NOODLES, PRONTO
Whether Chinese, Japanese or Mexican – these noodle dishes make for snappy meals in any language.
Whether Chinese, Japanese or Mexican – these noodle dishes make for snappy meals in any language.
Chilled black sesame noodles with cucumber
We’ve added cucumber to this noodle dish, inspired by the Taiwanese ma jiang mian and the Sichuan dan dan mian, to up the refreshment factor. Shredded poached chicken would make an excellent addition, too.
Prep time 15 mins, cook 2 mins
Serves 4-6
400 gm kan-to noodles (see note)
2 tbsp hulled tahini
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp Chinkiang vinegar (see note) 1 tbsp smooth peanut butter
30 gm ginger, finely grated
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
2 Lebanese cucumbers, seeds removed and cut into julienne
Roasted white and black sesame seeds, to serve
1 Cook noodles in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until just tender (1-2 minutes), drain and refresh in iced water to chill, then drain well.
2 Whisk tahini, soy sauce, vinegar, peanut butter, ginger, garlic and 60ml warm water in a bowl to combine. Drizzle dressing over noodles, top with cucumber and sesame seeds and serve.
Note Kan-to noodles are Taiwanese wheat noodles, available from select Asian grocers; if they’re unavailable, substitute somen noodles or another fine wheat noodle. Chinkiang vinegar is available from select Asian grocers.
Drink suggestion A fragrant junmai ginjo sake.
All-day noodles with fried egg and furikake
Why call this “all-day noodles”? Because we could eat these savoury strands for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and quite possibly for a snack at any other time. They’re quick and satisfying, which pretty much ticks all the boxes for us. Be generous with the furikake.
Prep time 10 mins, cook 10 mins
Serves 4 (pictured p106)
400 gm dried somen or soba noodles
2 tbsp vegetable or grapeseed oil, plus extra for frying eggs
20 gm ginger, finely grated
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 spring onions, thinly sliced, white and green parts reserved separately
100 ml soy sauce
50 ml brown rice vinegar, or to taste
1 tbsp roasted chilli oil (see note), or to taste 3 tsp sesame oil
4 eggs
Furikake, to serve (see note) 1 Cook noodles in a large saucepan of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally to prevent noodles sticking together, until just tender
(2-3 minutes). Drain well.
2 Heat oil in a wok or deep frying pan over medium-high heat. Add ginger, garlic and white parts of spring onion, and stir-fry until fragrant (1-2 minutes). Add noodles, stir-fry to coat, then remove from heat and add soy sauce, vinegar, chilli oil and sesame oil, and toss to combine.
3 Heat a little extra vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium heat and fry eggs in batches until cooked to your liking (1-2 minutes for soft yolks).
4 To serve, divide noodles and sauce among serving bowls, top with an egg, and scatter with spring onion green and furikake.
Note Roasted chilli oil is available from Asian grocers. Furikake, a rice seasoning, is available from Japanese grocers and health-food shops. Wine suggestion Champagne (the only booze you can drink at any time of day).
Sopa de fideos
Noodles don’t always have to be Asian-flavoured – this refreshing Mexican soup is a case in point. Canned tomatoes are often used in dishes like this, but we’ve opted to use fresh ones while they’re still so great; if you want to skip the dicing, though, use a couple of tins of chopped tomatoes. Plenty of lime, extra chilli and sliced avocado can only make things better.
Prep time 15 mins, cook 15 mins
Serves 4-6
1½ tbsp olive oil
1 Spanish onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 long red chilli, thinly sliced, plus extra
to serve
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp saffron threads
1 kg ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped 500 ml (2 cups) chicken or vegetable stock 200 gm dried vermicelli or spaghettini, broken into rough pieces
Juice of 1 lime or to taste, plus extra wedges to serve
Coriander, sliced cherry tomatoes and sliced avocado, to serve
1 Heat half the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add onion, garlic and chilli, and sauté until translucent (2-3 minutes). Add spices and stir until fragrant (30 seconds), then transfer to a blender, add tomatoes and stock, and blend until smooth.
2 Heat remaining oil in the same saucepan over medium-high heat, add noodles and stir until golden brown (1-2 minutes). Add tomato mixture and 400ml hot water, season to taste and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until soup thickens and noodles are tender
(8-10 minutes). Squeeze in lime juice, season to taste, and scatter with coriander and extra chilli. Serve with sliced avocado and extra lime wedges. Wine suggestion A bold pink grenache rosé.>