Pasta Lunch Aboard

 Ever had to eat two-minute noodles every day for a week in a row? They soon start to taste like packaging material. Some Facebook posts even claim that they contain some preservative or oily ingredient that is really bad for you. However, beggars can't be choosers and for ease of preparation aboard, very few other starch staples beat them.

We recently had this dish on board the yacht Rhapsody of my friend Les, who graciously allowed me to use the galley.

This recipe will appeal to everybody who have been compelled to eat two-minute noodles for extended periods. The dish is exceedingly easy to make, even on a bouncing boat in the middle of the ocean. And the only cooking is for the water. It makes a welcome change from sandwiches and we had it many times on our last transatlantic delivery.

This dish can alternatively be made using leftover rice or noodles.  In the event of using these, no cooking is required.

The ingredients may vary and one may prepare it as a pure vegan dish, vegetarian, or with some meat or fish ingredient.

Ingredients for three to four portions

Starch

3 blocks two-minute noodles

3 cups boiling water

OR

Three cups of boiled rice

OR

3 cups of cooked pasta

Meat/Fish

1 can tuna in brine

OR

4 vienna sausages, cut into wheels

OR

1 cup leftover meat from the braai, shredded or cut into fine strips

OR

1 cup smoked snoek, shredded

Vegetables

1½ cup shredded cabbage

1 medium onion, chopped

½ green bell pepper, chopped

1 carrot, julienned or grated or cut into thin wheels

½ cup fresh sprouts. I have used mung beans, alfalfa, fenugreek and lentil sprouts, sometimes in combination.

½ cup cucumber, finely chopped or grated

1/2 cup raisins

1-2 fresh Thai chillis, chopped finely. This makes the salad tangy. One chili in this dish is not enough to burn you, two will add a little bit of glow.

For the vegetarians

½ cup chopped dried fruit

½ cup chopped nuts

3-4 tablespoons mayonnaise

3 tablespoons chutney. For the non-South Africans, this is a spicy minced fruit preserve looking like chunky dark apricot jam. Normally used as a saucy condiment with curry dishes. You may use apricot or peach jam and more chilies in lieu of chutney.

Process

Soak the two-minute noodles in the boiling water. In the mean time prepare the rest of the ingredients. The list is not extensive and mostly you will not have all the ingredients above. The onion and cabbage are not really negotiable, the rest is up to the chef. Use your imagination.

The rest is simple: Mix all the ingredients thoroughly, dish up and enjoy!

This post compiled for the GBYC newsletter.

Authored by Johan Zietsman

Last updated on 2013-01-05