Ramen Noodle Stir Fry

I know I give ramen noodles a hard time, but I secretly love them. Like many people, they helped get me through college, and since then I've learned to put them to use as the secret ingredient behind many a quick and easy meal.

She doesn't know it, but I first learned the secret of "pumping up" ramen back when we were 18 and I watched one of my very best friends crack an egg in her instant noodles, sprinkle it with nutmeg and call it a meal. There's no rule that says you have to eat your ramen or cup noodles pure and out-of-the-package. Add some meat, or vegetables or even just an egg and suddenly you've nearly got yourself through dinner- or at least a quite decent lunch.

Of course, the best thing about ramen is the speed. Next to heat-and-eat udon, I don't think there's any other noodles out there that are ready to eat after only 3 minutes of boiling. So next time you're unsure what to throw together for dinner and you're reaching for that ramen packet, think about what quick and easy ingredients you have around that you can throw in to pump it up. You might be surprised what you come up with...

[Prep: 10min / Cook: 10min]

Ingredients

- 1/2 lb (250 grams) beef steak, any cut

- 2 packets beef ramen instant noodles (with seasoning packets)

- handful of baby carrots (about a cup)

- handful of snow or snap peas (about a cup)

- 1/2 can (about 4 oz) of water chestnuts

- dash pepper

- dash chili powder

- 1 Tbs soy sauce

- 1 Tbs olive oil

Steps

1. Put a couple cups of water in a pot and set to boil.
2. Meanwhile, slice the beef into thin-ish strips.
3. Heat a large saucepan or wok. Once heated, add the oil, followed by the beef.
4. Add the ramen noodles to the water which should be boiling. Put the seasoning packets aside. If your ramen comes with chili powder, sprinkle it on the beef. Otherwise, add your own pepper and chili powder to the beef.
5. While the beef browns, rinse the baby carrots and cut them in half lengthwise, then cut them in half lengthwise again. Rinse the peas and throw them in with the beef whole, along with the sliced carrots.
6. Slice the water chestnuts however you please and add to the pan as well. Stir fry the meat and veggies for a few minutes until the veggies become crisp-tender (about 5 minutes).
7. Strain the water from the noodles and add them to the stir-fry. Drizzle the soy sauce and the seasonings from the ramen packet on top. Give it a good stir to mix everything up, then turn off the heat.
8. Ready to eat!

[Serves 2]

Recipe adapted from Simple One Dish, 

Easy Asian Skillet and Quick 'n' Tangy Beef Stir-Fry

Variations

• Obviously, you can make this with an assortment of meats. Though if you decide to use pork or chicken instead, I recommend using the pork or chicken ramen packets.
• Part of what makes this recipe so quick and easy is the careful selection of easy-to-handle veggies. When using other veggies (particularly the popular broccoli), keep in mind that it will probably add to the prep time. Using a frozen variety will certainly help, but you may want to nuke the frozen veggies shortly in the microwave first, 'less you will need to stir-fry a bit longer. Alternatively, the original recipe says to use frozen veggies, but to boil them with the ramen before adding it all to the meat. Quite efficient, but boiled vegetables are icky.
• As mentioned, probably the only thing faster than ramen noodles are udon noodles- yummy, thick [also] Japanese noodles that are easy to find pre-cooked. Udon is most often eaten in soup, but I've used them in a similar manner in stir-frys with great results.  

Tomato Chicken and Veggies

This is not the fastest recipe, but it’s easy, tasty
and the chicken comes out nice and tender!

-  4 chicken breasts or about 1lb/.5kg chicken fillets or piece

      -  mixed veggies of your choice 
  [I used broccoli, carrots and sugar snap peas]

      -  clove of garlic or garlic powder

      -  2 packets instant tomato soup powder or 1 can tomato soup

      -  2 Tbs. soy sauce

      -  2 Tbs. white vinegar

      -  olive oil

      -  4 servings of white rice 
(as desired)

1.   Start the rice cooking.

2.   Cut and rinse the veggies, and set them aside in a strainer.

3.   Cut the chicken breasts into strips [skip this step if using fillets/pieces]

4.   Heat a wok or large frying pan (12”) over high heat.  Add a splash of olive oil to coat the pan and stir-fry the chicken until browned (chicken strips should turn white but not be thoroughly cooked yet).  Remove from the pan.

5.   Add another splash of olive oil and the garlic/garlic powder for about 30 seconds.  Stir-fry the vegetables until their color becomes vibrant and they just start to become tender [be careful as the pan is already very hot and will splatter].  Remove to the strainer.

6.   Prepare the instant soup and bring to a boil in the pan with the soy sauce and vinegar.  Add the chicken and boil until fully cooked [about 10 minutes].  Mix in the vegetables and cook for about a minute more. 

7.   Serve over the rice.

[Serves 4]

Notes:
o   There will be a bit of excess sauce, which is best poured over the rice. 

o    This recipe keeps reasonably well.  Since this recipe serves 4 rather than my usual two, you can pack the rice and chicken/veggies separately and refrigerate for about three days for reuse.    

o   Methodology:

           -     Browning the chicken first helps lock in the moisture before boiling, which is what keeps it tender.  And removing it from the heat while you cook the veggies allows some of the fat and oil to collect and be poured out.

           -     You should always remove the excess water and let veggies dry in a strainer after rinsing for best stir-fry results.

           -     Heat the wok/pan before adding the oil.  This helps keep the meat/veggies from sticking and allows the seasonings to flavor the oil. 

Variations:

o   Use your favorite stir-fry vegetables, but I would suggest adding white onions and Chinese mushrooms to these.

o   For a super-quick, super-easy version, use a bag of frozen veggies and a packet of pre-cooked chicken strips.  Frozen veggies taste relatively OK when they’re pan fried rather than boiled or cooked in the microwave.  Also, experts say that frozen veggies pack just as many nutrients since they are typically frozen fresh.  

Recipe adapted from Campbell's Kitchen: Tomato Chicken Stir-Fry here.