As I’ve posted previously, when we go camping we certainly have our share of fish and chips and barbecued sausages, but I still like to cook most of our meals, and because we don’t have a lot of space when packing the car, I stick to one cooking ‘pot’ – my electric frying pan.

For a while I think electric frying pans were seen as pretty old fashioned, but for things like camping, or cooking with the kids, or even just being less hot than turning the gas on, I really love mine!  As well as the pasta and pancakes above, I also use mine for Thai-ish chicken and noodles, and last weeks pan scones – both camping staples also!

This is a variation on the Thai-ish chicken – substituting pork for the chicken, and soy sauce and the pork liquid for the fish sauce and curry paste.  It’s very quick, a good mid week as well as camping meal, popular with kids, and full of greens – you really can’t go wrong 🙂

If taking this camping, I take small containers of the soy sauce, oil etc, shelf stable noodles, and the char siu sliced with sauce and frozen in one block in its container.  Because we’re near shops I buy the greens once we get there, but you could easily take them along and keep a couple of days with the whole bunch upright in a container with a little water as you do with herbs.

Char siu with hokkein noodles and chinese greens

• 500g char siu (Chinese BBQ pork), bought sliced with extra sauce
• 1 Tbs oil for frying (I use sunflower or rice bran – preferably not olive)
• 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 3-4 spring onions, sliced including green tops
• 3 Tbs soy sauce
• 1 tsp corn flour (optional)
• 1 bunch (2-3 heads) bok choy, choy sum, gai laan or other Chinese greens, washed thoroughly and roughly chopped
• 600-800g hokkein noodles (this is a flexible recipe so you can vary depending on noodle packet size and appetites) soaked in boiling water or microwaved as per packet directions

Combine the soy sauce, pork liquid, and corn flour if using, in a small bowl.  Have other ingredients sliced and ready.  If your pork didn’t come with sauce, substitute three Tbs chicken stock to start with, and add extra water if needed.

Sauté the pork over high heat until just starting to brown and crisp.  Add the garlic and fry another minute, then add the spring onions and greens and toss until the leaves are wilted but the stalks are still crisp.  Stir through the drained hokkein noodles and sauce until heated through, adding a couple of Tbs extra water if needed.

Serves 4-5 generously

One year ago: Homemade baked beans

For the other side of the world

Six months ago: Pawpaw scones