Flax Seed Tempeh, Black Bean and Vegetable Stir Fry

I've always felt there's something really appealing about tucking into oodles of delicious noodles. I suppose my intrigue was ignited by watching cop shows as a child, where a long stake out always seemed to require take-out noodles in a box. When I lived in London and discovered Wagamamas, I couldn't believe how tasty their dishes were, and after moving to Fiji I became addicted to the authentic black bean noodle dishes served up by Chinese-Fijians from tiny outlets in the capital city.

Thankfully, my children have inherited my love of noodles, so they're regularly offered up and devoured in our home. I use many variations on the theme, but this Flax Seed Tempeh, Black Bean and Vegetable Stir Fry is pretty typical of the type of dishes we enjoy.

To start:

Heat 1 tbsp of coconut oil in a pan, and, when it has warmed, add 1 tsp of sesame seed oil

Then add the following ingredients:

1 brown onion, cut into medium size slices

1 chunk of ginger, minced

1 bulb of garlic, minced

1 red chilli, de-seeded and finely diced

Fry until the onion looks 'glassy', then add:

1 yellow capsicum, de-seeded and sliced

1 courgette, sliced

1 small cucumber, sliced into strips

Fry for a couple more minutes, then add:

¼ cup of tamari or soya sauce

1 tbsp of vegetarian oyster sauce

1 tbsp of sweet chill sauce (click here to make my version)

1 tin of chinese black beans

Then put the following ingredients in a jug/bowl and stir until smooth:

1 tbsp cornflour

1 cup of boiling water

Add this mix to the pan and stir through.

Put a splash of coconut oil in a separate pan and fry the following:

150g of organic flax seed tempeh, cut into strips (I use Lightlife brand)

When the tempeh is browned, add it to the mixture and stir through.

In the same pan used to cook the tempeh, add:

½ cup of raw cashew nuts

When the cashew buts are browned, add them to the mixture, reserving a few to garnish the dish.

Finally, add:

A handful of fresh coriander, chopped

Serve with rice noodles.

This makes 2 very hearty portions or 4 smaller ones.

Tuck in and enjoy...preferably with chopsticks!