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Vegetable hakka noodles

Vegetable hakka noodles
Photo: Farhana Sayyed, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Ingredients

For 4 servings. 1 serving = 1 adult; a 6-year-old eats about half.

  • Wholemeal noodles280 g
  • Carrots100 g (~1 medium)
  • Cabbage120 g
  • Capsicum80 g (~½)
  • Brown onions60 g (~½ medium)
  • Garlic4 cloves
  • Soy sauce (low salt)1 tbsp
  • Black pepper (crushed)½ tsp
  • Sunflower or rice-bran oil1 tbsp
  • Salt¼ tsp

You need

  • Medium saucepan with lid
  • Sieve or colander
  • Kadai or deep sauté pan with lid
  • Sharp knife and chopping board
  • Box grater
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Lunchboxes with ice bricks
  • Insulated food jar

Method

  1. The night before: bring 3 L (about 12 cups) water to the boil in the saucepan on high. Add 280 g noodles and boil for the time on the packet (usually 3–4 minutes), until just tender.
  2. The night before: drain the noodles in the sieve, rinse under cold water until cool, shake well and toss with 1 teaspoon of the oil so they do not stick. Box and refrigerate.
  3. The night before: shred 120 g cabbage finely, grate or thinly slice 100 g (~1 medium) carrot, cut 80 g (~½) capsicum into thin strips, slice 60 g (~½ medium) onion and chop 4 cloves garlic. Box them together and refrigerate.
  4. In the morning: heat the rest of the 1 tbsp oil in the kadai on high for 1 minute. Add the garlic and stir for 20 seconds, until it smells good but is not brown.
  5. In the morning: add all the vegetables and stir-fry on high for 2 minutes, until they are hot but still crunchy.
  6. In the morning: add the noodles, 1 tbsp soy sauce and ¼ tsp salt. Toss on high for 2 minutes, until the noodles are hot all through. Lift out the kids' share if they find pepper hot, then toss ½ tsp pepper through the rest.
  7. In the morning: pack very hot into a thermos warmed with boiling water for 5 minutes, or spread on a plate to cool for 15 minutes and pack with an ice brick.

Tips

  • Use two spatulas to toss the noodles, like salad servers.

Make it easier

  • The night before: Shred the vegetables and boil the noodles tonight; stir-fry in 5 min in the morning.

Keeping and freezing

  • Fridge: keeps 1 day in a lidded box. Cool it within an hour of cooking.
  • Freezer: does not freeze well; eat within the fridge time.

Good to know

  • Contains: gluten (wheat, oats), soy.
  • Toddlers: take their portion out before adding chilli or pepper.