This is a very good dish to have up your sleeve – easy, tasty, and a great addition to the list of Things To Make With Mince. I first had this at my sister’s house in Norfolk, and copied down the recipe – which I have since lost, but it’s so easy I just make it the way I remember it. If I can find where it came from I will both credit the cookbook of course and check to see if the way I make it is in fact the same as the original recipe. Oh, and perhaps give it a name too! But for now, ‘that lovely mince and noodle thing’ it is.
The mince and noodles are quite rich and dense, so this dish does need some freshness by serving it with a quick salad. I normally just slice or speed-peel anything salad-y that’s around so today used carrot, mangetout and spring onions, although I did wish I’d had some cucumber too. Some slices of red chilli and a good squeeze of lemon juice completes it. Served with prawn crackers and home made sweet chilli sauce (see earlier recipe), this makes a very satisfying dinner.
To serve two
250g beef mince
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon garam masala (or curry powder)
1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper
2 tablespoons plain flour
1 tablespoon cooking oil
2 sticks celery
2 cloves garlic
approx 300-400 ml stock (I used a whole Knorr cube)
noodles (pre-cooked or cooked as per instructions)
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1-2 teaspoons dried chilli flakes
chopped coriander
Salad, prawn crackers and sweet chilli sauce to serve
Put the mince, soy sauce, garam masala, salt, pepper and flour into a bowl and mix together. My flour looks a little pink in this picture as I keep a tub of plain flour seasoned with salt, pepper and smoked paprika to use in recipes or to coat lovely things like haloumi before frying. Just scrunch it all together and then leave for a few minutes.
Dice the celery sticks and chop the garlic, ready to use, and in a small dish mix together the vinegar and chilli flakes.
Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the mince, stirring whilst cooking until browned.
Add the celery, garlic and stock and simmer for 15-20 minutes
Add the noodles for the last few minutes of cooking time to heat right through. I used the pre-cooked ‘straight to wok’ type but some wide rice noodles would work really well and be a little lighter.
Remove from the heat and stir in the vinegar/chillies mixture.
Turn out onto a platter or serving dish and scatter with chopped coriander, and serve with the salad, prawn crackers and sweet chilli sauce.
Have you tried this? Let me know what you think or any suggestions in the comments box.
