A bed of noodles with rich and succulent duck breasts and fruity sauce.

Preparation time 10 minutes
Cooking time 15 minutes
Calories per portion 733
Kcal Fat per portion 21g of which saturated 3.9g
Serves 2

For the plum sauce
Red plums 200g (7oz), halved, stoned and quartered
Cinnamon stick 1, halved
Dried red chilli 1, crumbled
Preserving or granulated sugar 75g (3oz) (or to taste)
Red wine vinegar 3 tbsp

For the duck
Olive oil 2 tbsp
Red onion 1, peeled and finely chopped
Root ginger 5cm (2in) piece, peeled and chopped
Skinless, boneless mini duck fillets 225g packet, or larger fillets, sliced
Pak choi 3, trimmed and sliced
Straight-to-wok noodles 300g packet

1 For the plum sauce, cook the plums in a wok with the cinnamon, chilli and sugar over a gentle heat for a minute or so. Then add the vinegar, stir well and simmer for 5–10 minutes or until the plums are tender and the liquid has reduced. The exact time will depend on the ripeness of the plums. Stir often to prevent the mixture from sticking to the wok. Tip into a bowl and remove the cinnamon stick. Rinse the wok.

2 To cook the duck, heat the oil in the wok, add the onion and ginger and stir-fry for a minute or so. Then add the duck and stir-fry for about 6 minutes or until the meat is golden and tender. Add the pak choi and noodles and stir-fry for 2 minutes.

3 Add half the plum sauce, mix well and serve on warm plates with the rest of the plum sauce in a separate bowl.

Cook’s tip 
Oriental food specialists Amoy make great straight-to-wok noodles. After cooking your stir-fry ingredients, you just add to the wok and cook for 1–2 minutes.

A Just One Pot  recipe.

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Sweet and tangy oriental-flavoured chicken with leaves and broccoli.

Preparation time 10 minutes
Cooking time 9 minutes
Calories per portion 316 Kcal
Fat per portion 9g of which saturated 1.3g
Serves 2

Skinless, boneless chicken breasts 2, cut into thin strips
Lemon 1, grated zest and juice
Clear honey 2 tsp
Light soy sauce 1 tbsp
Garlic 2 cloves, peeled and finely chopped
Cornflour 4 tsp
Purple sprouting broccoli 8 spears, trimmed
Vegetable oil 1 tbsp
Pak choi 1, trimmed and shredded
Chinese leaves ¼ head, trimmed and shredded
Chives small bunch, snipped

1 Place the chicken strips in a shallow dish. Mix the lemon zest and juice into the chicken along with the honey, soy sauce, garlic and cornflour. Set aside. Cut the broccoli spears into thin, even-sized slices down the length of each piece.

2 Heat the oil in a wok until hot. Drain the chicken, reserving the juices, and add to the wok; stir-fry for 5 minutes, until well sealed. Add the broccoli and continue to stir-fry for a further 2 minutes.

3 Finally, add the shredded pak choi, Chinese leaves and reserved juices and stir-fry for a further 2 minutes until the leaves have just wilted. Serve immediately, sprinkled with snipped chives.

Cook’s tip
Tender young sprouting broccoli spears are ideal for stir-frying, but use small florets of broccoli when they aren’t in season.

A Just One Pot recipe.

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A wonderful rice dish that tastes as good as it looks

serves 2
time 40 mins
440 calories per portion
14g fat of which 1.7g is saturated
suitable for vegetarians
suitable for freezing

Sunflower oil 2 tbsp
Red onion 1, peeled and finely sliced
Finely chopped ginger 1-2 tsp
Red pepper 1, halved, de-seeded and cut into thin strips
Corn on the cob 1, kernels removed
Peas 75g (3oz), cooked and drained
Cold, cooked basmati rice 350g (12oz)
Pak choi 2 heads, trimmed, halved and sliced
Soy sauce to serve

1 Heat sunflower oil in a large wok or frying pan, add red onion, ginger and pepper and stir-fry until softened, but not browned.

