Sunday, July 24, 2011

Easy Stir Fry Rice Noodles

I haven't forgot that I have got a blog and I haven't stop cooking. Just that most of the time, I was too tired to take photos and haven't had the time to sit down and write.

Doesn't this look delicious even in summer?
 Any way, I made my own fried noodle recently and because of the heat of summer, I decided on something quick and easy for myself. It tastes better than the one ordered from the Chinese place! Here's how I do it.


Ingredients for 1 person:
1 - 2 large Cabbage leaves, julienne*
Pork, about a match box size, sliced
4 shrimps, cleaned and shelled

1/2 carrot, julienne
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
half an onion, julienne
125g rice noodle^, soaked
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 Tbsp dark soy sauce
1/2 Tbsp soy sauce
1/2 chicken stock cube
cooking oil, as needed
salt & white pepper to taste
1 large spring onions, sliced (for garnish)
half chilli**, sliced (optional)


I use thin rice noodle but you can use flat rice noodle. Here's it has been soaked in water and softened
From top, clock wise: carrot, cabbage, spring onion, shrimp, pork


Directions:
Heat wok until hot, drizzle in a few table spoon of cooking oil. Under medium heat, add in half of the sliced onion and fry until brown and crispy. Remove and set aside.
 
Dilute the dark soy sauce together with a few table spoon of water, soy sauce and chicken stock. Set aside.

In the remaining oil (add a few more table spoon if require), add in the chopped garlic and give it a few stir. Turn up to high heat and add in chicken meat and shrimp and stir until the chicken is cooked. Move the ingredients aside, making sure that there is enough cooking oil in the wok, pour in the beaten egg. When the egg starts to solidify, give it a few stir to break it up. Fry the egg until it is almost cooked and move aside together with the other ingredients.

At this point, make sure that there is a few table spoon of oil left in the wok. Add in the rice noodle, shredded cabbage, carrot, remaining sliced onion and the sauce mixture. Stir and toss everything together, add a few table spoon of water if it is too dry. Continue to stir fry for about 5 minutes or until the noodle is cook. If the noodle starts to stick or look too dry, add in a table spoon of water at a time, as required.

While you toss and stir, make sure that you coat the noodle evenly with the sauce mixture and all the ingredients are nicely mixed. Season with salt and white pepper and heat off. Move the noodle to a plate and garnish with sliced spring onion and chilli on top. Serve immediately or at room temperature.

One thing I would like to suggest to you though is that, it is easier to cook in small batches if you are cooking for more than 1 person, leaving a lot of room to toss all the ingredients in the wok. It cooks faster and allow you to mix much easier.

notes: *Julienne means cut into long thin stripes.
            ^I use Blue Dragon brand rice noodle. I find it a better option for stir fry as it doesn't break easily or stick to the wok too much (my wok is not that non-stick you see). You may want to break them shorter (about 8 - 10 inch in length), it does make it easier to toss.
          ** I got these small chilli (about 1 - 1 1/2 inch) which is very spicy from the lady at the Chinese restaurant in Marousi, Athens. She told me I can get it in Exarxia, Athens. Unless you are a season chilli eater, I suggest that you either use the Greek red pepper or the normal Asian chilli.