This udon noodle dish can be cooked with any ingredients, including thinly sliced beef or prawns. We used cooked chicken, pork and fresh shitake mushrooms, but to be honest chinese dried mushrooms, soaked and finely chopped, would give an equally lovely flavour. Use all those sauces you have in your larder, plus red soy bean paste. You may have this already - if not, buy a tub as it works miracles on a rather plain fried rice or stir fry. Feel free to add a fresh chilli, but we actually don’t think it needs it! serves 4

150g pork loin or fillet, thinly sliced
150g chicken, cooked and shredded
200g fresh shitake or other interesting mushrooms, cut into big pieces
1 head pak choi, sliced
2 packets udon noodles
300g beansprouts
2 cloves garlic, crushed
thumb-sized piece ginger, grated (skin-on)
1 tbsp each sesame oil, soy sauce, sweet chilli sauce, fish sauce and oyster sauce
2 tbsp red soy bean paste
fresh coriander and soy sauce to serve
Place the noodles in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Drain after a few minutes - check they are cooked first. Set aside.
Meanwhile mix together all the sauces, paste, garlic and ginger.
In a wok or large pan, heat the sesame oil and add the pork. Cook for a couple of minutes.
Add the chicken and mushrooms and heat through.
Add the noodles and pak choi and cook for another couple of minutes.
Add the bean sprouts and stir until beginning to wilt.
Scatter with coriander and serve with soy sauce and chilli sauce on the side.