2 Add corn, stir fry for 2-3 minutes, then add peas, rice and pak choi and continue stirfrying for another 4-5 minutes, or until thoroughly heated through and piping hot.

3 Add soy sauce to taste and serve immediately.

Cook’s tip
This recipe is perfect for using up leftover rice. If precooking rice, put 110g (4oz) basmati rice into a saucepan, add 300ml (1⁄2 pint) water and 1⁄2 tsp of salt. Bring up to boil, cover pan, reduce heat to very low and cook for 20 minutes, or until rice is cooked. Remove from heat, and leave until cold.

A Dairy Diary recipe.

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A quick dish that delivers bags of flavour

serves 2
time 35 mins
390 calories per portion
18g fat of which 6.7g is saturated

Loin of lamb fillet 300–350g (11–12oz), trimmed weight
Whisky, dry sherry or saki 2 tbsp
Soy sauce 4 tbsp
Rice or white wine vinegar 1 tbsp
Finely chopped ginger 2 tbsp
Tomato purée 1½ tbsp
Soft dark or light brown sugar 1 tbsp
Light olive oil 1 tbsp
Red pepper 1 small, halved, deseeded and cut into thin strips
Spring onions 4, trimmed and chopped
Lychees 8–12, peeled and stoned, optional

1 Cut lamb fillet diagonally into very thin slices and put into bowl. Add whisky, sherry or saki and 2 tbsp of soy sauce. Mix well, cover and leave while preparing remaining ingredients.

2 In a small bowl, mix together remaining soy sauce, vinegar, chopped ginger, tomato purée and brown sugar.

3 Drain marinated lamb. Heat oil in a wok or large frying pan, add red pepper and spring onions and stir-fry for 1–2 minutes. Add lamb and continue stir-frying for 2–3 minutes until lamb is only just cooked.

4 Add ginger sauce and continue stir-frying until bubbling hot. Add lychees and serve immediately – on cooked Chinese noodles, linguini or rice.

Cook’s tip
For speedy cooking, prepare all ingredients before you start.

A Dairy Diary recipe.

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Warming, comfort food that’s perfect for winter days

Serves 6
Time 2 hrs 5 mins plus marinating
Calories 266 per portion
Fat 6g of which 2.5g is saturated
Suitable for freezing

Plain yogurt 150g (5oz)
Garlic 1 clove, peeled and crushed
Curry powder 1 tbsp
Lean stewing beef 680g (1½lb), cubed
Milk 150ml (¼ pint)
Tomatoes 400g can
Beef stock 150ml (¼ pint)
Ready-to-eat dried tropical fruit 175g (6oz)
Cornflour 25g (1oz)
Steamed rice to serve, optional
Coriander to garnish

1 Blend yogurt, garlic and curry powder in a bowl and stir in beef. Leave to marinate for at least 1 hour.

2 Place beef and its marinade in a large pan. Add milk, tomatoes, stock and fruit. Cover, bring almost up to boil and simmer for 2 hours or until tender.

3 Blend cornflour with a little milk, stir into curry and heat until sauce thickens and boils. Cook for 1 minute and serve with steamed rice, if using, and garnish with coriander leaves.

A Dairy Diary recipe.

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Serves 4
Time 20 mins
Calories 409 per portion
Fat 29g of which 8.1g is saturated

Walnuts 15g (½oz), roughly chopped
Garlic 1 clove, peeled and chopped
Salt ½ tsp
Flat-leaf parsley 50g (2oz), leaves only
Grated Parmesan cheese 3 tbsp
Olive oil 6 tbsp
Skinless chicken breasts 4, cut into thin strips
Crème fraîche 4 tbsp
Buttered tagliatelle to serve

1 Dry-fry walnuts in a non-stick frying pan until lightly toasted.

2 Put walnuts, garlic, salt and parsley into a food processor and pulse to a rough texture. Add Parmesan cheese and 5 tbsp oil. Whizz to blend, but still leave slightly chunky.

