Eating In:Versatile and child-friendly, noodles can be comforting at any time of day writes Hugh Arnold.
I've hit a noodle phase. It happens occasionally and the family are nice enough to indulge me. While they eat toast for breakfast, I am grabbing a bowl from the fridge. I need to make this move in good time. Chilled noodles are all very well, but the rest of the ingredients need a bit of a thaw. This morning it included chicken, soy and ginger, yesterday it was tuna with sesame seeds and ginger. Much of this food is very child-friendly so it is popular in our house.
Stir-fries seem to come out tops, quickly followed by the soups. There is a decided preference for prawns and chicken, but beef also scores a hit. Finding good fat-marbled pork is no easy matter so I tend to steer clear, opting for the likes of duck.
Where with pasta, etiquette demands no slurping, with noodles, to slurp is to enjoy. Indeed many would say slurping is what noodles are all about.
If you thought all noodles were the same, think again. Apart from fat and thin you get rice and wheat noodles, even noodles made from beans.
For those of you not enamoured with the idea of a noodle breakfast do not rule out noodles as an alternative to sandwiches. At room temperature all those exotic flavours come together like nothing else. Serve 2, or 4 if combined as a meal
CHICKEN, PAK CHOI AND NOODLE SOUP(serves two)
50g glass noodles (thin transparent rice noodles),
1 litre good chicken stock
2cm piece of ginger, sliced
1 onion, sliced
1 garlic clove, smashed
2 chicken breasts, sliced into bite-sized pieces
50g bean sprouts
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
bunch coriander, roughly chopped
2 spring onions, finely sliced on the diagonal
Soak the noodles according to the instructions, drain and rinse in cold water. Bring the stock to the boil with the ginger, onion and garlic. Simmer for 10 minutes, strain and bring back to the boil, discarding the flavourings. Lower the heat and add the chicken and fish sauce. Simmer until the chicken is cooked, then add the noodles and heat through. Add the bean sprouts, fish and soy sauces, coriander and spring onions. Check seasoning. Serve with soy sauce on the table.
DUCK RAMEN(serves two)
1 duck breast (about 150g)
1 tbsp teriyaki sauce
125g ramen noodles
350ml chicken stock
1 tbsp chilli sauce
1 tsp fish sauce
half teaspoon dark soy sauce
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp mirin
2 tbsp frozen peas
2 red chillies, deseeded and finely sliced
1 shallot, thinly sliced
bunch coriander leaves
Combine the duck and teriyaki. Set aside for 10 minutes. Season the duck lightly and grill or roast for 15-20 minutes, turning three or four times. Set aside to rest in a warm place. Cook the noodles, refresh under cold water, drain and set aside.
Heat the chicken stock with the chilli sauce, fish sauce, dark soy sauce, rice vinegar and mirin. Bring to the boil, add noodles and peas, and heat through. Pour this into a serving bowl. Slice the duck, spread on top of the noodles and garnish with the chillies, shallot and coriander leaves.