Mie Goreng

 On the other hand you may prefer noodles – hold that thought - here is Mie Goreng - the noodle version of the Nasi Goreng.

Mie Goreng

Serves 4-6

3 eggs

1 tbsp water

1 tbsp oil

1 onion, finely sliced

Drop of rapeseed or vegetable oil

3 cloves of garlic, crushed or tsps of paste

2 carrots, finely sliced (you could use cooked leftovers)

2 spring onions, finely sliced

Pinch of ground ginger

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cumin

1 red chilli, seeded removed and finely diced

1 tsp sambal paste

250g medium egg noodles, cooked

30ml dark soy sauce

60ml kecap manis

100g beansprouts

350g cooked prawns, defrosted

100g chopped roasted peanuts to garnish (optional)

Beat the egg lightly with the 1 tbsp water. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok or frying pan. Pour in the egg and cook until set underneath, flip it and repeat. Slide the omelette out of the pan on to a board, roll up into a cigar shape and slice into strips – set aside.

Heat a large wok or frying pan and add a drop of oil. Add the onion and stir fry for 2 minutes, then add the garlic, ginger and carrots and fry for a further 2 minutes. Add a drop of water to prevent drying out.

Add the sambal paste, coriander and cumin and fry for 20/30 seconds – again you can add a drop of water if required. Add the cooked noodles, spring onions, beansprouts and prawns – turning until warmed through. Add the dark soy sauce and the kecap manis and repeat.

Serve straight from wok or spoon into individual bowls and garnish with the omelette strips and peanuts.

Serving suggestions

For a vegetarian version, substitute with 300g of shredded Chinese cabbage – aka bok choy or pak choi. Sweet baby peppers – red, yellow and orange – would work well too, de-seeded and finely sliced.

You could add sliced water chestnuts and bamboo shoots.

You could serve the Rendang Sauce with any of The Gorengs.

Rendang Curry Sauce

100 ml coconut cream

50ml water

3 tsp brown sugar

2 tsp curry powder

(I used mild)

1 tbsp kecap manis

(also known as sweet soy sauce)

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan over a low heat and

serve. Can be made ahead and re-heated.

Anything goes – whatever leftover veggies or cooked chicken or meat – finely dice and make it your own!

Coming up … the final fish idea … for the moment!

When you're ready

When you're ready to stir fry, begin with the rapeseed oil and the onion on a medium heat, stir fry for 2/3 minutes, add the peas, prawns and noodles and stir fry for 2/3 minutes and finally add the hoi sin sauce and toss everything for a further 2 minutes.

Serve in a warmed bowl, with optional soy sauce on the side.

Here's a couple of photos :

a noodle nest

Amoy hoi sin sauce

Oh and by the way, you have to remember to take the prawns out of the freezer!

I appreciate that prawns may be outside your budget – it's the original recipe – use it as a template, anything goes from leftover chicken and veggies from your Sunday roast.

Then there's the rice alternative!

Noodle stir fry

Have you run out of steam, nay inspiration, for a quick and easy mid week supper? How often have you arrived home without a clue?

What follows isn't rocket science, as I'm fond of saying, the recipe – if you can call it that – uses “store cupboard” ingredients and by store cupboard I include pantry and freezer.

Store cupboard stir fry

Serves 1

1 noodle nest

vegetable stock pot

generous handful of petit pois, microwaved for 2 minutes

1 medium brown onion, sliced

drop of rapeseed oil

80g large king prawns, defrosted

hoi sin sauce – 1 pouch

soy sauce to serve

Wok

When you arrive home and are getting organised as you're passing place your wok on the hob, boil a kettle, add the noodle nest with the stock pot and pour boiling water over the two so that the noodles loosen and are flavoured with the stock. Leave it be, whilst you're doing other things, then when you're passing turn the nest so that the loosening is even, leave again whilst you're in the shower!

Drain through a sieve and set aside.

When you're ready …

Noodles!

Before I continue I should say that I realise that budgets don't necessarily run to prawns, I've left the recipe as is, so that you can see how versatile it is.

Now for the Mie Goreng - the noodle version of the Nasi Goreng. The Mie includes two ingredients you may not have come across previously – kecap manis – aka sweet soy sauce and sambal paste – a paste made from chillies and spices and both ingredients are easily available in larger supermarkets.

Mie Goreng

Serves 4-6

3 eggs

1 tbsp water

1 tbsp oil

1 onion, finely sliced

Drop of rapeseed or vegetable oil

3 cloves of garlic, crushed or tsps of paste

2 carrots, finely sliced (you could use cooked leftovers)

2 spring onions, finely sliced

Pinch of ground ginger

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cumin

1 red chilli, seeded removed and finely diced

1 tsp sambal paste

250g medium egg noodles, cooked

30ml dark soy sauce

60ml kecap manis

100g beansprouts

350g cooked prawns, defrosted

100g chopped roasted peanuts to garnish (optional)

Beat the egg lightly with the 1 tbsp water. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok or frying pan. Pour in the egg and cook until set underneath, flip it and repeat. Slide the omelette out of the pan on to a board, roll up into a cigar shape and slice into strips – set aside.

