This is a meal where speed is definitely of the essence.
Now that the summer weather is here, I am often out exercising or playing sport with friends in the early part of the evening, returning home later, hungry and ready for a quick, tasty dinner. This dish is perfect for that situation, as it can be thrown together in the kitchen just before my lift arrives, and flash cooked in minutes when I arrive home, famished.
If you are looking for some instant food that is a healthier option than a microwaveable ready meal, then give this a try.
Servings
This is a main meal for 1.
Timings
10 mins to prepare, and 10 mins to stir fry.
You Will Need:
- 8 or 9 chestnut mushrooms, halved or quartered
- 1 carrot, cut into 2 – 3cm long thin batons
- 2 scallions (spring onions) cut into pieces the same length as the carrot batons
- 1 celery stick, also cut into fine batons
- 2 – 3cm piece of root ginger, skinned and finely chopped
- 1 medium chilli cut into fine discs
- 2 tbsp of couscous or quinoa, prepared as per packet instructions
For the Stir Fry Sauce
- 1 tbsp miso paste
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp runny honey
- 1 tbsp olive oil
To Serve
- a handful of sesame seeds
Method
- Place all the chopped veg in a bowl and cover.
- Put the Stir Fry sauce ingredients in a clean screw top jar, and leave beside the bowl of veg.
- When you are ready to eat, heat some oil in a wok and, once it is hot, tip in the veg. Stir until softened and browned.
- Shake the jar well to mix up the sauce, then pour on to the veg. You should get an immediate sizzle and a blast of a delicious aroma. Tip in the couscous or quinoa.
- Stir to combine, then serve on a plate, topped with the sesame seeds sprinkled over. It should look like my photo at the top of the post.
Customise It!
Stick with the shrooms, but swap in other veg if you wish. Long slices of red onion or sticks of red, green or orange pepper will go brilliantly. Add in a crushed clove of garlic if you can’t resist. To go vegan, simply replace the honey with a suitable sweetener.
This week I enjoyed choosing the vinyl now playing on the turntable at a local coffee shop. They have a wonderful collection of albums from the golden age of vinyl in the 70s, in an era long before CDs and streaming. I chose David Bowie’s Aladdin Sane – a timeless classic – with my Long Black. Here’s the closing track on Side 1: Cracked Actor.
A Different Kitchen 