Yellow Vegetable Curry

This was thrown together the other night in a hurry. I had not planned dinner so had a look in the fridge and pantry and came up with this nice surprise. It's tasty but not too spicy and packed full of vegetables. This serves 4.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons yellow curry paste
• 2 tins (800ml) coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 carrot, peeled and sliced
• ½ red capsicum, roughly chopped
• ½ green capsicum, roughly chopped
• ¼ eggplant, peeled and roughly chopped
• ½ zucchini, roughly chopped
• 1 squash, roughly chopped
• Handful of broccoli florets
• Handful of green beans, ends removed and cut into 2cm pieces
• 4 mushrooms, stalks removed and roughly chopped
• Coriander for garnishing
• Dried shallots for garnishing
• Noodles of your choice - I used 2 squares of vermicelli

Method:

1. Heat oil in a wok and add the curry paste. Stir and heat for about 2mins
2. Add the coconut milk, stir well and simmer for 2mins
3. Add the hard vegetables, i.e. carrots, broccoli and green beans, simmer for 2mins
4. Add the remaining vegetables except the mushrooms, and simmer for 5mins
5. Add the mushrooms, fish sauce and brown sugar and simmer until the noodles are ready
6. Feel free to add water if there isn't enough sauce for you. If it's too spicy, add more coconut milk, but if the spice is just right, only add water to extend the liquid
7. Cook the vermicelli noodles (or noodles of your choice) as per packet instructions
8. Drain the noodles, place in a bowl and pour the curried vegetables over the noodles
9. Garnish with chopped coriander and dried shallots.  D-E-L-icious  XD

Tofu with Hokkein Noodles

Everybody loves noodles, right? We do in our family, but usually I make noodle dishes with rice vermicelli. Tonight I thought I'd shake things up a bit and use Hokkein noodles instead. This meal is vegetarian and serves four.

Ingredients:

• 450 grams thick Hokkein noodles
• 400 gram tin of corn spears
• 1 red capsicum, thinly sliced
• 1 large handful of snow peas
• 2 packets of marinated tofu or tofu of your choice cooked to your liking :)
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• ¼ cup light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• ¼ cup vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil

Method:

1. Cook the Hokkein noodles as per packet instructions
2. Heat wok on medium-high heat and brown the tofu in batches and put aside to keep warm
3. Heat sesame oil in wok and toss all vegetables often until softened to your liking
4. In a jug combine the rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, curry and stock and stir well
5. Drain the noodles and add to the vegetables in the wok
6. Pour the sauce over the noodles and vegetables in the wok
7. Toss gently to warm through and then serve. D-E-L-icious

This recipe is so versatile. You could substitute the above vegetables with either carrots, green beans, zucchini, mushrooms, bok choy, broccoli or baby spinach.

Vietnamese Stir Fry

This recipe is adapted from a Weight Watchers one. So it is easy, fast and lean. It serves 4 on a bed of vermicelli noodles.

Ingredients:

• 500g rump steak, thinly sliced
• Spray oil
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 and half tablespoons lime juice
• 1 red chilli
• 1 teaspoon caster sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 4 shallots cut into 3cm lengths
• 1 red capsicum cut into 3-4cm lengths
• 400g tin corn spears
• 400g tin bean spouts
• Vermicelli noodles

Method:

1. Prepare the noodles as per packet instructions
2. In a bowl - mix the soy sauce, lime juice, chilli, sugar and water
3. Spray oil in a hot wok
4. Add beef and stir fry until brown
5. Once the beef is browned add all the vegetables except the bean sprouts
6. Stir fry until the vegetables are just tender
7. Add the bean sprouts for an additional minute
8. Serve on vermicelli noodles

D-E-L-icious  XD

Beef, Vegetable & Noodle Stir Fry

This recipe is fast, easy, healthy and tasty. It serves 4 and is a nice change from your average stir fry with rice.

