Imagine this: chilli noodles laced with bits of crispy, caramelised meat and pops of earthy cumin. Inviting, right? The best part is that it comes together in less than 30 minutes. Healthier than takeout, this 20-minutes spicy noodles ticks all the boxes when we are craving spicy, Asian-inspired flavours.
This dish stems from our love of noodles. Kurvin’s idea of a yummy, quick dish for nights where time is scarce is the Mauritian ‘mine bouie’; a ramen dish in a flavoursome broth. However, the one big flaw with this idea is that our rendition of the mine bouie does not match up to the flavoursome versions which we get back home. I did not enjoy our mine bouie nights and decided to take matters into my own hands.
This recipe is an amalgamation and simplification of various Asian-style noodle recipes. Not an authentic dish nor a mine bouie, it is nevertheless delicious. It has become a favourite of ours even on nights where we have some time to cook. It is so easy; we simply had to share!
For this recipe we sometimes use dried noodles and sometimes fresh noodles. Once the noodles are boiled, the dish comes together in a flash. The mince is crisped up over a high heat in a splash of oil. Next the chilli, cumin and garlic goes into the pan, followed by the noodles and sauce. A quick stir or some wrist action if you can manage that (we don’t dare!), and voilà!
QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE ABOUT 20-MINUTE SPICY NOODLES
How spicy is this dish?
These noodles have a bit of a kick but they are not blow-your-head-off spicy.
Can I add vegetables to this dish?
Certainly! Add steamed/blanched broccoli, pak-choy or other veggies prior to adding the noodles!
20-minutes Spicy Noodles
Ingredients
- 250 g dry noodles
- 200-250 g mince (ostrich/ beef or other meat of your choice)
- 2 tbsp canola oil
- 5 green onion stems
- 3 cloves garlic, minced/ finely chopped
- ½ tsp chilli flakes
- ¼ tsp chilli powder (optional)
- ½ tsp cumin
Sauce
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
Instructions
- Mix all the sauce ingredients together.
- Bring water to boil in a pot and cook the noodles until tender but not overcooked. Drain the noodles and add toss with a few drops of oil to prevent it from sticking.
- In a large pan over medium high heat, add the oil. When hot, add the mince meat and break into pieces. Allow the mince to brown and get slightly crispy.
- Add the sliced green onions, garlic, chilli flakes, chilli powder and cumin and stir for a minute until fragrant.
- Toss in the noodles.
- Add the sauce ingredients and stir.
- Serve hot on the side of pak choy or broccoli.