It was just me and #1 teenage son for lunch the other day as Hella and #2 teenage son had disappeared into their respective bedroom black holes to do some 'laxing after a morning of racing at a swim competition.
There had been plenty of snacks during the morning and a flask each of something warm, so everyone was well fed. But #1 teenage son still had an afternoon/evening of finals ahead of him, so he needed FOOD. And plenty of it. And I hadn't eaten either.
Clearly, a fridge raid was required. Amongst other things I found -
- A bowl of cooked soba noodles - definitely my favourite type of noodle for leftovers, as they hold up really well to a stint in the fridge.
- A bit of cooked chicken.
- Some leftover stir fry vegetables from last night's dinner.
And so, these Thai Style Fridge Raid Noodles were born. This is less of a recipe; more of a bit of lunch/dinner inspiration. And here's roughly how it goes -
There's a recipe below for exactly how I made this noodle dish, but this is about using what you have, so make it your own. Make it personal. Plus it's quick and easy and better than takeout - whatever the time of day.
Swap the chicken for salmon or some thinly sliced beef or lamb. Change the vegetables for whatever is lurking in the depths of your salad tray (I snuck a spiralized carrot in with the noodles). I happened to have a sprig or two of mint and coriander too so that made for a welcome flourish at the end.
There are no rules here. Use what you have. Find what works for you.
The dressing can be shaken up in an empty jar and then if you don't use it all, it will keep in the fridge without any drama for a few days until you need to raid the fridge again.
And the finished dish was good. Really good. Light but satisfying noodles drenched in a gutsy Thai style dressing and tossed with a tangle of vegetables, some sliced chicken and a few fresh herbs. On its own, not enough for a growing teenage swimmer mind you - he added a Raspberry Protein Shake + a bonus Easter Mars bar. Thanks, Easter bunny. Maybe that Easter egg hunt of a few days earlier was worth it for #1 teenage son after all.
Next Easter, my goal is to get all three of them wearing pink, fluffy bunny ears. Now that really will be a challenge ...
Thai Style Fridge Raid Noodles
This is less of a recipe - more of a lunch/dinner inspiration. It's about using what you have, so make it your own. Make it personal. For ease I used the microwave to gently warm the noodles and vegetables before adding the dressing and garnishes, but you could also use the hob if you prefer.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 3 mins
- Total Time: 18 mins
- Yield: 3 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Microwave
- Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients
For the dressing -
- 2 tablespoons lime juice (approx 1 large lime)
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1½ tablespoons soft brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
For the noodles -
- 400g (14oz) cooked soba noodles
- 1 carrot, spiralized or turned into strips with a vegetable peeler
- 6 heaped tablespoons (approx) of leftover stir fried/steamed vegetables - replace with any alternative vegetables that you have to hand
- 3 heaped tablespoons of cooked chicken, cut into bite-sized strips
- a little finely sliced cucumber
- a sprinkling of sesame seeds
- a few coriander leaves, roughly chopped
- a few mint leaves, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Make the dressing by adding all the ingredients to an empty jar with a lid and shaking well to combine.
- Toss the noodles and spiralized carrot together and divide between 3 flat bowls.
- Now divide the leftover vegetables between the bowls and top with the chicken. Cover and gently warm in the microwave, following the instructions for your machine.
- Drizzle the dressing over the warmed noodles and top with the cucumber, sesame seeds and herbs.
Keywords: leftovers, fridge raid, supper
Mindy
Very creative and quick ! Sounds delicious. Great blog and fantastic pics, thanks
Rachel
Thanks Mindy. Appreciate the comments.