Life is packed with uncertainties. But one thing we can count on is this: the recipes by Nagi Maehashi – aka Recipetin Eats – will always work. They’re foolproof. This approachability has seen the cook (and her golden retriever, Dozer) become an international phenomenon.
Maehashi’s unbeatable reputation is bound to continue with the launch of her latest cookbook, Tonight, a compendium of more than 150 recipes you can make any night of the week at the last minute, with a further 800 variations on those recipes. It’s aimed at everyone: big families, solo diners, a range of budgets and all skill levels.
The dishes in Tonight are things we want to eat, designed to be made in a realistic timeframe. There’s a spinach and artichoke angel hair pasta that’s ready in 15 minutes, Asian-style chicken in a sticky-sweet soy glaze, baked fish with turmeric and ginger coconut sauce, and chilli con carne blanketed in cheese. One of our top picks (and Maehashi’s favourite recipe in the “fastest recipes” chapter) is spicy Korean kimchi noodles for one. Best bit? They take just 15 minutes. Plus, buying the ingredients won't decimate your bank account.
“Kimchi pickling juice squeezed from kimchi cabbage is packed with umami and is a secret weapon used in Korean cooking,” she writes. “Here, I’m using it as the basis of a dynamite noodle sauce that explodes with fiery Korean flavour. A little vegetable chopping is the only other thing needed in what might just be the world’s fastest spicy noodle stir-fry.”
And if the word “spicy” turns you off, Maehashi has you covered. “Yes, it’s spicy. But don’t fret if your heat-o-meter caps out on the tamer side. You can always substitute some miso paste for the gochujang to dial down the spiciness.”
Any leftovers will last in the fridge for three days, and this recipe isn’t suitable for freezing. Make sure you consult the notes at the bottom before you begin.
Recipetin Eats’ spicy Korean kimchi noodles
Serves 1
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
150g fresh or 100g dried udon noodles (see note 1)
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 cup (80g) bean sprouts
½ cup (120g) kimchi cabbage, excess juice squeezed out (see note 2)
2 green onions, cut into batons, white part separated from the green part
Sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)
Sauce
2 tbsp kimchi juice from the kimchi jar (see note 2)
1 tbsp gochujang (see note 3)
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp light soy sauce (or all-purpose soy sauce; see note 4)
Method
Prepare the udon noodles according to the packet directions (usually soaked in boiling water for a few minutes), then drain in a colander. Time the noodles so they are tossed into the pan when hot – don’t leave them sitting around in the colander.
Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over high heat. Add the garlic, bean sprouts, kimchi cabbage and the white part of the green onion. Cook for 1 minute until the bean sprouts are almost wilted. Add (in this order) the green part of the green onion, the noodles and all the sauce ingredients. Toss for 2 minutes until the sauce stains the noodles.
Transfer to a bowl, sprinkle with sesame seeds (if using), then devour.
Notes
1: I prefer to use udon noodles either from the refrigerator at grocery stores or vacuum- sealed packets sold in the aisles. I personally don’t think dried udon noodles are that great. I’d rather substitute with other kinds of noodles, such as hokkien or egg noodles. Use 150g fresh from the fridge or 100g dried.
2: Kimchi is Korean fermented cabbage that is spicy and tangy. It is sold in jars and widely available these days in Australia. In this recipe, we’re using the cabbage in the stir-fry (use your hands to squeeze out most of the liquid) and the liquid from the kimchi jar for the sauce. Excellent free flavour.
3: Gochujang is a Korean chilli paste made from soybeans. Loved for the spicy-sweet- savouriness it adds to anything, a little bit goes a long way. Excellent flavour shortcut. You can find it in most grocery stores in Australia these days, or in Asian/Korean grocery stores. It lasts forever in the fridge.
4: Please do not substitute with dark soy sauce. Too intense! It will ruin this dish.
This is an edited extract of Tonight by Nagi Maehashi, published by Pan Macmillan on October 15, 2024. RRP $49.99.
Need more noodle inspiration? See Broadsheet's best noodle recipes. And for more dishes ready in 30 minutes or less, check out our midweek meal recipe collection.
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