Seafood Singapore noodles

On the table in 30 minutes, this speedy stir-fry is the ultimate fridge-raider dish for the family.

Singapore noodles are my mum’s favourite, so naturally it took a while to perfect this fridge-raider recipe before presenting it to her. It was such a hit that it’s become something of a family favourite, though there are probably about seven different variations now.

This is the mothership recipe that never fails to disappoint. The squid, prawns, eggs and bacon (my substitute for char sui pork) cook in a matter of minutes, so be sure to get everything prepped in advance – including the sauce – before firing up the wok.

This is hard and fast cooking so the trick is to keep the wok sizzling at all times. Embrace the heat and you’ll have dinner on the table in next-to-no time.  

How To Make Seafood Singapore Noodles

• Chef Catling’s recipe notes
• Recipe: Seafood Singapore noodles
• Frequently asked questions

Tips & Notes To Know

• Create a wok clock: Stir-frying happens very quickly, so mise en place is crucial. The best tip I’ve ever received was from Chef Jeremy Pang, who recommends building a wok clock on a plate so you know which ingredients to add first. Once your ingredients are prepped, you simply arrange them around the plate, in the order in which you need to use them, starting at 12 o’clock.
• Devein your prawns: It’s a bit of a faff, but it is worth removing the dark vein on the back of the prawn as it can taste gritty or bitter if left in.
• High heat is key: Stir-frying requires high heat to achieve that crispy exterior and tender interior for your ingredients. Preheat your wok or pan over a high heat before adding oil. The oil should shimmer but not smoke.
• Don’t boil your noodles: We’re not cooking a pasta dish here. Boiling can make rice noodles mushy or fall apart. Instead, soak them in hot (not boiling) water and stir occasionally to stop them from sticking together.
• Drain and rinse your cooked rice noodles: To prevent clumping, you need to stop the cooking process and remove any excess starch from the surface. You’ll reheat the noodles anyway in the sauce later.
• Scramble your eggs separately: Some recipes recommend pushing all the other ingredients to one side, but this never seems to work very well and risks making everything stodgy. You’ll achieve a far better texture if you scramble the eggs in a separate pan, and then you can just toss them through the noodles at the end.

Seafood singapore noodles

Serves: 2 Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 20 mins 20 mins

Pin

Print

Ingredients

2 nests rice noodles
1 tbsp groundnut oil
2 rashers smoked back bacon, finely diced
2 large garlic cloves, finely sliced
1 tsp fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 large red chilli, finely sliced
4 spring onions, finely sliced on the diagonal, plus a few ends reserved for garnish
1 carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks
1/2 red pepper, deseeded and finely sliced
1/2 green pepper, deseeded and finely sliced
Large handful of beansprouts
50g bamboo shoots, drained and finely sliced
250g frozen cooked seafood (prawns and squid), defrosted
80g frozen peas, thawed
2 large free-range eggs, beaten

For the sauce
1 tbsp dark soy sauce (reduced salt)
1 tsp toasted sesame oil, plus extra for frying and coating the noodles
2 tsp sweet chilli sauce
1 heaped tsp mild curry powder

To serve
Lime wedges, for garnish
1 tbsp peanuts, toasted and finely chopped

Instructions

Step 1
Add the light soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, sweet chilli sauce and curry powder to a small bowl with a splash of water and mix well. Set aside.

Step 2
Soak the rice noodles in a pan of salted hot water for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain and rinse well under cold water. Add a drizzle of sesame oil to stop them sticking together and cover with damp kitchen roll to stop the noodles from drying out.

Step 3
Meanwhile, heat the wok over a medium-high heat, then add the groundnut oil. Swirl around the edges and when it starts to smoke, add the bacon and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes until crisp and the fat has rendered out. Remove with a slotted spoon and keep warm.

Step 4
In the residual oil, add the garlic, ginger and chilli and sizzle for 1 minute. Toss in the spring onions, carrot, peppers, beansprouts and bamboo shoots and stir-fry for 2 minutes.

Step 5
Return the bacon to the pan with the prawns, squid, rice noodles and peas. Pour over the sauce and toss to coat. Continue to stir-fry for 3-4 minutes or until everything is heated through.

Step 6
In a separate pan, add a drizzle of sesame oil and pour in the beaten eggs. Cook gently for 1-2 minutes until just scrambled. Add to the Singapore noodles and fold everything together before serving.

Step 7
Pile the Singapore noodles onto a serving plate and garnish with the lime wedges and chopped peanuts, if desired.  

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do I Buy Sustainable Seafood?

Look for the Marine Stewardship Council Certification (MSC). The label identifies fish and seafood that has been caught in a sustainable way.

The best choices are updated every six months on mcsuk.org. You will usually see the blue tick logo on the packaging. If you can’t see it, ask your fishmonger.

How Do I Stop Prawns From Overcooking And Shrivelling Up?

Prawns curl up because of muscle contractions on their abdomen. To prevent this, make two tiny incisions – about 1/4 inch deep – with a sharp knife on the underside of each prawn.

The safe internal temperature of a cooked prawn is 63C, as per the USDA, but that’s really just a reference. Your best indicator for whether a prawn is fully cooked or not is colour. A raw prawn is translucent grey, but when it is cooked it turns opaque white with tinges of pink and orange.

Is It Better To Buy Fresh Seafood Rather Than Frozen?

Not necessarily. Frozen seafood is not only cheaper than fresh, but it is often better quality as they are frozen soon after being caught or harvested.

To cook, simply thaw the prawns and squid in the fridge or under cold running water. Just remember to pat dry with kitchen roll before pan-frying, otherwise they’ll steam, rather than colour.