3 Heat remaining oil in a wok or frying pan and add chicken strips. Cook for 4–5 minutes until browned.

4 Add crème fraîche and 3 tbsp of parsley pesto and simmer for 5 minutes.

5 Mix in 2 tbsp extra pesto and serve with buttered tagliatelle, if using. Put leftover pesto in a bowl alongside for any extra drizzling.

A Dairy Diary recipe.

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Serves 1 Time 10 mins
Calories 442 per portion
Fat 41g of which 20.9g is saturated
Suitable for vegetarians

Watercress 25g (1oz), finely chopped, plus extra to serve
Soft cheese 25g (1oz)
Single cream 1 tbsp
Eggs 2 Milk 2 tsp
Butter 15g (½oz)
Chunky oven chips to serve, optional

1 Mix watercress with soft cheese, cream and a little pepper.

2 In a separate bowl and using a fork, lightly beat eggs and milk with some freshly ground black pepper.

3 Melt butter in a small frying pan over a fairly high heat. When frothing, pour in eggs. Lightly fork to centre of pan for about 3 minutes, or until all mixture has set underneath but top remains slightly runny. Remove from heat.

4 Spoon filling in centre and fold omelette over. Turn on to a warm plate, garnish with watercress and serve with chunky oven chips, if desired

Recipe taken from 2012 Dairy Diary.

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Serves 4
Time 135 mins plus marinating
Calories 431 per portion
Fat 24g of which 6.5g is saturated
Suitable for freezing

Finely chopped sage 1 tbsp
Finely chopped thyme 1 tbsp
Olive oil 4 tbsp
Lean braising steak 600g (1lb 5oz), cubed
Onions 2, peeled and chopped
Garlic 4 cloves, crushed
Smoked streaky bacon 4 rashers, cut into strips
Plum tomatoes 2 x 400g cans, drained
Bay leaves 2
Red wine 300ml (½ pint)
Garlic bread to serve, optional

1 Mix herbs with oil and season well with black pepper. Add meat, cover and marinate for a minimum of 6 hours.

2 Preheat oven to 160°C/325°F/Gas3 Brown meat and herbs in a large flameproof casserole for 5 minutes.

3 Add onions, garlic and bacon, stir and cook for a further 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, mashing with a spoon. Add bay leaves and wine. Cover and bake for 2 hours.

4 Remove bay leaves and serve hot with garlic bread.

Recipe taken from the Dairy Diary.

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Preparation time 20 minutes
Cooking time 1 hour 20 minutes
Calories per portion 401 Kcal
Fat per portion 26g of which saturated 8.3g
Serves 4
Suitable for freezing

Good-quality pork sausages 8
Onions 2 large, peeled, each cut into 6 lengthways
Garlic 2–3 cloves, peeled and crushed
Green peppers 2, deseeded and thickly sliced
Sweet paprika 1 tbsp
Plain flour 1 tbsp
Chicken stock 300ml (½ pint)
Chopped tomatoes 400g can
Soured cream
Sliced dill pickled cucumbers cut into thin strips
Chopped parsley

1 Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas 4. Heat a large flameproof casserole and cook the sausages until they are lightly browned. Remove and set aside.

2 Add the onions, garlic and peppers to the pan and cook them gently until they are slightly softened. Then stir in the paprika, flour, stock and tomatoes and bring to the boil.

3 Return the sausages to the pan, coat well with sauce and cover the surface with greaseproof paper. Cover the pan with its lid, then cook in the oven for 1–1¼ hours.

4 Before serving, skim off the excess fat. Top with soured cream, dill pickled cucumbers and parsley and serve immediately with thick slices of a French loaf for mopping up the juices.

Cook’s tip
Supermarkets sell a wide range of flavoured sausages. Garlicky Toulouse sausages, chillied sausages, or venison sausages could also be used for a stronger tasting dish.

Recipe taken from Just One Pot.

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A tangy yet fruity salad with the distinctive taste of Stilton.

