Ohn No Khao Swè - Burmese Coconut Noodles

This is one of those recipes that you see and bookmark and promise to make immediately, only thing is Meemalee blogged it way back in August 2010. So I didn't exactly get to it! I've never ever tried Burmese food, or seen any Burmese restaurants in the UK, I think Meemalee is helping it catch on here though.

Ireena blogged  her version with tofu (instead of chicken) recently and the craving was too strong to put off for any longer! I really like the preparation of silken tofu from Ottolenghi's black pepper tofu so I did it this way - coating the cubed tofu in seasoned flour and frying til crisp. Tofu is then added at the very last minute so it stays crispy.

The coconut sauce was slightly spicy and with depth of flavour, I love coconut milk so I always like to make new things with it (p.s. it makes a great cake ingredient). I am glad I tried the fried rice noodles too because they were really fun to make and yummy! I'm afraid I didn't make the soft boiled egg to go with it, mainly because I ran out of time and I have a bit of solid egg white phobia ;)

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Yummy Lunchtime Peanut Noodles

I'm always trying to find things to make lunch time more interesting, and as we are coming out of the Winter I am looking for things other than soup to take to work.

These noodles take no time to make, all of ten minutes, and pack a really great flavour punch. They are also a great way to use up vegetables in your fridge, I added peppers and grated carrot to mine. I expect lots of other vegetables would work, steamed broccoli, finely shredded cabbage, spring onions, spinach, pak choi...

I found some Sambal Oelek (Indonesian chilli sauce) in Waitrose, a lot of bigger supermarkets seem to stock it now so you might find it in others. If not try your local chinese supermarket. You might be able to get away with a very good quality chili sauce but you won't get the same depth of flavour.


I prefer my noodles hot but you can eat these cold too.

To make 1 lunchbox size portion, this recipe is easily doubled/tripled/quadrupled.

Approx 50g wheat noodles - I used ramen noodles
1 carrot - grated
1/2 red pepper grated
small handful fresh coriander, chopped.

For the peanut sauce:
1/2 inch piece of lemongrass
50ml water
1 heaped tablespoon of peanut butter (smooth is best but i only had crunchy and its fine)
2 teaspoons of sambal oelek (add more if you like your chilli)
teaspoon size of fresh ginger
dash of rice vinegar or juice of half lime
Cook your noodles according to the packet instructions, if you intend to warm your noodles up for your lunch cook them for a minute less than the instructions. Drain and return to the pan.

Simmer the lemongrass with the water in a small pan for a few minutes.

Meanwhile mix the rest of your sauce ingredients in a bowl.

Remove your lemongrass from the pan, turn down the heat and add in the rest of your sauce mixture. Whisk together to combine, if your sauce seems a little thin keep simmering it slowly for a few minutes to thicken it up.

Mix in your vegetables, coriander and your sauce with the noodles.
Pack up in a little box and wait until lunchtime!

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Much promised..

At last, the much promised crispy pork noodle recipe :)

During our visit to Jimmy's farm just after the New Year we popped into their butchers, they are famous for their rare breed Essex pigs. I've been hearing lots about cheaper cuts of meat such as oxtail, pork hock and pork belly (don't worry this isn't going to be a post about the 'credit crunch' or whatever else you would have heard it called recently) so we came back with some wonderful pork belly and also some 'Suffolk Farmhouse' sausages. The pork belly was a very reasonable £3 for 2 large slices, probably about 400g.

The pork noodle recipe is taken in part from Jamie Olivers cookbook, Jamie at Home, which was a much awaited Christmas present. We are planning on getting stuck in to some proper vegetable growing in the summer and it has some great tips.

This recipe requires wonderful long slow cooking of the pork belly in a spicy marinade, so the otherwise tough cut of meat tenderies and becomes melt in the mouth and very aromatic.

Ingredients
(serves 2)

2 slices of pork belly- remove some of the rind, debone and cut into chunks

For the marinade:
2 tbsp clear honey
4 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp cranberry sauce (leftover from Christmas, not very authentic but lovely!)
1 clove of garlic
small onion, roughly chopped
small piece of ginger, roughly chopped
1/2 fresh or 1 1/2 tsp dried chil
Juice of half a lime

For the noodles
Medium noodles (I get mine from the chinese supermarket, which are so much tastier than the supermarket ones, Sainsburys do stock a brand 'Clearspring' which is good too)
Coriander
Spring onion
Limes to serve

Whizz up the marinade ingredients in a food processor, pour over the pork, make sure it is thoroughly covered. If the mixture seems a little thick or dry, add a little bit of water. Put into a low oven (gas mark 3) for 1 hour and 30 mins.
When the pork is ready, heat up some sunflower or vegetable oil in a wok and cook the noodles.
Fry the pork and the marinade in the wok until the pork is crispy on the outside.
Then add the noodles, coriander and mix well.
Serve with spring onions on top and lime wedges on the side!


:)

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