Ingredients:

• Vermicelli noodles - enough for 4, cooked as per instructions
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• Spray oil
• 3/4 cup water
• 500g beef strips (heart smart), thinly sliced
• 1/4 cabbage, finely shredded
• 1 large carrot, peeled and sliced into matchsticks
• 4 green shallots, cut into 3cm pieces
• 1 whole capsicum, thinly sliced (I used 1/3 red, 1/3 green and 1/3 yellow)
• 1/2 large zucchini, sliced into matchsticks
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup Hoi Sin sauce

Method:

1. Cook vermicelli noodles as per instructions (usually they just need soaking in boiled water for a few minutes)
2. Heat a wok over a high heat, add sesame seeds, shake and toss until brown
3. Remove and set aside
4. Spray the spray oil in the wok, reheat to hot and add the beef
5. Toss often until brown, then remove and set aside
6. Spray oil in wok again, heat again, add a little of the water and add all the vegetables, except the cabbage
7. Toss the vegetables often, adding water occasionally to prevent sticking to wok, for about 5 minutes
8. Add the cabbage, toss and add a little more water if necessary. Cook for a further 2mins
9. Return the beef and the sesame seeds to the wok, pour the sauce over the lot, and stir through until warmed and mixed well
10. Serve on a bed of noodles.

D-E-L-icious  XD

Express Satay Noodles

I adapted this recipe from one of Nigella Lawson's and made it for lunch one day. I was amazed at how fast, healthy and delicious is was. It's a must if you're in a rush.

Ingredients:

• 1 packet of pre-cooked Hokkein noodles
• 1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
• A handful of green beans, ends removed and halved
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce
• 2-3 tablespoons crunchy peanut butter
• Small amount of water
• Fresh coriander for garnishing

Method:

1. Cook the noodles as per the packet directions and place in a large bowl. Separate with a fork
2. Place the carrot and beans in a bowl with about a cup of water and steam in the microwave for 3-5 minutes...longer if you don't like crisp vegies
3. Add the cooked vegies to the bowl of noodles
4. In a small saucepan on a medium heat add the oils, soy, sweet chilli sauces and lemon juice to the pan and whisk while warming
5. Add the peanut butter and whisk until mixed through
6. Add a small amount of water to make the sauce easier to pour
7. Pour the sauce over the noodles and vegies
8. Toss well to coat the noodles with sauce
9. Place into deep bowls and garnish with coriander

This dish is extremely fast, healthy and tasty. It is also very versatile. You can substitute the vegetables for snow peas, brocollini, corn spears and even bean sprouts...D-E-L-icious  XD

Prawn Laksa

I have a confession to make...I don't like most seafood. The only seafood I like is BBQ Salmon steaks, tinned tuna, muscles if they are in my paella and crumbed fish which you simply throw in the oven. So my poor family who love all seafood only gets to eat prawns, oysters, octopus, calamari, etc when we dine out or if Tony buys and cooks it. So today he brought home some prawns and I had an idea. The family likes laksa so I decided to make Prawn Laksa :)

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons red curry paste
• 2 and 1/2 cups of chicken stock
• 1 400g tin corn spears
• 1 cup bamboo shoots
• 1 and 1/2 cups low fat Greek yoghurt
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 100g Laksa or vermicelli noodles
• 5 button mushrooms, wiped clean and quartered
• 20 large raw prawns, peeled and deveined (of course I got hubby to do this! lol)
• 2 tablespoons chopped coriander

Method:

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat
2. Add garlic and curry paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring
3. Add stock, yoghurt, sugar, salt and fish sauce and whisk
4. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes uncovered
5. While simmering, soak the noodles in a bowl of boiled water for 10 minutes
6. Add mushrooms, corn spears and bamboo shoots to laksa, stir through and cook for 2 minutes
7. Add prawns and cook for a further 2 minutes
8. Drain noodles under cold water, place in bottom of soup bowl
9. Pour laksa over noodles and garnish with coriander

D-E-L-icious  XD