Despite appearances, this stir-fry recipe is very quick to make and dispenses with a lot of the usual chopping required. Once prepared, the meal is cooked in 8 minutes – and it doesn’t take much longer than that to get organised. Please don’t be put off by the long instructions; they are there to help! After you’ve cooked this once or twice you will be an expert in this easy weeknight dinner.
Ingredients (Serves 2)
For the stir-fry sauce:
3 tbsp hoisin
Juice of half a juicy lime
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup hot water
For the salmon:
2 x 130g salmon fillets
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp hoisin
1 tbsp maple syrup
For the stir fry:
2 nests medium egg noodles
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2-3 carrots, peeled
1/2 small green cabbage (or a quarter of a large one)
1 small bunch of green onions (spring onions)
1 bell pepper (optional)
Method:
Start by getting organised to cook the stir-fry. Bring a pot of salted water to the boil, turn your oven broiler (grill) to maximum, with the rack in the centre of the oven, and preheat a wok or large frying pan over a high heat. Place a colander in the sink, ready for draining.
Then, prepare the vegetables:
- Grate the peeled carrot using the coarse side of a box grater
- Halve the cabbage and remove the core. Shred the cabbage by slicing thinly
- Slice the green onions on the diagonal in 1cm pieces
- De-seed the bell pepper and slice thinly
Mix all the stir-fry sauce ingredients together in a bowl and set aside.
Line a baking tray with tin foil and lay the salmon fillets on, skin-side down.
Prepare the maple hoisin sauce for the salmon by mixing the mustard, sesame oil, maple syrup and hoisin in a small bowl. Set aside.
Now you’re ready to cook. The whole process takes exactly 8 minutes from here, so let people know you’re busy and give yourself the space to focus. It’s not hard or stressful, but you do need the room to cook without distraction.
The steps to cook are:
- Pour the maple hoisin sauce over the salmon and spread out in a thick layer over the top and sides. No need to be too exact. Place in the oven and start your timer for 8 minutes.
- Add the egg noodles to the boiling, salted water. Put the lid on to bring it back up to the boil.
- Add 1 tbsp vegetable oil to the wok, making sure it’s over a very high heat. Carefully add the carrots, green onions, and bell pepper and stir to coat in the oil. Keep stirring often.
- When the noodles are boiling, add the cabbage and stir, bringing back to the boil.
- Keep stirring the vegetables in the wok, about 5 minutes total, until the vegetables are slightly softened and starting to colour. Add the stir-fry sauce and let it bubble up.
- When the noodles are just cooked (about 5 minutes total), drain the cabbage and noodles together in a colander and shake to get rid of most of the water. Add the cabbage and noodles to the wok and give everything a toss with some tongs or a pair of wooden spoons. Turn the heat off.
- When your 8-minute timer goes, remove the salmon from the oven.
- Dish out the noodles and vegetables over two plates and place the salmon fillets on top. The skin will stick to the foil – just use your spatula to lift the salmon away from the skin, leaving the skin behind. Serve with a wedge of lime.
Caroline Feeds 