One of the things I miss most about my years in Singapore is the food.
At times so different from traditional Chinese cuisine, the blend of Malay, Indian and Chinese cultures if anything have made the food richer and so much more diverse than it's traditional roots.
The sum my friends is indeed greater than it's parts.
I also love the ease of preparation with which some dishes would be put together - simple steamed fish or chicken, stir fries not to mention noodle soups and even eggy creations.
Of all the weeknight quick meals I've been taking away from Singapore, this right here is my favorite. Just a handful of ingredients and less than 30 minutes was all that was required to go from starving and frugal to dinner done!
And no, I certainly did not live my 20's on Ramen noodles. As lean as those times were, yours truly still had certain standards to maintain. Though I must admit most of my pay did go toward wine and Zola's books which was why I was particularly grateful of dinners like these.
Gather the ingredients, 1-3/4 lb to 2 lbs Udon noodles (from the refrigerator section at the Asian store), 1/2 lbs ground pork or chicken, 1/2 each - large green bell pepper & red bell pepper, 2 tbs chopped garlic & 1/4 cup vegetable oilSauce: 2 tbs dark soy sauce, 1/4 cup oyster sauce, 1/2 tsp salt & 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Garnish: 2 tsp sesame oil
Noodles: Set a pot of water to boil. There should be enough water to completely immerse the noodles. Remove the noodles form their packets and place in a large pyrex or stainless steel bowl. Do not try to de-tangle.
Pour the boiling water over the noodles and soak for about 5 minutes or so. Using a fork separate the noodles. Drain the noodles in a large sieve discarding all the water. Set aside till ready to use.
Green & Red Peppers: Quarter the peppers. Remove and discard membranes, woody knob and seeds. Cut into cross sections - slightly thinner than 1/4"
Sauce: Add the ingredients to a bowl. Stir and set aside ready to use.
In a wok or large saute pan, heat the oil on medium-high heat.
Add the garlic and saute for a few seconds until fragrant. Add the pork and peppers and saute for about 5-7 minutes until the pork is no longer pink and the peppers are crunchy tender.
Add the noodles and the sauce and saute for 3-4 minutes until the noodles have completely warmed through. Drizzle the sesame oil all over the noodles.
Taste and adjust seasonings and serve immediately.
Good to know: Best served hot, straight off the stove & don't omit the sesame oil.
Recipe for
Udon Noodles Stir Fry with Pork & Peppers
Preparation time - 10 min
Cooking time - 10 minutes
Serves 4
Shopping list
1-3/4 lb to 2 lbs Udon noodles (from the refrigerator section at the Asian store)
1/2 lbs ground pork or chicken
1/2 each - large green bell pepper & red bell pepper
2 tbs chopped garlic
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Sauce:
2 tbs dark soy sauce
1/4 cup oyster sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Garnish:
2 tsp sesame oil
Preparation:Noodles: Set a pot of water to boil. There should be enough water to completely immerse the noodles. Remove the noodles form their packets and place in a large pyrex or stainless steel bowl. Do not try to de-tangle.
Pour the boiling water over the noodles and soak for about 5 minutes or so. Using a fork separate the noodles. Drain the noodles in a large sieve discarding all the water. Set aside till ready to use.
Green & Red Peppers: Quarter the peppers. Remove and discard membranes, woody knob and seeds. Cut into cross sections - slightly thinner than 1/4"
Sauce: Add the ingredients to a bowl. Stir and set aside ready to use.
Method:In a wok or large saute pan, heat the oil on medium-high heat.
Add the garlic and saute for a few seconds until fragrant. Add the pork and peppers and saute for about 5-7 minutes until the pork is no longer pink and the peppers are crunchy tender.
Add the noodles and the sauce and saute for 3-4 minutes until the noodles have completely warmed through. Drizzle the sesame oil all over the noodles.
Taste and adjust seasonings and serve immediately.
Good to know: Best served hot, straight off the stove & don't omit the sesame oil.
Enjoy!
