Korean noodle salad

Excellent quick lunch, when you want something spicy, crunchy and noodly.

  • 1 tsp tahini
  • 2 tbsp gochujang
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 2 tsp caster sugar
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 250g soba noodles
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • ½ cucumber, cut into matchsticks
  • 1 carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks
  • 6 leaves red cabbage, thinly sliced
  • 60g kimchi, chopped
  • Handful toasted cashews
  • Toasted sesame seeds, to serve
  1. Mix the first 6 ingredients to create the sauce (tahini, gochujang, soy sauce, rice vinegar, caster sugar, sesame oil)
  2. Cook the noodles, cool and toss with sesame oil
  3. Add all other ingredients and mix together well

Top with a soft boiled egg if you fancy it or just tuck in as is. Hugely flexible to use whatever you’ve got in the fridge

Peanut miso chicken noodle soup

Warming and super-quick for a chilly weeknight supper, and such a good way to use up leftover chicken

  • ½ tbsp vegetable oil
  • ½ tbsp chilli crisp
  • 2 cloves of garlic, grated
  • 1 inch of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
  • ½ tsp turmeric
  • Zest and juice of ½ lime
  • 4 spring onions, finely sliced – whites and greens separated
  • 1 tbsp miso paste
  • 2 tbsp smooth peanut butter
  • 1 tbsp tahini
  • 400ml coconut milk
  • 400ml chicken stock
  • ½ tsp salt
  • Noodles for 2
  • Cooked chicken, cut into bitesized pieces
  • Toasted sesame seeds
  • Fresh coriander
  1. Heat the veg oil and chilli crisp in a saucepan over medium
  2. Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric, lime zest and white parts of the spring onions to the pan and fry for a couple of mins
  3. Add the miso, peanut butter, tahini, coconut milk, chicken stock and salt. Stir to combine and bring to a bubble
  4. In the meantime, cook the noodles separately in boiling water
  5. Split the noodles and cold chicken between 2 bowls, and ladle over the soup
  6. Sprinkle over the green spring onion, coriander and sesame seeds, plus some extra cricpy chilli if you like
  7. Squeeze over the lime and serve

Chilli oil beef – or smoked tofu – noodles

Rich, spicy, nutty, savoury – relieved by the fresh salad veg on top. The essential bit is the chilli oil

  • 3 tbsp chilli oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp sesame seeds
  • 400g minced beef/crumbled smoked tofu
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp mirin
  • 2 heaped tbsp smooth peanut butter
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 200g cooked udon noodles
  • 2 spring onions, chopped
  • Coriander leaves, diced cucumber, sliced radishes, avocado, lime
  1. Heat chilli oil in a wok or deep frying pan over medium heat
  2. Fry the minced garlic and sesame seeds
  3. When golden, add the minced beef/crumbled tofu and stir into the spicy garlicky oil
  4. In a bowl, stir together the soy sauce, mirin, peanut butter, sesame oil and sugar
  5. Add this to the beef/tofu, rinsing out the bowl with some water and adding that too
  6. Add the udon noodles and spring onions, stir together gently while it bubbles and the noodles soften
  7. Serve immediately, topped with coriander, cucumber, radish and avocado – and a squeeze of lime over the top

Pad thai chicken

So quick, so noodlycrunchyfreshtangysweetsavoury, so so tasty! Feeds 2

  • 250g wide rice noodles
  • 50ml tamarind paste
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 3 tbsp fish sauce
  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 2 tbsp veg oil
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 spring onions, sliced lengthways and cut into 2 inch pieces
  • 1 chicken breast, sliced into very thin pieces
  • 1 carrot, cut into 2 inch lengths and julienned
  • 100g crispy tofu pieces
  • Handful of beansprouts
  • Large handful roasted unsalted peanuts, crushed into coarse meal/small pieces
  • Fresh coriander, chopped
  • Couple of lime wedges

Word to the wise – do ALL your prep beforehand because this one moves fast once you start!

  1. Cook the noodles for 2 mins less than the packet says and then drain, rinse in cold water and leave them submerged in cold water until you need them (or soak them in cold water for an hour – I am never this organised)
  2. Combine the tamarind, water, fish sauce, sugar and lime juice
  3. Heat 1 tbsp veg oil in a wok, swirl it round and add the egg. Cook without breaking up for a couple of mins, then flip it for a moment and tip it out of the wok. Cut it into small pieces
  4. Re-heat the wok scorching hot, add the other 1 tbsp oil. Add the garlic and spring onions, stir together briefly
  5. Add the chicken and stir cook for 1 min. Then add the tofu pieces and julienned carrot, stir cooking for 2 mins more
  6. Turn the heat down to medium, add the drained noodles and stir in, then pour in the tamarind sauce
  7. Continue to cook and stir until the noodles are soft and the sauce has mostly been absorbed
  8. Stir through the bean sprouts and half the crushed peanuts
  9. Serve immediately in 2 big bowls, topped with fresh coriander, the rest of the crushed peanuts and a lime wedge on the side. Tuck. In.

Scissor-cut noodles

Chewy, slippery noodle/dumpling convergence, this is the spicy cousin of spätzle – and arguably even easier to make. Just trust me, you should cook this. Feeds 2

  • 240g plain flour 
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 125ml lukewarm water 
  • 2 spring onions, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp chilli flakes 
  • ½ tsp five spice powder
  • ½ tsp ground szechuan pepper 
  • 1 tsp sesame seeds
  • 3 tbsp veg oil
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • ½ tsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp black rice vinegar
  1. In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt. Pour in the water gradually and use a spoon then your hands to combine
  2. Knead for 5-7 mins until it’s smooth and stretchy, then place back in the bowl and cover. Leave to rest for 20 mins
  3. While the dough is resting, make the sauce. Put the spring onion, garlic, chilli flakes, five spice, szechuan pepper and sesame seeds in a small heatproof bowl
  4. Heat the veg oil until it shimmers and pour it over the aromatics and spices. Delightedly watch it bubble, and then mix it through
  5. Add soy sauce, sugar and vinegar. Mix well and divide between 2 deep bowls
  6. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil and hold the dough in one hand and the scissors in the other. Over the pot, use the scissors to slice off thin, roughly 1-inch long strips of noodles off the dough and allow them to fall into the water
  7. Once you’ve snipped in all the dough, boil for a further 2 mins or so until all of the noodumplings are cooked. 
  8. Drain and transfer to the 2 bowls, stir through the seasoning oil
  9. Serve topped with steamed greens, grilled chicken or tofu, fresh coriander and toasted sesame seeds