Fake-away hoisin noodles

Last year I tried to grow spring onions at home. Initially, I had been quite excited: Amongst other things, I was planning on making spring onion soup and I imagined dining al fresco on a balmy summer evening, slurping soup and dipping in wedges of cheesy garlic bread.

My dreams were dashed however, when my spring onions failed to grow. In fairness, they all sprouted but then they didn’t make it past the size of a child’s pencil and ultimately, were only useable in the most meagre fashion.

Instead of the spring onion soup, I then had to make do with snipping the stalks for sandwiches.

I have often wondered why my spring onions failed when so many of the planted seeds returned a mighty harvest – particularly the tomatoes. I wondered if I’d overdone it on the horse manure or the watering but I had to conclude: I don’t know. Hopefully, I’ll have more luck this year.

I have something of a love/hate relationship going on with spring onions at the best of times. There is no better alluvium to add to a salad sandwich and they are a must-have for any Mexican recipe. However, they are the one vegetable that you can be sure won’t last in the fridge. Countless times, I have bought spring onions only to realise days later, that mere remnants are barely salvageable for a sarnie. Even in the fridge and even sealed in a plastic bag they wither and perish faster than a plucked daisy.

I have lost count of the number of times that I’ve heeled wizened spring onions into vegetable stocks, just so they won’t go completely to waste.

And yet, I continue to buy them and continue to try and use them before they turn the best before corner. No soups though. That’ll be the preserve of any forthcoming harvest later in the year.

This next recipe for chicken and broccoli hoisin noodles is a great quick supper for when you’ve nothing special in the cupboard (and you’ve spring onions in the fridge needing used). It takes less than half an hour to throw together and yet it tastes as though you’ve laboured over the sauce all afternoon. Give it a whirl. You won’t be disappointed.

INGREDIENTS (serves 2)

2 nests of fine egg noodles

1 heaped tbsp hoisin sauce

2 tbsps soy sauce, plus extra for seasoning if needed

½ tsp toasted sesame oil

1 tsp of sriracha

3 or 4 broccoli florets, thinly sliced

1 tbsp of veggie oil

1 chicken breast, thinly sliced

2 eggs

2 spring onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal

toasted sesame seeds

THE PLAN

First up, cook up the egg noodles in a saucepan of simmering water with a pinch of salt until tender (check the packet instructions for times, as these can differ). Add in the broccoli for the last two minutes.

As the noods are bubbling, fry off the chicken slices in a large frying pan in the veggie oil until cooked through, about five minutes depending on thickness.

In another pan, fry up the two eggs until done to your liking (I like mine sunny side up).

Whisk together the hoisin, soy, sesame and sriracha in a small bowl.

Drain the noodles and broccoli, reserving a little cooking liquid and then add these to the pan with the chicken, add in the sauce and most of the spring onions.

Stir about and loosen slightly with the reserved cooking liquor.

Divide the noods between two bowls and top with the fried eggs, the remaining spr’onions and the toasted sesame seeds.

Perhaps a squirt of sriracha on the eggs?

And that’s it.

NOTE

Up until recently, I wouldn’t have been much of a fan of chopsticks. However, I find them entirely apposite on occasions like this. Just as you wouldn’t eat mashed potatoes with a knife, I don’t think we should be eating hoisin noodles with anything other than chopsticks. It’s all about the attempt at authenticity. And sure if the chopsticks are a bit of a struggle in the beginning, it’ll be a bit of craic.

When it comes to any residual liquid at the bottom of the bowl, slurp your way to success.

ANOTHER NOTE

If you want, you can use straight to wok noodles but if that’s the case you’ll still have to blanch the broccoli.