Chinese Noodles

I am in love with Chinese food. There was a phase when I raved over Chinese dishes but then the passion gradually died. I have had my ebbs and tides with this cuisine. But the fever is back again.

As a kid, my mom would make Chowmein noodles at home and it was my favorite. Then my sister had her own recipe for it and I loved that even more. But I did not have my own recipe. And I did not have an authentic recipe. So, I asked my Chinese friends how they make their noodles. The reply would be: add vegetables, noodles, and soya sauce. I would think, really? Is that all? How come their noodles are so delicious? They must be forgetting to tell me the secret ingredient that makes the difference. But then I spoke to my co-worker R about her recipe and also came across this blog, and thought maybe that is all. Let's try and see. So, I relit the fire in my kitchen. I decided I would go by the book and as I was directed - use only the essential ingredients. Less is more.


Ingredients:
1. Bean sporuts, 50 gram or less
2. Carrot, green pepper, cabbage - finely shredded
3. Mushrooms, sliced (optional)
4. Spring onion, chopped.
5. Olive oil
6. Soya sauce
7. Red chili sauce
8. Noodles, blanched.

Directions:
1. Heat a wok.
2. Add olive oil
3. Throw in the vegetables including the bean sprouts and spring onion
4. Cook for a couple of minutes.
5. Add in soya sauce and chili sauce.
6. Mix well and cook again.
7. Add in the noodles.
8. Cover and let simmer on low heat until the flavours blend into the noodles.

Serve warm.

The results were quite pleasing. I know now that it's not the number of ingredients but the quality of ingredients that make a dish taste good. Just like this one did. The trick is to add authentic vegetables. For example, use spring onion instead of red onions, don't forget bean sprouts and so on :) Little things make a difference. Just like how in life they do....