Singapore noodles

(Serves 2)

Ingredients

• 125g rice vermicelli
• Half a red pepper, sliced
• 2 ½ tsp curry powder
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp rice wine or dry sherry
• Pinch of sugar
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tbsp peeled and grated ginger root
• 1 green bird’s eye chilli, finely chopped
• 2 spring onions, sliced on the diagonal
• 6 water chestnuts, sliced
• ½ red pepper, thinly sliced
• 5 shitaake mushrooms, sliced
• Handful of peas
• 50g prawns
• 50g char siu pork or cooked chicken, shredded
• 1 egg, beaten with a pinch of salt and a splash of sesame oil
• 2 tbsp peanut or other neutral oil
• Handful of chopped coriander, to serve

Method

1. Put the vermicelli in a bowl, and tip boiling water over until covered. Leave for 30-45 seconds until softened, but not soft, then drain and leave to dry in a sieve or colander for about half an hour, tossing occasionally to make sure they don’t clump together.
2. Add half the curry powder and all the soy sauce, wine and sugar (to the noodles) and toss together well until the noodles are well coated.
3. Put the garlic, ginger, chilli, spring onion and remaining curry powder in one bowl, the vegetables in another and the meat in a third. Put these near the hob along with the beaten egg.
4. Heat the oil in a wok until smoking, then tip in the garlic and ginger mixture. Stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant, then tip in the vegetables. Stir-fry for a couple of minutes, then push to the side of the wok and tip in the egg. Allow to cook undisturbed until almost set, then scramble into the remaining ingredients.
5. Add the meat and prawns and mix in, then tip in the noodles and toss everything together for a couple of minutes, so it’s all well combined.
6. Heap on to a serving plate, top with coriander and serve immediately.