John Torode’s delicious Friday night fakeaway
John Torode is back in the kitchen helping you save the pennies and eat healthier while you’re at it. He’ll be making his perfect takeaway replacement - Chinese Satay Chicken Noodles.
John’s chicken satay noodles
Serves 4
Ingredients
For the peanut sauce:
1 x tin (400ml) coconut milk
2 cloves of garlic
1 tbsp grated ginger
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp chilli powder
Splash of soy sauce
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp red curry paste
4 big tbsp peanut butter, crunchy is best
350ml warm water
For the chicken satay:
8 bamboo skewers, soaked in water
2 chicken breasts, thinly sliced or butterflied and bashed to tenderise
5 cloves garlic
1 inch piece of ginger, roughly sliced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon honey
For the noodles:
50mls vegetable oil
1 thumb ginger grated
200g tofu, cut into small pieces
4 spring onions cut on the bias
200g Choi Sum or Tatsoi Leaves
100g sugar snaps
3 x 150g thick udon noodles
2 large handfuls bean sprouts or other sprouts
Toppings:
Mixed Bean sprouts, Coriander, Sliced red Chilli, Crispy shallots (optional)
Method
For the peanut sauce:
1. Heat the top layer of the coconut milk about ⅓ of the tin in a pan and add everything else except the peanut butter and cook until fragrant (for about 10 minutes)
2. Add the peanut butter and the rest of the coconut milk, stir well and bring to the boil. Add some water if too thick. Turn off the heat and keep warm
For the chicken satay:
1. Thread the chicken lengthways onto soaked bamboo skewers.
2. Pound the garlic and ginger in mortar until smooth. Add soy sauce, sesame oil and honey, and mix well
3. Coat all chicken skewers with marinate mixture and put aside for 10 minutes
4. Place the skewers on a preheated grill - do not add any oil and cook for 5-7 minutes, turning and basting with the marinade frequently.
For the noodles:
1. Heat a wok and add the oil and the ginger, cook for a minute so it starts to smell ace
2. Add the tofu and give a stir and leave to cook for a minute before moving, cook again to give a little colour
3. Drop in the whites of the spring onions and the leaves of the tatsoi, now the sugar snaps and toss well until the whole lot is mixed and the leaves start to wilt
4. Meanwhile heat the udon noodles in their packets in the microwave and drop the hot noodles into the satay sauce
5. Put a good mound of noodles in each bowl and top with the vegetables and then the skewers, and pour over a little more sauce
6. Top with the beansprouts, chillies, coriander and maybe some crispy shallots
Tip: The satay sauce can be stored in a jar in the fridge and used for a couple of weeks.