Bush Cooking: Stir-fry Noodles

One of our quick family meal is stir-fried vegetables with noodles. Since our vegetables are limited to what the people around us grow, this can lead to interesting combinations. I am fortunate that I have two eager sous chefs to help me slice and dice.

First start your water for the noodles boiling. We use “Maggi” or “angel hair spaghetti” type noodles. Follow the directions on the package.

Then grab a handful of greens. We like a green called aupa which we think the English name is amaranth. Then starting with the stems all together start chopping. Dice spring onions, peeled cucumbers, ginger, garlic. Heat 1 Tablespoon of oil in the skillet and start adding the veggies. We supplement with canned vegetables when we can’t get enough fresh ones: water chestnuts for crunch, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, mushrooms, mixed Asian vegetables — drain and add.

When we first started this dish, we would use the flavoring packets from the noodles. But we discovered a new flavor enhancer that is now a family favorite: oyster sauce. Just a Tablespoon or two while the vegetables are cooking, then add soy-sauce to taste. When noodles are finished cooking add to the vegetables, and you are ready to serve! Yum!