Heat a large wok or frying pan and add a drop of oil. Add the onion and stir fry for 2 minutes, then add the garlic, ginger and carrots and fry for a further 2 minutes. Add a drop of water to prevent drying out.

Add the sambal paste, coriander and cumin and fry for 20/30 seconds – again you can add a drop of water if required. Add the cooked noodles, spring onions, beansprouts and prawns – turning until warmed through. Add the dark soy sauce and the kecap manis and repeat.

N.B. For a vegetarian version, substitute the prawns with 300g of shredded Chinese cabbage – aka bok choy or pak choi and 1 yellow pepper (cored, deseeded and diced). Sweet baby peppers – red, yellow and orange – would work well too. You could add sliced water chestnuts and/or bamboo shoots.

Serve straight from wok or spoon into individual bowls and garnish with the omelette strips and peanuts.

On the other hand – if you love fish …

Rice and Noodles – The Gorengs

I know I've talked about these recipes previously but I think it's time for a refresher particularly in that they are most adaptable for leftovers – perfect in these times of frugality – desperate times call for desperate measures!

To recap, Nasi Goreng is Indonesian and began life as a breakfast dish using up leftover rice from the previous evening but has evolved into a popular street food choice, right up to being served in posh restaurants. It can be spicy, mild, vegetarian, vegan – you name it, the world is your lobster!

There's Mie Goreng too using noodles instead of rice.

Here's the original recipe :

Nasi Goreng

Serves 4-6

3 eggs

1 tbsp water

1 tbsp oil

4 tbsp vegetable oil

2 onions, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed or garlic paste

half tsp chilli powder

8oz (225g) cooked rice

6oz (175g) cooked chicken or turkey meat, diced

6oz (175g) peeled prawns, defrosted if frozen

2 tbsp dark soy sauce

1 tsp soft light brown sugar

1 tbsp lemon juice

6oz (175g) cooked wafer ham, thinly sliced

black pepper

Beat the egg lightly with the 1 tbsp water. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok or frying pan. Pour in the egg and cook until set underneath, flip it and repeat. Slide the omelette out of the pan on to a board, roll up into a cigar shape and slice into strips – set aside.

Add the vegetable oil to the wok and heat gently. Add the onions, garlic and chilli powder and fry until lightly browned. Add the rice and cook for a few seconds then stir in the chicken and prawns. Cook for 2/3 minutes.

Mix the soy sauce, sugar and lemon juice together, then stir thoroughly into the rice mixture. Fold in the ham then season to taste with pepper. You can place the wok in the middle of the table and “dive in” or spoon into serving bowls and garnish with the omelette strips.

This is an excellent recipe for leftover chicken and veggies from the Sunday roast – it's quick, easy and tasty. If this dish doesn't fit the “dive in” category then I don't know what does. It's an all time favourite in our house. A definite crowd pleaser and lip smackingly good to boot.

Then there's Mie Goreng, using noodles in case you're not fond of rice!

Editor's Pick #2: Mie To Follow

Editor's note: Noodles, spices and veggies, along with whatever you have cluttering up the fridge and needs a zhush and an evening date with flavour. One stop shop for "I fancy a takeaway but surely I can do that myself?". Well, you can - read on for the Mie Goreng, treat yourself to a couple of extra ingredients on your next shop and you won't be disappointed.

Here's the Mie Goreng - the noodle version of the Nasi Goreng. The Mie includes two ingredients you may not have come across previously – kecap manis – aka sweet soy sauce and sambal paste – a paste made from chillies and spices and both ingredients are easily available in larger supermarkets.

Mie Goreng

Serves 4-6

3 eggs

1 tbsp water

1 tbsp oil

1 onion, finely sliced

Drop of rapeseed or vegetable oil

3 cloves of garlic, crushed or tsps of paste

2 carrots, finely sliced (you could use cooked leftovers)

2 spring onions, finely sliced

Pinch of ground ginger

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cumin

1 red chilli, seeded removed and finely diced

1 tsp sambal paste

250g medium egg noodles, cooked

30ml dark soy sauce

60ml kecap manis

100g beansprouts

350g cooked prawns, defrosted

100g chopped roasted peanuts to garnish (optional)

Beat the egg lightly with the 1 tbsp water. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok or frying pan. Pour in the egg and cook until set underneath, flip it and repeat. Slide the omelette out of the pan on to a board, roll up into a cigar shape and slice into strips – set aside.

Heat a large wok or frying pan and add a drop of oil. Add the onion and stir fry for 2 minutes, then add the garlic, ginger and carrots and fry for a further 2 minutes. Add a drop of water to prevent drying out.

