Speedy Suppers: Thai Noodles

This is the first of our new monthly Speedy Suppers posts featuring ace dishes that are ready in under 20 minutes. The recipes are perfect for when you get home hungry and want something quick and easy, heck it's even quicker than waiting for a takeaway to arrive or most ready meals to cook in the oven.

Stir frys are super speedy and generally pretty healthy and you can add whatever veg you like. I've opted for a veggie version but this would also be fab with chicken, beef or prawns, just fry them with the ginger at the start of the recipe. I had half a pomegranate left in the fridge so that went in too, turned out it was a match made in food heaven but its definitely not essential and if you have a bag of salted peanuts then they would be an excellent garnish.

Thai Veggie Noodles (serves 2 hungry people)
You will need:

• 2 sheets dried medium egg noodles
• 2 eggs
• glug vegetable oil
• thumb sized piece of fresh ginger cut into matchsticks
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
• glug of fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon palm sugar (or regular sugar)
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 stick celery, sliced
• 1 large carrot, julienned (use a mandolin if you have one)
• 2 big handfuls bean sprouts
• 1 red chilli thinly sliced
• handful fresh mint leaves
• handful fresh coriander leaves
• pomegranate seeds (optional)
• few wedges of lime to serve

Make it!

1. Get all your ingredients prepped and ready to go like they do on cookery shows, it's always best to do this when cooking a stir fry as everything cooks so quickly, plus you get to pretend you're on TV.
2. Cook your egg noodles according to the packet instructions and before you drain them take a mug full of the cooking water and put it to one side for later then drain the noodles.
3. Beat your eggs in a microwavable bowl then microwave for bursts of 20 seconds giving a quick stir in between until the egg is cooked then cut into pieces and leave to one side.
4. Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan and add the ginger, garlic and half of your chilli, cook for about 30 seconds then add the curry paste and about 3/4 of the onion, carrot and celery (leave the rest for later) and cook for a couple of minutes to soften, add the fish sauce and sugar, if it seems dry then add some of the noodle water.
5. Add the noodles and mix well, add more noodle water if it needs it, once the noodles are hot add the remaining raw veg, coriander, mint and cooked egg and toss to combine (or use one of those spaghetti spoons to help mix) then divide between bowls and garnish with the remaining ingredients and a squeeze of lime.