Pork Stir Fry with Lemongrass, Almonds and Cashews

Lemongrass is one of those ingredients that makes a weeknight dish smell like you planned it all afternoon. It grows in clumps in warm climates, and the bottom third of the stalk is the part with the most flavour, which is why the recipe asks for the white part only. Slice it thinly so it softens into the pan rather than turning woody and chewy in your mouth. If your lemongrass is tough at the top, save those green ends for a pot of stock and fish them out before serving.

Pork fillet suits a wok because it cooks in minutes. The one thing I'd watch is crowding the pan. Brown the strips in two or three batches so they caramelise instead of steaming in their own juices, then lift them out. That small step makes the difference between tender pork and grey, rubbery pork. Cashews and almonds go in with the vegetables, and they will toast a little in the oil while everything else cooks. Keep an eye on them, because nuts go from golden to bitter quickly.

For a lighter plate, the rice noodles do the job of a starch, and they are a gentle base for the sauce. If you want something with more bite on the side, a bowl of Skillet Quinoa with Lime and Cilantro picks up the lime and works well with the pork. A pot of Simple Brown Rice Side for One is another easy choice if you prefer rice to noodles.

Leftovers keep in a sealed container in the fridge for a day or two. The noodles soak up sauce overnight, so I like to store them separately and toss everything together in a hot pan with a splash of water to loosen it. The vegetables will lose some crispness, but the dish still eats well at lunch. Don't freeze it, since the snow peas and capsicum turn limp and the nuts go soft.

Serve it straight from the wok with extra lime wedges on the side so everyone can adjust their own bowl. The sauce is light, so a squeeze at the table brightens it nicely.