Kleoniki Cruse’s Noodles
Image description: A hand holds an orange and white patterned bowl with instant noodles and corn kernels and peas dotted through it. A background of a person’s cardigan and brown floorboards behind it. Photograph: Kleoniki Cruse.
Recipe and photographs by Kleoniki Cruse.
We know that times are tough with inflation, climate change and the pandemic. Rising food prices mean we’re all trying to cut costs where possible, so we asked some people in the industry to provide us with their inspiration for affordable scratch meals.
This is the third recipe in our Scratch Meals series.
In the typical lamentations of an only child from divorced parents, I felt a little embarrassed at the simple fare of (always chicken) Maggi noodles enriched with (always Nuttelex) margarine and dotted with peas and corn of the frozen McCains-type variety.
It seemed to be served in lieu of, what seemed from friend’s houses and American television, a majestic and complicated feast for dinner.
I feel sad thinking about that now because I realise Mum spent all day working and did remarkably well to put food on the table for us both.
The reality is, sitting in front of Nickelodeon and destroying a bowl of these creamy, salty noodles is one of my fondest childhood memories.
Serves 1 person.
Method –
Add two noodle cakes to rapidly boiling water with frozen peas and corn. (They cook at the same rate, how convenient).
Cook them until they’re a little soft
Drain once cooked. Don’t be particular about getting rid of all the starchy water.
Remove pot from heat and add margarine and allow it to melt a little.
Add noodles, corn and peas back to pot and half of the flavour sachet (it’s more than enough, trust me, it’s too salty otherwise).
Scoff them and give yourself heartburn.
Ingredients –
2 packets of Maggi 2 Minute Chicken Flavour Noodles*
2 tbsp Nuttelex margarine**
1cup frozen peas and corn*
Tips –
* You can purchase the home brand version of either the noodles or frozen peas and corn if looking to save money.
** You can get a thriftier variety of margarine but I am emotionally tied to this one.
Image description: A container of Nuttelex margarine sits next to Maggi Chicken noodles and below McCain frozen peas and corn. They all lie arranged on a wooden table. Photograph: Kleoniki Cruse.
Image description: Kleoniki holds up a forkful of noodles with peas to her mouth. Photograph: Kleoniki Cruse.