In Nepal, we eat a lot of noodles, due mainly to the Tibetan influence on our cooking. However, this dish is popular all over Nepal, not just in the parts that border Tibet. As a one-pot dish, this is a very convenient and easy dinner, as well as being healthy and nutritious.
Please don’t be put off by the long list of ingredients as many of these are store cupboard items and you do not need to include every vegetable mentioned.
I think these noodles are best served hot or warm, but I do have some friends who like to serve this as a cold salad.
Lina Gautam is co-owner of Monty’s of Kathmandu, in Dublin.
Noodles with chicken and vegetables (Chao Chao)
Serves four to six
Ingredients
Vermicelli (or egg noodles)
1 tsp of turmeric powder
1 tsp of salt
Flavouring for the noodles:
1 medium chicken breast, finely diced
1 medium-sized onion, finely diced
7-8 button mushrooms, quartered
2 large florets of caulifower
200g green peas (defrosted if frozen)
1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and grated
½ tsp cumin powder
½ tsp coriander powder
4 fresh tomatoes, chopped
4 tbsp vegetable oil
½ tsp salt, or to your taste
2 fresh chillies, finely chopped (optional)
3-4 spring onions, diagonally chopped
1 red or green pepper, finely chopped
1 tbsp light soy sauce
Fresh coriander to garnish
Method
1. First heat water in a pot, and while the water is heating begin preparing the vegetables and meat.
2. Once the water has boiled add the turmeric powder and salt, and then the vermicelli (you can break the vermicelli into three pieces, which makes it easier to eat). Cover and cook on a low to medium heat for the time recommended on the packet.
3. Meanwhile, heat the vegetable oil in a pan and fry the chicken with a quarter tsp of salt, until it turns a light golden brown. Add the chopped tomatoes, garlic, ginger, cumin and coriander, and stir fry for two to three minutes until the tomatoes are soft and have formed a thick sauce.
4. Next add all the chopped vegetables, apart from the pepper and spring onion, and cook for a further minute or so until all the vegetables are mixed well with the tomato sauce. Now add the cooked and drained noodles (if the noodles have stuck a little, run them briefly under cold water to loosen them).
5. Add the pepper, spring onion, fresh coriander and soy sauce, mix again and serve with chopped chilli (if using).
Tip: You can use any vegetables of your own choosing, particularly if you have seasonal crunchy vegetables to hand such as green beans or sugar-snap peas. This is also a good way to use up small quantities of leftover vegetables.
Kitchen Cabinet is a series of recipes from chefs who are members of Euro-toques Ireland who have come together during the coronavirus outbreak to share some of the easy, tasty things that they like to cook and eat at home #ChefsAtHome
