This is one of my easy-to-make weeknight dishes, super quick and budget friendly. The fried chickpeas add a nutty, crunchy texture that works really with the soft noodles. Add as much spice as you like, a little extra heat is perfect for a cold January evening and only £3.79* for two servings!
(*Including a few store cupboards ingredients, prices may vary)
Serves 2, prep time 15 minutes, cooking time 15 minutes
INGREDIENTS
2 packs of instant chicken noodles
½ can chickpeas, drained & dried
300ml vegetable oil
1 tbsp vegetable oil
4 free-range eggs
1 ½ tbsp mushroom soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil, plus more to drizzle
2-3 tsp crispy chilli paste
TO SERVE
2 chopped spring onions
Red chilli
METHOD
Remove the noodles from the pack, place them in a deep bowl, add boiling water to cover and set aside.
Wash and drain the chickpeas – place them on sheets of kitchen towel to remove any excess water.
In a deep pan, heat 300ml of vegetable oil over a medium-high heat.
Gently add the chickpeas, a spoonful at a time (use a wire spatula to lower the peas into the oil as they will spit).
Cook until the chickpeas are golden in colour, cook the remainder and allow to cool on kitchen towel.
Drain the noodle and allow them to drain.
Next, prepare the eggs – beat the eggs together with mushroom soy and sesame oil.
Heat some oil in a wok over a medium heat, add the egg and stir for 5-6 minutes until the water evaporates. (The texture should look like ground beef).
Set the eggs aside – to the wok add the noodles and the seasoning sachets with a drizzle of sesame oil.
Keep stirring for 2-3 minutes, then add the chilli paste.
Return the egg to the wok and combine.
Allow the egg to reheat, serve the noodles in deep bowls, topped with chickpeas, onion and chilli and serve.
(I’ve served this dish with some stir-fried Nappa cabbage, cooked in crispy chilli paste).
