Healthy Recipe: Stir-fried Ramen with Collards & Eggs

When he’s off duty from his Michelin-starred Atlanta restaurant Lazy Betty, chef Ron Hsu often turns to simple comfort foods inspired by both his Georgia upbringing and Chinese heritage.

This quick, frugal recipe is adapted from one such dish featured in his new cookbook, “Down South + East” (Abrams, $40). His version starts with Chinese egg noodles, which can be tricky to find in some supermarkets. But instant ramen noodles make a fantastic substitute. Scrambled eggs furnish the protein; chopped collard greens and carrots provide nutrient-dense vegetables. Like fried rice, it’s infinitely adaptable to whatever protein and produce you have on hand: bok choy, cabbage, chicken, shrimp. A few aromatics and pantry staples pull it all together in minutes. Serves 4. – Susan Puckett

Ingredients

Noodles:

·         6 to 8 ounces ramen noodles

·         1 teaspoon canola oil

Sauce:

·         2 tablespoons oyster sauce

·         1 ½ teaspoons soy sauce

·         1 ½ teaspoons toasted sesame oil

·         1 tablespoon Shaoxing cooking wine or dry sherry

Stir-fry:

·         4 tablespoons canola oil

·         4 large eggs, beaten

·         2 cloves garlic, minced

·         1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

·         ½ cup yellow, red, or white onions cut in 2-inch matchstick strips

·         ½ cup carrots cut in 2-inch matchstick strips

·         8 ounces collard greens, cleaned and chopped (tough stems removed)

·         Salt and white pepper

·         Sriracha or other hot sauce for serving (optional)

Instructions

1.      Prepare noodles: Discard the seasoning packets and cook the ramen noodles according to package directions. Drain, toss with 1 teaspoon of the canola oil, then chill in the refrigerator until ready to use. (If you’re in a hurry, run cold water over the noodles until cold before tossing with the oil.)

2.      Prepare the sauce: Mix the oyster sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, and cooking wine or sherry in a small bowl.

3.      Prepare the stir-fry: In a wok or large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the canola oil over medium-high heat. When thin wisps of smoke rise from the pan, add the eggs and cook until scrambled, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the eggs to a plate and set aside.

4.      Wipe the pan clean with a paper towel, return to medium heat, then add the remaining canola oil. Once the oil starts to shimmer, and the garlic, ginger, onions, and carrots and cook, stirring frequently, until slightly soft, 2 to 3 minutes.

5.      Add the cooked noodles to the pan and stir-fry with the vegetables until heated through, about 2 minutes. Add the collard greens, oyster sauce mixture, and reserved eggs and stir-fry another 2 minutes, just until the collards are wilted and slightly tender.

6.      Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and serve with hot sauce, if desired.

Susan Puckett is an Atlanta-based food writer and cookbook author.