Stir-fry

A quick easy vegetable-filled family meal.

Cooking directions

• Place instant noodles in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Drain and put to one side.
• In a cup or small jug, blend the water, cornflour, soy sauce and black bean sauce together. Put to one side.
• Cut the meat into thin strips.
• Heat a large non-stick pan and spray with a little oil.
• Cook meat until browned on the outside, but still pink in the inside.
• Remove meat from the pan, put aside.
• Add frozen vegetables, onion and celery to the pan. Stir-fry until tender, but still slightly crisp – keep the pan moist by adding a little water if needed.
• Return the meat to the pan.
• Add the drained noodles and soy sauce mixture.
• Stir together and heat until well mixed and warmed.

Try:

• Sweet chilli sauce instead of black bean sauce.
• Using a variety of vegetables – use any fresh, frozen or tinned vegetables you have on hand.
• Leaving out noodles and serving with rice or stuffed into pita pockets.
• Leaving out meat and having vegetable stir-fry.
• Adding bean sprouts.
• Adding fresh ginger or crushed ginger from a jar (choose a low-salt variety).
• Using tofu, chicken, fish, pork or lamb instead of beef.
• Soaking beef in a bit of soy sauce and honey for an hour before cooking.

Thanks to www.vegetables.co.nz for this recipe.

Ingredients

2 packets instant noodles, throw away the flavour sachet

300 grams lean beef, use schnitzel, chunk or blade steak

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 bag frozen stir-fry vegetables

2 sticks celery, sliced

3/4 cup water

1 tablespoon cornflour

2 tablespoons low-salt soy sauce

1 tablespoon black bean sauce, optional