Preparation time 10 minutes
Calories per portion 279 Kcal
Fat per portion 21g of which saturated 7.8g
Serves 4
Suitable for vegetarians

Raspberry vinegar 6 tbsp
Olive oil 4 tbsp
Dijon mustard 1 tsp
Caster sugar 1 tsp
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Raspberries 250g (9oz)
Mango 1 peeled, stoned and cubed
Stilton cheese 110g (4oz), cubed
Salad leaves 150g bag

1 To make the dressing, pour the raspberry vinegar and olive oil into a bowl and add the mustard, sugar and seasoning. Whisk the dressing to mix together the ingredients.

2 Add half the raspberries to the bowl and use a fork to mash them slightly into the dressing. Stir the mango and cheese into the dressing.

3 Divide the salad leaves between four plates. Spoon over the mango and cheese and scatter over the remaining raspberries, drizzling over any remaining dressing

4 Serve immediately with some crusty bread to mop up the dressing.

Cook’s tip
If possible, choose a bag of salad that contains some shredded beetroot as the deep red colour looks good with the red raspberries and orange mango.

Recipe taken from Just One Pot.

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Big juicy tomatoes with a crunchy pesto-infused filling.

Preparation time 10 minutes
Cooking time 20 minutes
Calories per portion 407 Kcal
Fat per portion 26g
of which saturated 6.5g
Serves 4
Suitable for vegetarians

Beef tomatoes 4
Ciabatta rolls 2
Green pesto sauce 180g jar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil 3 tbsp
Pine nuts 2 tbsp

1 Halve the tomatoes horizontally then carefully scoop the flesh into a large bowl. Place the tomato shells in a roasting tin.

2 Tear the ciabatta into pieces. Put into a food processor and whizz to coarse crumbs. Add the crumbs and pesto to the tomato flesh and mix thoroughly, seasoning to taste.

3 Spoon the tomato mixture into the shells, then drizzle with a little olive oil and a sprinkling of pine nuts.

4 Bake in the oven for 15–20 minutes, until the tomatoes are softened and the topping is golden. Serve immediately.

Cook’s tip
This simple recipe is only as good as the tomatoes, so buy those that are still on the vine for the best flavour.

Recipe taken from Just One Pot.

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Here is a tangy, tasty alternative to Bolognaise.

Time 30 minutes
Calories per portion 667 Kcal
Fat per portion 41.8g of which saturated 7.9g
Serves 4

Lamb mince 500g (1lb 2oz) pack
Onion 1, peeled and finely chopped
Garlic 2 cloves, peeled and finely chopped
Red peppers 2, deseeded and diced
Red pesto sauce 190g jar
Chopped tomatoes 400g can
Pasta shapes 150g (5oz)

1 Heat a deep, wide frying pan over a medium heat. Add the mince, onion and garlic and fry for 5 minutes.

2 Stir in the peppers, pesto and tomatoes and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3 Meanwhile, bring a saucepan of lightly salted water to the boil, add the pasta and cook as instructed on the packet or until al dente.

4 Mix the pasta into the meat sauce and serve.

If you are really hungry, serve with a French stick spread with garlic butter and grated Caerphilly and baked in the oven.

Recipe taken from Good Food, Fast.

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Don’t buy BBQ sauce, make this fabulous fruity version in no time at all!

Serves 6
Time 25 mins
Calories 85 per portion
Fat 4g of which 2.2g is saturated

Butter 25g (1oz)
Onion 1, peeled and finely chopped
Rhubarb 225g (8oz), washed and sliced
Light muscovado sugar 1 tbsp
Worcester sauce 2 tbsp
Soy sauce 2 tbsp
Ground ginger ½ tsp
Lemon juice 2 tbsp
Sultanas 50g (2oz)
Cornflour 2 tsp 1

1 Melt butter in a pan, fry onion until softened.

2 Add 150ml (¼ pint) water and remaining ingredients except cornflour. Bring up to boil, stirring. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

3 Blend cornflour with a little cold water. Add to sauce and bring back up to boil, stirring. Simmer until sauce has thickened.

Serve with grilled meat.

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A colourful vegetarian dish that is just as good served hot as it is cold. It’s good for a picnic, too.

