This is a recipe adapted from the cookbook for the Big Bowl restaurants. The amount of oil used has been decreased, I use beef rather than lamb, and the amount of black pepper I put on this dish can't be exaggerated.
Chinese Noodles with Beef and Basil
1 lb Chinese egg noodles [1]
1 can coconut millk[2]
1 tablespoon minced ginger[3]
2 tablespoons fish sauce[4]
1 pound sirloin steak
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce [5]
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil[6]
1 medium onion, quartered lengthwise and finely sliced
2 red birdseye chiles, minced
1/4 cup chicken stock [7]
pinch salt
2 oz sweet Italian basil leaves, chiffonaded [8]
2 tablespoons lime juice[9]
freshly ground black pepper[10]
Slice beef against the grain into 1 inch strips. Toss with the dark soy sauce and sesame oil and allow to marinate for at least fifteen minutes.
Cook the noodles according to package directions. Drain, run under cold water, and drain again. Toss with a splash of peanut oil[11] and set aside.
Simmer the coconut milk in a nonstick pan for five minutes. Add the ginger and continue simmering until the milk reduces to about a half the original volume. Stir in the fish sauce and remove from heat.
Heat about two tablespoons peanut oil in a wok until hot but not smoking[12]. Stir-fry the beef until just about rare, then remove the beef to a bowl. Leave about two tablespoons of the oil and soy mixture in the wok, then stirfry the onions and chiles until the onion is translucent. Add the coconut milk mixture and the chicken broth, and bring to a simmer.
In a large bowl, combine the beef and the noodles, then add the mixture from the wok[13]. Add the basil to the wok and heat until slightly wilted. Add the basil to the rest of the dish, sprinkle the whole thing with lime juice and black pepper, then toss together and serve.
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[1] I use Quon Yick Chow Mein noodles, since they come out well and are easy to find at the grocery stores near us. Fresh egg noodles are supposedly better, but don't get the bright neon yellow ones. Ew. |
