Chicken and Vegetable Stir Fry with Sesame Seeds

I love Asian food. Like Indian food it has so much flavor. And, is so deliciously spicy. Complex flavors that get to work with each other as they get layered one on top of the other. It is also an extremely vegetarian friendly cuisine. The basic dishes are always vegetable based. Or at least that is the impression I have. I am such a fussy eater but stir fries are my favorite. In India we have the Indian-Chinese dishes. And, this particular dish reminds of the times I had Chinese food in India. Most Chinese dishes in India will not contain egg or fish sauces because of the many many vegetarians who also (like me) don’t eat egg, unless of course its in a cake!

This is a very simple recipe and so incredibly healthy and fresh. AND it is cheap and soooo quick! Preparation time is no more than 15 minutes and if you have everything cut and chopped before dinner, you could literally put this on the table within ten minutes! What’s not to love, right?

1 pack chinese wok noodles
300 grams chicken, cuts in strips
4 tbsps cooking oil
1 inch ginger, cut fine in strips
5-6 cloves garlic, sliced fine
2 red onion, sliced in half circles
5-6 baby corn
1/2 red bell pepper, cut in thin strips
2-3 spring onions, cut diagonally in 1 inch strips
100 grams sugar snaps
2 tbsps sesame oil
2 tbsps soya sauce
2 tbsps oyster sauce (optional for vegetarians)
2 tbsps sesame seeds, toasted on the fire for 2-3 minutes
1 tbsps chili paste
handful of cashew nuts (optional)

to prepare
Heat a wok and add 2 tbsps of oil. Stir fry the chicken till it is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Set aside and season with salt and pepper.

Cook the wok noodles as per instructions and let drain in a colander.

Add another 2 tbsps of oil to the wok and make sure the oil is hot. Add the ginger and garlic and fry for about a minute. Add the red onion and stir fry for another one minute. Next add the pepper, sugar snaps, baby corn and cashew nuts. Fry for 2 minutes. Add the oyster sauce and continue to stir frequently. After a minute or two add the chicken strips and the spring onions. Lastly add the soya sauce and the chili paste. Stir for a minute and take off the fire. (Do not fry for too long, you want the vegetables still slightly crunchy).

Drizzle with the sesame oil and sprinkle with the sesame seeds.

Serve with the noodles mixed in or on the side.