SNOW PEA & WOMBOK CHOW MEIN

This is a recipe by Alice Zaslavsky (aka @aliceinframes) from her wonderful new…ish book In Praise of Veg. Alice rightfully says that chow mein is “enjoying a ‘so cool, it’s uncool’ resurgence.” And given all the dry store ingredients for her recipe are staples in my pantry, and hopefully yours too, you can understand why.

If that wasn’t enough to get you inspired, the Torello farmers are currently picking snow peas only metres from the farm gate shop - so why not grab a bundle, along with a local wombok, punnet of mushrooms and any other veg you’d like, for a satisfying ‘so uncool, it’s cool’ meal.

serves 4-6 

200g dried egg noodles

80ml (⅓ cup) shaoxing rice wine

80ml (⅓ cup) vegetable stock or water

60ml (¼ cup) soy sauce

2 tablespoons oyster sauce

2 teaspoons sesame oil

2 teaspoons curry powder

1 teaspoon cornflour

¼ teaspoon ground white pepper

80ml (⅓ cup) sunflower oil

4 spring onions, white part finely chopped, green part sliced on an angle

1 garlic clove, chopped

100g oyster or shitake mushrooms

200g snow peas

½ wombok, shredded

250g marinated tempeh, crumbled

Cook the egg noodles according to the packet instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water and drain again. Drizzle a little oil over them and toss to coat to keep them from sticking. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the shaoxing rice wine, stock or water, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, curry powder, cornflour and pepper until all combined. Set aside.

Heat a wok over a high heat for 5 minutes, then add 2 tablespoons of oil to coat the wok. Add the garlic and chopped white spring onion and cook for 20 seconds until fragrant. Working in batches to cook each ingredient, add the mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes stirring constantly. Transfer to a large bowl. Return the wok to the heat, then add the snow peas and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly, until just tender and the edges start to colour. Transfer to the bowl. Repeat the cooking step with the wombok.

Heat the remaining oil in the wok over a high heat. Add the noodles, spreading them in an even layer, and cook for 2-3 minutes, until lightly golden, without disturbing. Flip the noodles over and cook stirring for a further 2 minutes. Return the vegetables and add the soy mixture and tempeh, stirring to combine, coat the ingredients and warm through.

Divide between serving bowls and scatter over the green spring onions. Serve immediately.