple: fry meat, fish or vegetables in cornflour before glazing in a simple sauce made from sugar and vinegar. It's also common as a dipping sauce for lots of dishes. Many western recipes incorporate fruit such as pineapple or pear, so I've done the same here. Using up the pineapple juice is also a great way to bulk up the sauce alongside sweet chilli. Sweet and sour chicken with rice. Photograph: Harry Weir I've also added a great hack for perfectly steamed rice using a Pyrex bowl, boiling water and any traditional steamer. This is the only way I cook rice at home; it offers consistent results and avoids the need to scrape burnt rice from the bottom of your pot after a day of soaking it in the sink. Always a bonus. READ MORE While this week's recipes are simple, the aim is to make them helpful to our packed modern schedules by delivering delicious food, fast. Recipe: Sweet-and-sour chicken with steamed rice Recipe: Ten-minute chow mein with spring vegetables
Irish Times
17-05-2025
- General
- Irish Times
Ten-minute chow mein with spring vegetables
Serves : 2 Course : Dinner Cooking Time : 5 mins Prep Time : 5 mins Ingredients For the chow mein sauce: 2tbs soy sauce 1tbs Hoisin sauce 1tsp cornflour ½tbs caster sugar ½tbs rice wine/dry sherry ½tbs sesame oil 100g dried fine egg noodles 1tbs vegetable oil ½ head bok choy, sliced 1 red pepper, chopped 50g fresh beansprouts 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced 3 spring onions, chopped 50g fresh kale/chard leaves, picked and chopped 1 red chilli, sliced ½tbs toasted sesame seeds, for garnish Start by making the sauce. Place the soy, hoisin, cornflour, caster sugar, rice wine and sesame oil in a small bowl, stir together with a spoon until combined, and set aside. Place the fine noodles into a large heatproof bowl, cover with freshly boiled water and cover with clingfilm. Leave to sit for two minutes, then rinse with cold water and strain well. Heat a large, nonstick frying pan and add the oil. Over a medium-high heat, add the bok choi and red pepper and fry for two minutes. Then add the beansprouts, garlic and spring onions and fry for two minutes. Add the kale/chard and red chilli, then stir in the chow mein sauce and allow to thicken slightly. Add the strained noodles into the pan and cook for two minutes to reheat, using a tongs to lightly coat them in the sauce. Remove the pan from the heat and serve in bowls, garnished with some toasted sesame seeds.
