Let’s let HOVA get us in the mood:
CHEAT’S NOODLES
Lunch in 10 minutes or less – a handful of this and that in your pan and you’ve got yourself a damn fine bowl of noodles. The ultimate for using whatever you’ve got floating around.
INGREDIENTS:
1 handful protein of your choice (optional)
2 handfuls veg (I used Pak Choi and red capsicum)
1 packet Maggi Invisible Wholegrain Two Minute Noodles (no sachet)
2 tablespoons oil
sprinkle of red chilli flakes
crushed garlic
grated ginger
1/4 cup ketjap manis (or a mix of honey and soy)
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 splash rice wine vinegar or lemon juice
green onions, fresh chilli and a wedge of lemon or lime to serve
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a pot of boiling water, cook the noodles for two minutes, then drain.
2. Meanwhile, heat half the oil in a frying pan or wok over medium heat. Toss in the protein and cook until done. Remove.
3. Heat the other half of the oil in the pan and toss in the chilli flakes for 30 seconds, then add the veggies, garlic and ginger. Cook until just crisp-tender, 2 mins or so. Remove.
4. Add the noodles to the pan and toss with the ketjap manis, soy sauce, and rice wine vinegar or lemon until combined. Add the protein and veggies and toss until hot.
5. Serve with a sprinkle of chopped green onion, sliced fresh chilli and a wedge of lemon/lime
WONTON NOODLE SOUP
One of my favourite things to eat any time of year, but particularly during winter. I often have a stash of wontons in the freezer at the ready, both homemade and bought – this soup will work with either! This version is #vegan but obviously will depend on they type of wontons you’ve got at home. If I’m feeling under the weather I boost the garlic and ginger and add a whole lot of chilli. Probs not traditional, but AWESOME.
INGREDIENTS
1 packet of Maggi Invisible Wholegrain 2 Minute Noodles, (noodles only, no sachet)
3-5 wonton wrappers
1.5 cups stock
1 inch piece leek, sliced thinly
1 large mushroom
1 clove garlic
light grating of ginger
1 splash each light soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and Maggi Seasoning Sauce (this one is optional, but I always pop a bit in wonton soup to give it that typical wonton soupy goodness flavour)
1 teaspoon ketjap manis
1-2 green onions, green part only
thinly sliced cabbage
salt and pepper
DIRECTIONS
Get a pot of water boiling, and in another saucepan heat the stock, half the leek, a little shredded cabbage, the mushroom stalk, half the garlic, the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and Seasoning Sauce.
When the pot of water is boiling, add the noodles and cook for 2 mins. Remove and drain.
Meanwhile, make the wontons – mix together the finely minced mushroom, sliced leek, ketjap manis, a light grating of ginger, half the garlic, minced, a couple of thinly sliced bits of green onion, a bit of pepper (white is best) and a splash of light soy sauce. Place a teaspoonful of this on a wonton wrapper and wrap (you can look online if you’re unsure – I tend to fold over into a triangle, and then press the points together underneath the filling, sealing as I go with water along the edges. But there are some great videos out there!).
Drop the wontons into the boiling water and cook for a few minutes until heated through. Drain.
In a bowl add the noodles, the wontons, and a good sprinkle of green onion and chilli, if using. Take the mushroom stalk out and ladle the broth over your wonton/noodle situation. Top with a teeny drop of sesame oil, if you can stand it (I’ve got to be in the right mood). White pepper is good too!
Either can be doubled (or let’s face it, quadrupled) with little fuss and maximum flavour. Enjoy!
Who doesn’t love a pimped up Maggi noodle? I think my friends and I lived off these whilst in high school and university {along with a good old, dry Vitawheat}. My friend and I were laughing about how my Mum would always ask us if we wanted anything on the vitawheats and we always said no.
Not even any Vegemite?!!
I’ve eaten a lot with vegemite on them – or butter or cheese or peanut butter. But we would have a packet in my friend’s car that we would park in my parent’s driveaway and eat plain whilst we pondered over the issues of the world {or our world at least}.