Immunity boosting green noodles
Do you ever just feel like you need a big bowl of greens?
This noodle bowl is loaded with broccoli, kale, courgette and edamame – all bringing immune-supporting vitamins like A, C and K, plus plenty of fibre. The kale is blended into a creamy coconut milk sauce with ginger and garlic, which both have their own immunity-supporting reputations. The wholewheat noodles soak up all that flavour, and you finish it with crispy air-fried oyster mushrooms on top for a savoury crunch. It’s a comforting way to pack in a lot of goodness without feeling like you’re eating “health food”.
I call them monster noodles to Soph and she gobbles them down, monster noises and all.
Ingredients
1 bag kale (150g)
200mL coconut milk
5 cloves garlic (or as you like)
1 thumb ginger, finely sliced
1 big handful frozen deshelled edamame
1 broccoli
1/2 courgette
200g volkoren noodles (I like mie nestjes)
1 pack oyster mushrooms
cornflour (maizena)
paprika powder (smoked or regular)
ginger powder
sesame seeds
oil from Crunchy Spice (or Yum Phrik)
Method
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Make the crispy oyster mushrooms
- Rip the oyster mushrooms into rugged, bite-sized pieces.
- In a bowl, toss the mushrooms with cornflour, ground ginger, paprika, sesame seeds and salt until evenly coated.
- Add a couple of tablespoons of your favourite oil and toss again so everything is well covered.
- Air-fry for 10 minutes, shake or toss the basket, then air-fry for another 8–10 minutes until golden and crisp.
- Check the timing as it will depend on your air fryer.
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Blanch the kale
- Bring a pan of water to the boil in a large sauté pan (hapjespan).
- Add the kale and a couple of garlic cloves. Cook for about 3 minutes, until the kale is bright green and just softened.
- Strain well and set the kale and garlic aside.
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Cook the noodles
- In the same pan, bring fresh water to the boil.
- Cook the noodles according to the packet instructions.
- Strain the noodles, saving the cooking water for the sauce and vegetables.
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Make the kale sauce
- In a blender, combine the blanched kale, the cooked garlic cloves, coconut milk and the finely sliced ginger.
- Blend until smooth.
- If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of the reserved noodle water until you reach a pourable, creamy consistency.
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Cook the vegetables
- Cut the broccoli into small florets and slice the courgette into thin strips.
- Heat the hapjespan again and sauté the broccoli, courgette and edamame for about 2 minutes.
- Add a scoop of the reserved noodle water, cover and cook for another 2 minutes until just tender but still bright.
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Bring it all together
- Add the cooked noodles and the kale sauce to the pan with the vegetables.
- Toss everything together over low heat until the noodles are well coated.
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Serve
- Divide the noodles between bowls and top generously with the crispy oyster mushrooms.
- At the table, spice it up with Crunchy Spice or Yum Phrik to taste.