Stir-fried chicken and udon noodle stir-fry is a delicious meal you can prepare in minutes. You may also replace the carrots and broccoli with other vegetables if desired. If you are serving the dish to guests serve the chili on the side instead of adding it onto the dish, so that they can adjust the spiciness according to their taste.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 x 440g packs udon noodles

2 tablespoons peanut oil

1kg chicken breast fillets, thinly sliced

1 broccoli head, cut into florets

5 garlic cloves, crushed

2 fresh long red chili, seeded and sliced thinly

1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger

1 medium sized carrot, peeled and sliced into strips

1/3 cup kecap manis

2 tablespoons water

1/2 cup fresh Thai basil leaves

Cook the udon noodles in a pot of boiling water or according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.

Heat half of the oil in a wok over high heat until it is very hot. Stir-fry the chicken in batches for 2-3 minutes or until it is light brown. Reduce the heat as needed so that the chicken will not get burned. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain the excess oil.

Place the remaining oil in the wok and set the heat to high. Sauté the garlic, chili and ginger for thirty seconds or until it becomes fragrant. Add the broccoli and stir-fry it for 2-3 minutes until tender, but crisp.

Return the chicken to the wok. Add the noodles, choy sum, kecap manis and water. Maintain the heat at high and bring it to a boil. After, reduce the heat and stir-fry the chicken and noodle mixture for one minute or until the choy sum wilts. Season it with salt and pepper to adjust the taste. Divide the chicken and udon stir-fry into individual bowls. Top them with basil leaves. Serve immediately.

Photo Courtesy Of: dinemag

Prawns in black bean sauce is a tasty dish with a robust flavor. The chili and ginger give this recipe an added zing. You may eat it as is or with rice.  Make sure not to overcook the prawns so that they won’t become tough.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons salted black beans, rinsed and mashed

1 tablespoon fresh red chili, chopped

1 half inch knob of ginger, peeled and sliced thinly

1 lb. prawns, peeled but tails intact

5 scallions, chopped

For the sauce:

1/4 cup tomato sauce

1/2 cup water

1 teaspoon light soy sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon sugar

Ground white pepper to taste

First prepare the sauce by placing the tomato sauce, water, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, cornstarch and sugar in a medium sized bowl. Season it with ground white pepper. Mix well. Set aside.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the black beams, chili, garlic and ginger in the pan for 2-3 minutes or until the garlic is lightly browned and the mixture becomes fragrant.

Put the prawns in the pan and cook it for two to three minutes or until they turn pink. Pour in the prepared sauce. Set the heat to high and bring it to a boil. Remove from heat and transfer to a serving plate or individual plates. Garnish with spring onions before serving. Serve immediately.

Photo Courtesy Of: KittyKaht

Stuffed potatoes is a quick and easy recipe that you can make using your microwave oven, although you may use a regular oven if desired. Add more cheese if you want and serve it with sour cream would also make it more delectable.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 medium sized potatoes

2 tomatoes

4 spring onions

4 tablespoons grated cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon chopped basil

Salt and ground white pepper to taste

Wash and scrub the potatoes. Pierce the skin with a knife and place them on a microwavable dish. Microwave it on high for 4 minutes.

While the cooking the potato, chop the tomatoes and spring onion finely. Place them on a medium sized bowl and add the cheese and the basil leaves. Mix well.

Get the cooked potato and let it cool slightly. Slice off the top to create a lid. With a spoon, scoop out the insides of the potato leaving a one centimeter shell.

Combine the insides of the potato and tomato mixture in a medium sized bowl. Season it with salt and pepper. Mix well.

Spoon the potato and tomato mixture back into the potato shells. Put the lid back and return it to the microwave. Cook it on high for another minute. Remove it from the microwave and serve immediately.

Photo Courtesy Of: mpich3

Salt and pepper squid with cucumber salad is a healthy dish that you can prepare in minutes. It is a fusion of Asian and Western cuisine which is great for lunch or dinner. It goes perfectly well with white wine.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

500g cleaned squid

1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning

1 tablespoon peanut oil

For the cucumber salad:

1 cucumber, sliced thinly

150g cherry tomatoes, halved

1/3 cup roasted unsalted peanuts, chopped coarsely

1/2 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 tablespoons peanut oil

Clean the squids by removing the ink sacs and remove the heads.  Cut them on the side and open it. Using a small sharp knife, score the inside and make a diagonal pattern without cutting all the way through. Slice into 8 pieces.

Next make the cucumber salad by combining the cucumbers, onions, tomatoes, nuts and mint in a medium sized bowl. Add the vinegar and oil. Gently toss until the vegetables are coated.

Combine the salt, pepper and lemon pepper seasoning. Sprinkle it over the squid.

Heat the oil in a wok over medium heat. Stir-fry squid in batches or until they curl and they are cooked through, around 2-3 minutes. Serve the squid immediately with cucumber salad.

Photo Courtesy Of:  thebaron03

Stir-fried three mushroom noodles is a delicious dish that you can prepare in minutes. The different tastes and texture of the mushroom is enhanced by the hoisin sauce.  You can also add some more vegetables for more color and better taste.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

185g egg noodles

1 bunch broccolini

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

8 green shallots, ends trimmed and cut diagonally

1/3 cup hoisin sauce

2 tablespoons dark soy sauce

150g oyster mushrooms

100g shiitake mushrooms, halved

100g enoki mushrooms

Place noodles in a pot of boiling water and cook according to package instructions or until soft. Drain well. Return to the pot and then add the soy sauce. Toss until the noodles are coated in soy sauce. Cover to keep warm.

Remove the broccolini florets and then slice the stalks lengthwise to form thin strips. Rinse and set aside to dry.

Next, heat the oil in a wok or saucepan over medium heat. Stir-fry the broccolini florets and stalks for 2-3 minutes or until it turns bright green and it is a bit tender. Add the shallots and cook it for another 2-3 minutes. Pour in the hoisin sauce and place the shiitake and oyster mushrooms in the pan. Cook it for 3-5 minutes or until soft. Add the enoki mushrooms last and stir-fry it for another minute.

Divide the noodles among 4 bowls. Spoon some stir-fried mushrooms over them before serving. Add more hoisin sauce if desired. Serve immediately.

Photo Courtesy Of:  La.blasco