Wok-In-A-Box: Satay Pork Noodle Box

We finally

christened our fire pit

for the first time a few weekends ago. It was about time we did as the whole space had been finished for some time now and the bitter winter winds are fast approaching. Our days were numbered to get a good evening to set the pit alight before it became too cold for the kids to sit outside. We picked a perfect Saturday evening with low winds, a slight chill in the air and a clear night sky. J.D pranced around the pit in utter delight with beanie pulled low around his ears to keep him warm. We had fun gazing at the sky pointing out the moon and the stars together while Little Miss was hypnotised with the flames dancing about it front of her. We sat around these dancing flames together as a family and chowed down on these Satay Pork Noodle boxes with great delight. The sun was nearly set and the light was fading but the flicking flames from the fire pit lit our dinner table. J.D thought it was just magnificent to be sitting outside, looking at the fire and eating out of a box.  We then enjoyed griddled damper slathered in butter and golden syrup for dessert. It's what toddlers dreams are made of.

It got me to thinking about how we as parents are the creators of memories for our kids both good and bad. Hopefully in years to come he and Little Miss will have fond memories of these nights sitting around the flicking camp fire together as a family. It made me think back to my childhood days with fondness of the times that we went camping as a family and had an open fire to cook from and gaze at in the evenings. It was a special time and we were always thrilled at the opportunity to have our very own camp fire.

Behind these magical childhood memories what were the unsung hero's doing though? Was Mum scarfing down her food with one hand while jiggling overtired, cranky baby on her knee. How many times did mum or dad walk up and down the stairs to the house to fetch torches, food, tissues, beanies and spatulas. Only to have to pack it all up and bring it back an hour later. Did dad just want to relax after a big week at work but put the effort in to cut the wood for the fire and set it up for his family? It made me realise behind each of my fond childhood memories I am sure there was an unsung hero lurking around their somewhere. I appreciate what my parents did for me so much more now that I have kids of my own. Kids are a lot of work and sometimes the effort we put into creating a moment we wonder was it really worth it. I think though most of the time it is and they will hopefully look back to these days with fond memories themselves. Probably forgetting the unsung hero lurking in the corners but that's the sacrifice we as parents make for our kids enjoyment

These Satay Pork Noodle Boxes were a hit with both the little and big guy in my life. The nights you feel like tossing in the tea towel and ordering takeaway think of making these noodle boxes instead. With a few simple vegetables, your choice of protein and a delectable satay sauce all tossed through a tangle of egg noodles. You will have a meal in a matter of minutes. Plus you know what is going into these boxes, no strange ingredients here.  I love how you can customise this recipe with what vegetables you have in your fridge and what meat you have in your freezer. Don't be afraid to sub the pork with turkey, beef, chicken or lamb or for a vegetarian option toss in some scrambled egg. For a gluten free option make some Zoodles (zucchini noodles) and toss them through instead of the egg noodles. I did this in my version of the noodle box and it was really good. Make sure you top the tangle of satay noodles with a good sprinkle of chopped peanuts and this noodle box is ready for eating.  You can buy these cute noodle boxes from your local junk shop to give the feeling of buying takeaway and it gives the dish a real sense of fun. Who doesn't like eating out of a box? Add in a pair of chopsticks and you are set. Think you didn't even have to step out of your slippers to put this on the table. Winning.

Satay Pork Noodle Box

Prep Time:

20 min

Cook Time:

15 min

Serves:

4

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Ingredients:

• 400g sirloin pork steaks, cut into fine strips
• 1 cup green beans, chopped in half
• 1 large carrot, cut into thick matchsticks
• 2 cup broccoli florets
• 1/2 red capsicum, cut into strips
• 1/2 greed capsicum, cut into strips
• 3 spring onions, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 100g dried egg noodles
• 1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped roasted peanuts

Satay Sauce

• zest & juice of a large lime
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon tamari (or soy sauce)
• 2 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce
• 1/3 cup peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)

Instructions:

1. In a large microwavable bowl add in the beans, carrot and broccoli. Cover with water and microwave on high for 4-5 minutes until the vegetables are tender but retain a little crunch. Drain and set aside. This will speed up the cooking process later.
2. Cook the egg noodles according to the packets instructions. Rinse under cold water and set aside until required.
3. In a large frypan or wok drizzle in a little coconut oil or vegetable oil and place over a high heat. When the oil starts to smoke add in the pork strips. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the edges are caramelized and browned. Remove the pork from the pan into a bowl and set aside.
4. Add a little more oil to the pan and add in the ginger and garlic. Cook for 30 seconds and add in the capsicum, spring onions, beans, carrot and broccoli. Cook over a medium to high heat continually tossing the vegetables to cook evenly. Cook for 5 minutes or until the capsicum is slightly wilted and the rest of the vegetables are nearly cooked through.
5. Mix the satay sauce ingredients together in a small jug.
6. Add the pork back to the pan along with any juices that have seeped out and add in the cooked egg noodles. Toss all the ingredients together to warm through.
7. Lower the heat and add in the satay sauce and chopped coriander. Gently toss the stir fry through the sauce to coat the strands of noodles and vegetables.
8. Serve the noodles into noodle boxes and top with chopped peanuts.

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