WOK UNDERDOG: Sweet Chilli Tortilla Ribbons with Veg cooked in the WOK – An Unexpected Delight!

It all began a couple of days ago. I was browsing Youtube and I saw this guy doing a video on Calamari. I love that fried calamari dish, but then my mind started to wander onto whether this could be done with tortillas – and what they would come out as with certain ingredients.

As a simple first experiment – I did the fried tortillas with just cheese, but in this second stage of experimentation, and that is what cooking is, I decided to see how it held up as a full blown dish with veg and sauce, etc. It held its own delightfully (as you can see in the video…)

If I was describing this dish, I’d probably call it a fusion between Asian and Mexican and Italian cooking. With the veg, there’s definitely an opportunity to use salsa or creamy based sauces for future refinement of this dish. The sweet chilli was delicious, but I can see this going into Mexican territory with some salsa verdes, etc…

Sometimes the best recipes don’t begin with a cookbook.

They begin with a question or an experiment.

I wondered whether egg flour diced tortillas could be transformed into something with a soft, pasta-like texture.

After a little experimenting, I think they can and did.

Ingredients

Tortilla Ribbons

• 2 flour tortillas, cut into ribbon strips
• 2 eggs
• A splash of milk
• 1 tbsp flour (plus a little extra if needed)
• A knob of butter
• 2 cups of water

Vegetables

• Red pepper, sliced
• Cabbage, shredded
• Celery, sliced

To Finish

• Grated cheese
• Spring onions, chopped
• Sweet chilli sauce

Optional

• Fried egg or garnish of your choice

Method

1. Beat together the eggs, milk, flour and butter until smooth.
2. Add the tortilla strips and coat them well in the mixture.
3. Place the coated tortilla ribbons into a saucepan with around two cups of water.
4. Cook gently, stirring occasionally. If needed, add a very small amount of extra flour to help create the silky coating.
5. Continue cooking until most of the water has reduced. Remove the tortilla ribbons and allow them to rest.
6. Meanwhile, stir-fry the peppers, cabbage and celery in a separate pan or wok until just tender.
7. Place the tortilla ribbons into a serving bowl.
8. Spoon the vegetables over the top.
9. Sprinkle generously with grated cheese and finish with chopped spring onions.
10. Drizzle over sweet chilli sauce.

Optional: Top with a fried egg for an extra layer of richness.

Home Chef’s Notes

This recipe surprised me.

The tortilla ribbons developed a soft texture that reminded me of fresh pasta, while still retaining their own identity.

This isn’t pasta.

It’s something different.

And sometimes different turns out to be also delicious.