A stir-fry rewards preparation: once the pan is hot, everything happens in minutes. Chop the vegetables, mix the sauce, and cook the noodles before you turn on the heat.

Cook the noodles a minute less than the packet says. They finish in the pan with the sauce, which keeps them springy instead of soft.

The recipe

Garlic chilli vegetable noodles

3 servings · 25 minutes total · Metric measurements

Ingredients

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Method

  1. Cook the noodlesCook the noodles in boiling water for 1 minute less than the packet suggests. Drain, rinse briefly under cold water to stop the cooking, and set aside.
  2. Mix the sauceStir together the soy sauce, lime juice, sugar and sesame oil in a small bowl.
  3. Stir-fry the vegetablesHeat the oil in a wok or large frying pan over high heat. Add the carrot, pepper and mangetout. Stir-fry for 3-4 minutes until just tender but still crisp.
  4. Add garlic and chilliPush the vegetables aside, add the garlic and chilli to the centre, and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, keeping them moving so the garlic does not burn.
  5. Toss everything togetherAdd the noodles and sauce. Toss over the heat for 1-2 minutes until the noodles are hot and coated. Stir through the spring onions and serve straight away.

Small details that help

  • Use the highest heat your pan can handle and keep everything moving. Crowding the pan steams the vegetables instead of frying them.
  • Have every ingredient chopped and within reach before the pan goes on. There is no time to stop once cooking starts.
  • If the noodles clump after draining, loosen them with a splash of warm water before they go in the pan.

Swaps and variations

Add cubes of firm tofu with the vegetables, or peeled raw prawns for the last 2-3 minutes of cooking, until they turn pink and opaque throughout. Any quick-cooking vegetable works: mushrooms, courgette ribbons, baby corn or pak choi.

What to serve with it

Serve immediately with extra lime wedges, a scatter of sesame seeds and more sliced spring onion on top.

Storage and reheating

Best eaten fresh. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours (1 hour above 32°C / 90°F) and use within 2 days. Reheat in a hot pan with a splash of water until steaming at 74°C / 165°F throughout; if the dish contains prawns, reheat only once.

Food-safety reference: safe cooking and reheating temperatures. Refrigerate perishable food within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 32°C / 90°F. Keep the refrigerator at 4°C / 40°F or below.

Common questions

Which noodles work best?

Medium egg noodles or wheat noodles hold the sauce well. Rice noodles also work; soak them rather than boiling, following the packet.

It tastes too salty. What went wrong?

Soy sauce brands vary a lot. Start with 2 tbsp, taste, and add the rest only if needed. An extra squeeze of lime balances a salty batch.

Found something unclear? Send a recipe correction, including the recipe name and what happened.