A Flavorful Dance of Ingredients: Singapore Noodles Chicken Stir Fry
What could be more exciting than diving into the vibrant world of Asian cuisine with a recipe that combines the goodness of chicken, the tang of sauces, and the crunch of fresh veggies? The Singapore Noodles Chicken Stir Fry is more than just a dish; it's a journey of flavors.
The Stars of the Show: Ingredients
For this Southeast Asian delight, you'll need:
Chicken
- 100 grams of chicken breast, sliced into bite-sized pieces
Marinade
- 2 teaspoons of soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon of sesame oil
Noodles
- 200 grams of dried vermicelli noodles
Sauce
- 1 teaspoon of curry powder
- A pinch of chili powder to taste
- 2 tablespoons of soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon of dark soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons of sesame oil
JojoM's note: double the quantity for a more saucy noodle dish!
Stir-Fry
- 3 tablespoons of cooking oil
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon of minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon of ginger
- 1 onion
- 1 red bell pepper
- 100 grams of bean sprouts
Garnish
- A bunch of spring onions
Method
- Marinate the chicken pieces in the soy sauce and sesame oil for at least 30 minutes or even overnight.
- Stir fry the marinated chicken in 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. Once cooked, set it aside.
- Cook the vermicelli noodles as per the package instructions. Remember to undercook them slightly as we'll be giving them a final dance in the wok.
- Make the sauce. While the noodles are cooking, combine together the curry powder, chili powder, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and sesame oil.
- Fry the egg. As it starts to cook, gently break it apart and move it to the side of the pan. Set aside.
- Stir fry the onions, white part of the spring onions, garlic, and ginger.
- Toss in the bell pepper and cook until tender and fragrant.
- Add the bean sprouts towards the end.
- With all our veggies tender, it's time to bring back our chicken and noodles, and pour in the sauce. Give it a good stir, making sure all the ingredients mingle well.
- Serve with a garnish of the green parts of the spring onion.
The Perfect Pair: Side Dishes
This dish pairs beautifully with a light cucumber salad or some steamed dim sum. Their mild flavors complement the robustness of the stir fry.
Ingredient Substitution Ideas
- Instead of noodles, serve with boiled white rice. I actually prefer this combination as the noodle combination tends towards the dry side, unless you make some adjustments, like doubling the sauce or adding some noodle water to the sauce to loosen it up.
- If you have garam masala, use this instead of curry powder.
Nutritional Value: What's in a Serving?
This recipe yields 4 servings, with each serving weighing around 200 grams, and contains roughly the following:
- Calories: 402 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Cholesterol: 145mg
- Fat: 21g
- Protein: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Sodium: 866mg
- Sugar: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
(Note: The nutritional information provided is estimated and can vary based on several factors, including product types and preparation method.)
The Inside Scoop: Tips and Tricks
- For a vegetarian version, replace the chicken with tofu or tempeh.
- To ensure your veggies stay crunchy, add them towards the end of the cooking process.
- For a spicier kick, you can add some red pepper flakes to your sauce.
- Marinate the chicken pieces at least 4 hours or even overnight. This ensure you will have flavourful chicken meat.
- Cut the chicken pieces in roughly the same size so they will cook at the same time. This ensure you don't have any overcooked or undercooked pieces.
- Cut your vegetables in roughly the same size so they also cook at the same time.
- Cook the chicken separately from the vegetables. This allows you to control the cooking time for each of the ingredient.
- Chop and prepare your vegetables and cooking sauce before hand so you can concentrate on cooking.
- Slightly undercook your noodles since we will finish it off in the wok. You can cook the noodles in hot water rather than boiling water.
- If you have a small wok or pan, it's better to cook the ingredients in batches rather than all in one go. This ensure that the pan temperature does not drop too much during the cooking process.
- When cooking the vegetables, cook the hard vegetables first like bell pepper and carrots. Finish off with leafy vegetables and beansprouts as they cook really quickly.
- When using beansprouts, it's best not to store the dish overnight. The beansprouts are very high in moisture content and will lead to a soggy dish when stored.
What are the Ingredients of Singapore Noodles Stir Fry
- Singapore noodles is traditionally made with thin vermicelli noodles. This should easily be available from you nearest Asian grocery store. If you don't have vermicelli noodles, you are free to use any noodles you have.
- For the protein, we are using chicken pieces, however the traditional Singapore noodle recipe is made with prawns or shrimp. Feel free to substitute any protein you prefer like pork, beef or even firm tofu.
- For the vegetables, we are using some red bell pepper, green onions and beansprouts. Feel free to add any other vegetables you may have like broccoli, mushrooms and even bok choy. Just remember to cook the hardest vegetables first and finish off with the softest ones to prevent them from overcooking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use another type of noodle?
Absolutely! Rice noodles or udon noodles would work well in this dish, though the texture and taste might slightly vary.
How can I make my stir fry more flavorful?
Marinate your protein for a longer time, and don't skimp on the garlic and ginger. They add a whole lot of depth to the flavor profile.
Can I freeze Singapore Noodles Chicken Stir Fry?
Yes, you can, but it's best enjoyed fresh. If you do need to freeze it, make sure it's in a tightly sealed container.
Is this dish spicy?
The spice level depends on how much chili powder you add. Feel free to adjust to your liking.
Can I add other vegetables to this dish?
Definitely! Snow peas, bok choy, or even thinly sliced carrots would make great additions.