I would call this Pad Thai but I don't wish to insult Thai cooking! I had some rice noodles and was trying to think up something to do with them and also to use up some odds and ends languishing in the fridge. I used baby sweetcorn, sugar snap peas and a red pepper, but I guess you could use whatever is around. It's a doddle to make, really tasty and is one of those dishes that looks like you made much more of an effort than you really did. Ideal for a quick evening meal after work; 20 minutes (at the most) from start to finish...
Ingredients
200 g Thai rice noodles (I used the flat variety that look like linguini)
1 medium onion thinly sliced
2 cloves of garlic sliced
1 small handful of roasted salted cashews (or peanuts) Keep a few back for the topping
1 red pepper sliced
100 g sugar snap peas (or mange tout)
100 g baby sweetcorn, sliced lengthways
100 g tofu pieces (or quorn pieces if you prefer)
For the sauce:
50 g creamed coconut (or 100 ml coconut milk)
100 ml boiling water (omit if you're using coconut milk)
1 tablespoon smooth peanut butter
dash of soy sauce
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin
1 tablespoon finely chopped coriander (I used some coriander and chilli relish I'd made the previous day)
1 tsp brown mustard seeds (optional)
1 tsp kalonji (optional)
1 tsp black cumin seeds (optional)
Fresh coriander, black sesame seeds and a finely sliced red chilli to garnish.
1. Add the noodles to boiling water and soak for 15 minutes (or cook according to packet instructions).
2. Slice the vegetables.
3. If using solid coconut cream, dissolve it in around 100ml boiling water, mix in the other ingredients and set to one side.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon of peanut oil (or whichever cooking oil you prefer) in a wok and add the vegetables, fry for a few minutes and then add the tofu and cashews
5. Once the vegetables are cooked to your own taste add the sauce and stir in.
6. Drain the noodles and rinse in cold water, then toss into the wok.
7. Serve with fresh coriander, chopped red chilli and some of the reserved cashews chopped finely.
I always find polenta to be a good store cupboard essential. No matter how few ingredients you have around the house, you've probably got something that would go with it. When I make polenta I usually cook it Romanian or Moldovan style, making the traditional mămăliga; a semi-solid wodge of polenta that can be cut in slices and is usually served with cheese and sour cream.
For a lighter meal, I also like to mix it with olives and sweetcorn, pour it into a dish and let it set, then cut the cooled polenta into squares and bake in the oven. The recipe below is a variation on the latter.
Ingredients
For the polenta:
1 litre vegetable stock (or water if preferred)
250 g quick cook polenta
2 heaped tsp oregano
1 heaped tsp smoked paprika
100 g black olives, chopped finely
200 g sweetcorn
For the salsa:
1 large ancho chilli
1 guajillo chilli
1 red pepper, roasted, skinned and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 large onion, chopped finely
1 tablespoon of finely chopped coriander
500 g tomato passata
1. Put 1 litre of water (or stock) into a large pan and bring to the boil.
2. Once boiling, pour in the polenta slowly and whisk in. Be warned all you polenta novices - it erupts in a volcanic manner, so you usually have to do a pan lid manoevre to avoid getting splashed as the molten gloop tries to escape!
3. The polenta should start to thicken almost immediately. Because you want quite a thick consistency, continue to stir and simmer for around 5 minutes.
4. Take off the heat and add the chopped black olives and sweetcorn.
5. Pour the mixture into a deep sided cake tin, there's no need to grease it as the mixture doesn't stick.
6. Leave to cool for at least 2 hours, halfway through give the tin a shake to loosen the polenta (at this point you can turn it out onto a baking rack to let the underside dry a little)
7. Once cooled, cut the polenta into slices and place it on a baking tray. Cook at around 200 C for 25-30 minutes turning over halfway through.
For the salsa
1. Cut the pepper in half, deseed it and place it on a baking tray to roast for around 30 minutes (or until the skin starts to blacken). Peel off the blackened skin and chop finely.
2. While the pepper is roasting, soak the chillies in hot water to soften, then drain, deseed and puree.
3. Take a large saucepan, add a splash of olive oil and fry the onions and crushed garlic until soft.
4. Stir in the ancho and guajillo puree, roasted peppers, smoked paprika and oregano and continue to fry for a couple of minutes.
5. Then add the passata and simmer for 30 minutes.
Then assemble and eat!
I made a coriander relish (in the photograph) to go with this to add a little zing. For the relish I whizzed up a large handful of coriander, two roasted garlic cloves, two jalapeños (roasted and skinned), some extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and a little salt to taste.