Time 30 minutes
Calories per portion 321 Kcal
Fat per portion 18g of which saturated 4.2g
Serves 3
Suitable for vegetarians

Sweet potato 1 large, peeled, cut in half lengthways and then into 5mm (¼in) slices
Vegetable oil 1 tbsp
Red pepper 1, deseeded and cut into thin slices
Garlic 2 cloves, peeled and crushed
Eggs 6, beaten
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Finely chopped parsley 2 tbsp
Finely chopped coriander 2 tbsp

1 Place the sweet potato in a saucepan, cover with water, bring to the boil and cook for about 5 minutes until just tender. Drain well.

2 Heat the oil in a medium frying pan and gently fry the pepper and garlic for about 5 minutes until softened. Add the potato slices, and cook, stirring, for a further minute.

3 Pack the vegetables evenly over the base of the frying pan and pour in the eggs and plenty of seasoning. Cook the omelette over a gentle heat, pushing the cooked egg from the edge of the pan into the centre, until the egg is set all over – it will take about 10 minutes to set completely.

4 Preheat the grill to hot, and place the omelette under the grill, protecting the frying pan handle if necessary, to cook for 2–3 minutes to lightly brown the top.

5 Serve hot or cold, straight from the pan, cut into wedges and sprinkled with the chopped herbs. A green salad makes a tasty crisp accompaniment.

Cook’s Tip
The secret behind making a good omelette is to keep the heat quite low and allow the egg to cook gently so it doesn’t toughen and become rubbery.

Recipe taken from Good Food, Fast

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Preparation time 5 minutes
Cooking time 15 minutes
Calories per portion 593 Kcal
Fat per portion 46g of which saturated 28.8g
Serves 2

Plain flour 2 tbsp
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Skate wings 2 small or 1 large, halved
Butter 110g (4oz)
White wine vinegar 2 tbsp
Capers 2 tbsp, rinsed well and drained
Chopped parsley
Lemon wedges

1 Tip the flour onto a plate and season it with salt and pepper. Pat the skate dry and dust both sides with the seasoned flour.

2 Heat half the butter in a large frying pan and cook the skate for 4–5 minutes on each side.

3 Remove the wings from the pan and keep them warm while making the butter sauce. Add the remaining butter to the pan and heat until it foams and starts to turn to a rich golden brown colour, then pour the vinegar into the pan and add the capers and parsley. Season the sauce to taste.

4 Place the cooked skate on plates and spoon the sauce over the top. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with a lemon wedge and a refreshing salsa salad (see Just One Pot recipe).

Cook’s Tip
If your frying pan isn’t large enough to cook both skate wings at the same time, then cook them individually rather than having them overlapping in the pan.

Recipe taken from Just One Pot.

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Preparation time 10 minutes
Cooking time 8 minutes
Calories per portion 285 Kcal
Fat per portion 13g of which saturated 3.5g
Serves 2

Lean fillet or sirloin steak 225g (8oz), trimmed and cut into very thin strips
Dark soy sauce 1 tbsp
Chinese five-spice powder ½ tsp
Clear honey 2 tsp
Garlic 1 clove, peeled and finely chopped
Small red chilli 1, deseeded and finely chopped
Vegetable oil 1 tbsp
Red pepper 1 small, deseeded and finely sliced
Yellow pepper 1 small, deseeded and finely sliced
Spring onions 1 bunch, trimmed and thinly sliced
Canned water chestnuts 75g (3oz), drained, rinsed and sliced

1 Place the strips of beef in a shallow dish. Mix with the soy sauce, five-spice powder, honey, garlic and chilli and set aside to marinate.

2 Heat the oil in a wok until hot and stir-fry the peppers for 3 minutes.

3 Add the beef mixture and the spring onions and continue to stir-fry for 3–4 minutes, until the beef is well sealed. Add the water chestnuts and stir-fry for a further minute until piping hot.

4 Serve immediately with microwavable rice (cooked as on the packet’s instructions).

Cook’s Tip 
Chilli adds ‘bite’ to a recipe, but also a spicy heat. If you prefer less of a ‘kick’, use a mild green chilli in place of the red chilli.

