Donnowhat2cook for a party?

It has been a while since I have posted something up eh? Workload has been quite busy so hence the missing blogposts. Anyway, whilst sending my thank you messages to my fans on facebook, thank you again!!! Audrey mentioned she does not know what to cook for a pot lucky party for 30 people. I was recently asked to cook for a party here in Duesseldorf that would have been 20 if all came. The menu was predominantly Asian of course although the guests were actually German. The easiest of the dishes was the tossed chinese noodles in heated sesame oil and stir fried vegetables.

Tossed chinese noodles in heated sesame oil stir fried vegetables.

This dish proved to be a hit as it was easy to eat, different and quick to prepare. So what do you need?

Ingredients:

1 large packet                chinese noodles (egg noodles like the ones you get for wanton noodles)

5 medium sized              carrots - julienned (cut into long thin strips preferably 5cm long but no need to be

                                     exact)

1 medium sized              zucchini - julienned like the carrots

1 large packet                french beans - ends cut off and cut into half.

4 cloves                         garlic - finely chopped

2 to 3 tbsp                     sesame oil

1 tbsp                            vegetable oil

                                     salt and pepper to taste

                                     water to cook noodles

Method:

1. First prepare the noodles. In a pot, boil water with some oil and salt. When water is brought to boil, end in the noodles. You will see the noodles start to soften, normally after 3 to 4 minutes, the noodles would have turned soft. Remove from heat, drain of water and run through cold water to stop the cooking process. Add in some oil to ensure the noodles do not end up sticking to each other. Put aside.
2. Heat up wok, add in vegetable oil and garlic. Then the salt and stir fry till garlic is fragrant, then add it the vegetables that takes the longest to cook first. That would be the carrots first. After two minutes, add in the french beans, wait another two minutes and then add in the zucchini last. Continue stir frying. Add in pepper and more salt to taste. Transfer to serving bowl.
3. In the same wok, heat up the sesame oil. Once oil is heated up, pour in a portion of the noodles. There is no need to put in the whole portion as the noodles once tossed will coat the rest of the noodles. Transfer tossed noodles into the serving bowl together with the vegetables and toss like you would a salad. Add in remaining noodles into serving bowl and continue tossing until all ingredients are well mixed. Serve like a salad or immediately.

If you want it to be slightly spicy, then add in some julienned red chillies (seeds removed) when stir frying the vegetables. Or alternatively, add in sambal belacan when stir frying the garlic to bring out the spiciness and then add in the vegetables.

Another alternative tossed noodle version would spaghetti with rocket leaves and pine nuts. Of which you also carry out the same method substituting the sesame oil with olive oil. Another beautiful dish!

Fit for a party,

The Innovative Baker