Add the sambal paste, coriander and cumin and fry for 20/30 seconds – again you can add a drop of water if required. Add the cooked noodles, spring onions, beansprouts and prawns – turning until warmed through. Add the dark soy sauce and the kecap manis and repeat.

N.B. For a vegetarian version, substitute the prawns with 300g of shredded Chinese cabbage – aka bok choy or pak choi and 1 yellow pepper (cored, deseeded and diced). Sweet baby peppers – red, yellow and orange – would work well too.

Serve straight from wok or spoon into individual bowls and garnish with the omelette strips and peanuts.

You could add sliced water chestnuts and/or bamboo shoots. If you've other leftover vegetables or cooked chicken or meat – dice and add too.

Mie to follow

Here's the Mie Goreng - the noodle version of the Nasi Goreng. The Mie includes two ingredients you may not have come across previously – kecap manis – aka sweet soy sauce and sambal paste – a paste made from chillies and spices and both ingredients are easily available in larger supermarkets.

Mie Goreng

Serves 4-6

3 eggs

1 tbsp water

1 tbsp oil

1 onion, finely sliced

Drop of rapeseed or vegetable oil

3 cloves of garlic, crushed or tsps of paste

2 carrots, finely sliced (you could use cooked leftovers)

2 spring onions, finely sliced

Pinch of ground ginger

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cumin

1 red chilli, seeded removed and finely diced

1 tsp sambal paste

250g medium egg noodles, cooked

30ml dark soy sauce

60ml kecap manis

100g beansprouts

350g cooked prawns, defrosted

100g chopped roasted peanuts to garnish (optional)

Beat the egg lightly with the 1 tbsp water. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok or frying pan. Pour in the egg and cook until set underneath, flip it and repeat. Slide the omelette out of the pan on to a board, roll up into a cigar shape and slice into strips – set aside.

Heat a large wok or frying pan and add a drop of oil. Add the onion and stir fry for 2 minutes, then add the garlic, ginger and carrots and fry for a further 2 minutes. Add a drop of water to prevent drying out.

Add the sambal paste, coriander and cumin and fry for 20/30 seconds – again you can add a drop of water if required. Add the cooked noodles, spring onions, beansprouts and prawns – turning until warmed through. Add the dark soy sauce and the kecap manis and repeat.

N.B. For a vegetarian version, substitute the prawns with 300g of shredded Chinese cabbage – aka bok choy or pak choi and 1 yellow pepper (cored, deseeded and diced). Sweet baby peppers – red, yellow and orange – would work well too.

Serve straight from wok or spoon into individual bowls and garnish with the omelette strips and peanuts.

You could add sliced water chestnuts and/or bamboo shoots. If you've other leftover vegetables or cooked chicken or meat – dice and add too.

On the other hand – if you love fish …

Fast food for the working week … there's more

There are optional extras depending on whether you want to add carbs, for example, the fastest would be microwaved rice – ideal for a working week supper.

Noodle nests work well too. They are available in fine or medium and come in 250g bags. You'll get five nests in each bag and each nest weighs 62.5g. If I use nests, I submerge however many nests I need in boiling water (covering two thirds of the nest) together with a vegetable stock pot – a wok works well - leave for for a few minutes then turn the nests and you'll find that they are loosening and you're able to separate the noodles – perfect to stir fry. Drain the noodles and set aside. Stir fry your veggies and chicken as mentioned, add the noodles and toss through thoroughly then finish with the stir fry sauce.

Just for reference, here's a photo of the noodle nest :

It may sound a bit long winded but I promise you it's not.

If you prefer the Asian Spiced Salmon version bake the marinated salmon for 15 minutes as mentioned in the protein to go with the slaw. You can bake ahead, cool and fridge, so whenever is convenient for you. Stir fry the veggies and/or noodles as previously then gently break the salmon into pieces and fold through the stir fry with the sauce.

Alternatively you could serve the chicken or salmon with roasted new potatoes and stir fried veggies if you don't fancy rice or noodles, hot or cold, delicious and fast.

Now for the Sunday roast ...

The seafood dish, morphed!

You can make this dish into whatever you wish – instead of a starter or sides with other dishes, it makes a great lunch dish or a supper by adding ingredients of your choice. Raid your fridge for spring onions, sweet baby peppers and asparagus tips. All you need to remember is make sure they are of a similar size and I'd blanch the asparagus tips for 30 seconds for even stir frying. Use any veggies in season that you love!

My personal favourites - diced water chestnuts, baby corn, diced mushrooms, the world is definitely your lobster.

This is a perfect example of the marriage of treasure chest (aka freezer) and pantry/store cupboard ingredients.

I added another element and served the seafood on a bed of noodles for supper – here it is :

The noodles served in a dish with a deep bowl - exactly right - layer your scallops, king prawns and sauce on the top, duvet day supper anyone?

Verdict - “that was my kind of supper – fab!”

Just in case you thought I'd forgotten, or didn't serve any, it's the birthday lunch puds next!