Sweet and Sour Vegetables + Crispy Noodles
on Jun 24, 2023, Updated Nov 17, 2023
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Sweet and sour vegetables are everything you want in a quick meal! Poured over crunchy, crispy noodles (air fried OMG), the delicious flavours will make even the pickiest eaters wipe their plates clean. 100% vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, this one’s super easy to make and loaded with flavour and texture!
Stir fry recipes are such a life-saver, don’t you think? A truly low-effort meal that packs in a tonne of flavour, are usually customisable, and are very often a medley of delicious flavours and textures. I find myself making some kind of stir fry at least a couple of times a week simply because they are so quick and easy. Some of my favourite stir fry recipes include Ginger Chicken Stir Fry, Sweet Chili Tofu Stir Fry and this Asian Veg Stir Fry.
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This Sweet and sour vegetables over crispy noodles is a recipe I tried very recently, but it has def found a permanent spot on my favourites list. Featuring crispy veggies and a pourable sweet and sour gravy, that I pair with fried noodles, this one is full of amazing flavours and textures. Plus, this dish is loaded with veggies and it is high in fibre, nutrients and essential vitamins.
It’s a perfect emptying-out the fridge sort of recipe. The unique blend of ingredients make this dish a total flavour bomb! You do need a bit of chopping and prep, it’s nothing too complicated or time consuming.
Table of Contents
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Sweet and Sour Vegetables over Crispy Noodles
Ingredients
For the Crispy Noodles:
- 2 Cups Boiled Noodles
- 2 Tablespoon Corn Flour
- Oil for frying
For the Stir Fry:
- 2 Tablespoons Groundnut Oil
- 1/2 Cup Tomato Puree
- 1 Green Chili, Chopped
- 3 Tablespoons Sugar
- 1 Cup Vegetable Stock
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 Cup Cabbage, Diced Into Square Pieces
- 1/4 Cup Capsicum, Diced Into Square Pieces
- 1/4 Cup Carrots, Diced And Blanched
- 1/4 Cup Onions, Diced
- 1/4 Cup Pineapple, Cut Into Bite-Sized Pieces
- 1/4 Cup Tomatoes, Deseeded And Diced
- 1 1/2 Teaspoons Corn Flour
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
Instructions
For the Crispy Noodles:
- Ensure the boiled noodles are completely dry. Toss them in 1-2 tablespoons corn flour.
- Create a nest with the boiled noodles and place the noodles in the air fryer basket. Air Fry at 180C for 6-8 minutes till the noodles turn golden and crispy on the sides.Turn the noodles and air fry for about 5-6 minutes until completely brown and crispy. Remove from the air fryer and set aside
For the Stir Fry:
- Blanch the cabbage and capsicum in boiling water for 1 minute. Drain and set aside.
- Heat a wok, add 2 tablespoons of groundnut oil, tomato puree, green chilli, sugar, salt, and vegetable stock. Bring it to a boil.
- Add all the vegetables to the wok and let them boil for half a minute.
- Dissolve corn flour in 1/4 cup of water, add it to the vegetables, and stir well.
- Add apple cider vinegar and cook for another half a minute.
- Adjust the seasoning according to your taste. Spread the cooked vegetables over the crispy noodles. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Ingredients to make sweet and sour vegetables over crispy noodles
- For the Noodles:
- Noodles: I have used hakka noodles which I boiled, dried and cooled down before frying it until crispy.
- Oil: For frying the noodles and stir-frying the veggies. I have used groundnut oil for this recipe as it adds flavour, but you can use any neutral-flavoured oil with a high smoke point.
- Corn flour: Used to coat the noodles to absorb excess moisture.
- For the Gravy:
- Tomato puree: Makes the base of the gravy, and is responsible with the colour and tang of the dish.
- Apple cider vinegar: Adds a lovely tang which is common in a lot of authentic Asian dishes. A little goes a long way here.
- Green chillies: Delivers a slight note of heat to every bite.
- Sugar: Helps offset the tanginess from the tomato puree and apple cider vinegar, while adding a layer of sweetness to the overall flavours.
- Vegetable stock: Gives the gravy a richer flavour. You can replace it with water if you don’t have vegetable stock available. You can even use water mixed with stock powder.
- Veggies: I have used blanched cabbage and carrots along with capsicum, onions and tomatoes. All the veggies are diced into square pieces to make sure they retain their crunch and are easy to bite into.
- Pineapple: An unexpected ingredient, but pineapples take this dish several notches higher. The sweetness of pineapples pairs really well with the spice and sourness of the gravy.
- Corn flour: Mixed with water to form a slurry which is used to thicken the gravy.
- Salt: For flavour and seasoning
How to make sweet and sour vegetables over crispy noodles
1. Ensure the boiled noodles are completely dry. Toss them in 1-2 tablespoons corn flour.
2. Create a nest with the boiled noodles and place it in the air fryer basket.
3. Air Fry at 180C for 6-8 minutes till the noodles turn golden and crispy on the sides.
4. Turn the noodles and air fry for about 5-6 minutes until completely brown and crispy. Remove from the air fryer and set aside.
5. Blanch the cabbage and capsicum in boiling water for 1 minute. Drain and set aside.
Heat a wok, add 2 tablespoons of groundnut oil, tomato puree, green chilli, sugar, salt, and vegetable stock. Bring it to a boil.
6. Add all the vegetables to the wok and let them boil for half a minute.
7. Dissolve corn flour in 1/4 cup of water, add it to the vegetables, and stir well.
8. Add apple cider vinegar and cook for another half a minute. Adjust the seasoning according to your taste and garnish with spring onion. Spread the cooked vegetables over the crispy noodles. Serve immediately.
Richa’s top tips to make the best sweet and sour vegetables over crispy noodles
- Make sure the noodles are completely dry before frying to prevent them from becoming lumpy ang soggy during the frying process.
- Cut all the veggies to roughly the same size to make sure they cook evenly.
- To remove the raw taste of the cabbage and carrots, blanch them in hot water for a minute.
- You can customise this recipe based on what you have at hand. Some other veggies you could add include mushrooms, corn, and celery.
With the monsoon season coming right up, I can totally imagine eating bowl after bowl of this delicious and comforting meal. What I particularly love about this recipe is that the addition of the noodles makes this a complete meal and you don’t need any other sides. Though you could add in a protein of your choice to make this even more wholesome.
