Beat the cold with an autumn stir fry

As the weather gets cooler, our instinctual urge for comfort food hits. There’s nothing better than curling up by a log fire clutching a big bowl of warming stir fry. Stir fries are easy, cheap and quick to prepare, so are a perfect meal for a busy weeknight or a lazy night in.

The great thing about stir fries is that they change with the seasons and there is no better time than autumn to pick up fresh produce from your local farmers’ market. It’s time to say goodbye to berries, crisp salads and summer fruits and say hello to autumnal goodies like chinese cabbage, ginger and wild mushrooms.

One of my recent favourite recipes is Jamie Oliver’s oriental pork with noodles, a dish bursting with flavour and colour. The recipe is super easy so don’t be daunted by the long list of ingredients. Stir fries are the perfect way to use up your leftovers. Don’t be afraid to have a bit of fun with it and use up any vegetables left in your fridge or freezer. The key to cooking a stir fry is to prepare all of your ingredients in advance – it’s 20 minutes preparation time and 5 – 10 minutes cooking. So dust off your wok and get stuck in!

You will need

1 handful Szechuan peppercorns, crushed

2 x 350 g higher-welfare pork fillets, thinly sliced

2 teaspoons sesame oil

2 tablespoons sunflower oil

2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger

1-3 fresh red chillies, deseeded and chopped, to taste

125 g oyster mushrooms, wiped and torn

125 g shiitake mushrooms, wiped and halved

1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped

1 bunch spring onions, trimmed and sliced

200 g pak choi, chopped

2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped

300 g bean sprouts

300 g medium egg noodles, cooked

2 teaspoons fish sauce

6 tablespoons oyster sauce

1 small bunch fresh coriander, leaves chopped

75 ml organic chicken stock

low-salt dark soy sauce

Directions

Rub the crushed peppercorns into the pork slices.

Heat your wok and a frying pan to make them as hot as you can. Pour the sesame and sunflower oils into the hot wok and fry the ginger, chilli and mushrooms for a minute until slightly coloured. Throw in the pepper, spring onions, pak choi, garlic and bean sprouts and stir-fry until wilted. Add the noodles, fish and oyster sauces, the coriander leaves and the stock. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes until the noodles are steaming hot. Taste and season with soy sauce.

Meanwhile, drizzle a little sunflower oil into the hot frying pan and fry the pork for 2 minutes on each side or until cooked through and golden. Serve with the stir-fried noodles.

And voila the finished product…

For more stir fry inspiration, check out Jamie’s stir fry collection for ideas and money-saving recipes.

Happy stir frying! 🙂