Credit: Sam Folan
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One Wok, One Pot: 3 simple one-pot noodle recipes that are perfect for easy weeknight dinners
By Alice Porter
3 years ago
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2 min read
Noodle dishes are traditionally thought to bring good luck in Chinese culture. Here are three simple and delicious recipes from all around East and Southeast Asia…
There’s no dish that is more wholesome and satisfying than a bowl of noodles. Plus, they’re incredibly versatile, whether you’re opting to zhush up some instant noodles or making a fancy noodle dish for a dinner party. According to Chinese tradition, they also bring good luck, representing a long and healthy life. So if you’re celebrating Chinese New Year this Sunday 22 January, noodles are one of the best dishes you can make at home.
There are endless types of noodle dishes you can make, from Japanese style udon noodles to Vietnamese pho. And although many of the traditional dishes take hours to prepare, there are easy ways to change up the recipes to ensure you get your noodles from packet to plate in no time at all, without compromising on flavour.
It’s also easy to batch-cook noodle dishes and reheating them in the office microwave certainly beats a store-bought tuna sandwich, especially when they’re packed full of veggies and flavour.
One Wok, One Pot by Kwoklyn Wan is the new cookbook offering 80 effortless recipes cooked in one pot, influenced by East and Southeast Asian cuisines and flavours, from Japan and Korea to Thailand and Malaysia.
Credit: Sam Folan
We have three noodle recipes from the book perfect for a simple, protein-packed Sunday night dinner (with minimal washing up), for those days when you aren’t feeling like cooking a roast dinner…
Spicy ground pork udon
Wan says: “Quick and easy with no heavy prep required, as everything just gets thrown straight into the wok, these plump spicy noodles are a simple midweek winner.”
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Serves 2
Equipment: wok
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 350g minced pork
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp minced ginger
- 2 tbsp doubanjiang (fermented chilli bean paste)
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp white rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 tsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tsp chicken powder
- 1 cup (250ml) water
- 3 spring onions, roughly chopped into 5cm lengths
- 150g bok choy, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 300g straight-to-wok udon noodles
- 1 tbsp Chinese chilli oil
Method
Place a wok over a medium-high heat, add the oil and then the pork and fry for 2-3 minutes or until slightly golden brown. Add the minced garlic and ginger and continue to fry until fragrant.
Stir through the doubanjiang, along with the honey, vinegar, light and dark soy sauces, chicken powder and water, and bring to the boil. Once all of the ingredients are well combined and hot, turn down to a simmer and add the spring onions and bok choy. Continue to cook for 2 minutes, then add the noodles and chilli oil and gently toss to combine the ingredients. Transfer to serving bowls and enjoy.
Spicy sichuan beef rice noodles
Wan says: “Tongue-tingling Sichuan pepper combined with the slightly sweet chilli bean paste is the perfect dressing for succulently marinated beef and thick rice noodles.”
Prep: 10 minutes
Marinate: 1 hour
Cook: 10 minutes
Serves 2
Equipment: wok
Ingredients
- 250g beef sirloin, sliced into thin strips
- 350g straight-to-wok thick rice noodles
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 slices of ginger
- 3 spring onions, cut into 5cm lengths
- 3 tbsp doubanjiang (fermented chilli bean paste)
- 1 tsp Sichuan pepper, ground
- ½ tbsp sugar
- 200g beansprouts
- 2 tbsp Chinese rice wine (Shaoxing wine)
- Pinch of salt, to taste
- Pinch of white pepper, to taste
For the marinade
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tsp cornflour
- 1 tsp sesame oil
Method
Place the beef in a bowl along with the marinade ingredients and mix well. Set to one side to marinate for at least 1 hour.
Soften your noodles under warm water to loosen, drain and set to one side.
Place a wok over a medium-high heat and add half the oil. Once smoking hot, add the beef and sear until browned. Transfer to a plate and set to one side to rest.
Place the wok back over the heat and add the remaining oil. Add the ginger and spring onions and, after around 45 seconds, add the drained rice noodles and fry for about 2 minutes. Add the browned beef along with the doubanjiang, Sichuan pepper and sugar. Fry everything for a further 1-2 minutes, then add the beansprouts and rice wine and cook for another minute, stirring gently to combine all of the ingredients. Finally, taste for seasoning and add a pinch of salt and white pepper if needed.
Drunken chicken noodles
Wan says: “Contrary to what the name would suggest, the chicken in this noodle dish is not drenched in alcohol; a common theory behind the Thai name (Pad Kee Mao) is that they are simply a perfect recovery dish for the day after the night before…”
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Serves 2
Equipment: wok
Ingredients
- 400g fresh flat rice noodles (ho fun)
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 350g boneless skin-on chicken thighs, cut into 2.5cm pieces
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- Thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and sliced
- 3 spring onions, cut into 5cm lengths, whites and greens separated
- 300g choy sum, cut into 5cm lengths, stalks and leaves separated
- 3 tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tsp chicken powder
- 125ml red wine
- 1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp water
- 1 tsp sesame oil
Method
Place the noodles in a colander or sieve and loosen under hot water, drain and set to one side.
Heat a wok with the oil over a medium-high heat, then add the chicken thighs and cook for about 12-18 minutes, turning occasionally until golden brown and cooked through. Now add the garlic and ginger and fry until fragrant, then add the spring onion whites and choy sum stalks along with the oyster sauce, light and dark soy sauces, chicken powder and red wine.
Bring to the boil, then add the softened noodles, spring onion greens and choy sum leaves and combine. Give the cornflour mixture a stir and pour into the noodle sauce, mixing continuously until the sauce reaches your desired consistency. Turn off the heat and drizzle with the sesame oil.
One Wok, One Pot by Kwoklyn Wan (£16.99, Quadrille) is out now
Photography: © Sam Folan
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