Recipe taken from Just One Pot, Dairy Cookbook.

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Time 30 minutes
Calories per portion 494 Kcal
Fat per portion 28gof which saturated 8.8g
Serves 2

Olive oil for oiling a baking tray and to drizzle
Skinless chicken breasts 2
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Mozzarella 4 slices
Ready-roasted peppers 4 from a jar
Basil leaves a few
Vine-ripened cherry tomatoes a handful
Baby spinach leaves a handful
Toasted pine nuts 1 tbsp
Ready-made croutons a handful
Vinaigrette to serve

1 Preheat the oven to 220°C/Gas 7 and lightly oil a baking tray.

2 Make slits along the sides of the chicken breasts to make a large pocket in each. Season inside and out. Stuff each generously with 2 slices of mozzarella, a couple of ready-roasted peppers and some basil leaves.

3 Place on the baking tray with the tomatoes and drizzle with a little more olive oil. Roast for 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the tomatoes are soft.

4 Meanwhile, toss the spinach with the pine nuts and croutons. Dress the salad with the vinaigrette and serve alongside the chicken and roasted tomatoes.

To make vinaigrette, whisk 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard with 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar and 6 tablespoons olive oil.

A Good Food, Fast | Dairy Cookbook recipe.

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Preparation time 10 minutes
Cooking time 15 minutes
Calories per portion 394 Kcal
Fat per portion 23gof which saturated 7.5g
Serves 4

Olive oil 2 tbsp
Onions 2 large, peeled, halved and sliced
Smoked back bacon 8 rashers, rind removed and cut into strips
Lamb’s liver 450g (1lb), cleaned and sliced
Cayenne pepper a pinch
Plain flour 1 tbsp
Fresh gravy 300g pot
Worcestershire sauce 1 tbsp
Irish soda farls 2, halved and toasted
Baby spinach 2 x 180g packs

1 Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based non-stick frying pan. Cook the onions over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, for at least 10 minutes, until they are softened and golden.

2 Add the bacon to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, toss the slices of liver in the cayenne pepper and flour. Add the liver to the pan and cook over a high heat until the liver is just cooked, stirring.

3 Add the pot of gravy and Worcestershire sauce and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2–5 minutes until thickened, to taste.

4 Toast the Irish soda farls and cook the spinach in the microwave in its bag according to the packet’s instructions. To serve, divide the spinach between warmed plates, top with the farls and then with the liver and bacon.

Recipe taken from Just One Pot.

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Preparation time 15 minutes
Cooking time 15 minutes
Calories per portion 313 Kcal
Fat per portion 6gof which saturated 1g
Serves 4
Suitable for freezing

Olive oil 1 tbsp
Skinless chicken breasts 4 x 110g (4oz), cubed
Garlic 2 cloves, peeled and crushed
Root ginger 2.5cm (1in) piece, peeled and grated
Reduced salt soy sauce 1 tbsp
Vegetable stock 350ml (12fl oz)
Carrots 2 large, peeled and cut into strips
Mangetout 75g (3oz), trimmed and sliced lengthways
Spring onions 8, trimmed and sliced
Cornflour 2 tsp
Straight-to-wok noodles 300g (11oz)

1 Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok and add the chicken, garlic, ginger and soy sauce. Fry gently over a low heat for 8–10 minutes, stirring, until the meat has browned all over.

2 Add the vegetable stock and carrots and cook for 3 minutes. Then add the mangetout and spring onions and cook for a further 3 minutes, until the vegetables are just tender.

3 To thicken the sauce, mix the cornflour to a smooth paste with a little water. Add to the stock and bring to the boil, stirring.

4 Meanwhile, cook the noodles following the packet’s instructions. Strain the noodles and use to line four warmed bowls. Spoon the chicken and vegetables over the top and serve immediately while hot.

Cook’s Tip
Jars of ready chopped ginger are available in the herb and condiments section of the supermarket. It is a lot easier to use than rootginger!

Recipe taken from Hearty & Healthy, Dairy Cookbook.

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