MAURICIA’S BEEF CHOW MEIN
“Loaded with colourful and crunchy vegetables … tender strips of ginger-flavoured beef … and egg noodles … all stir-fried in a delicious sauce. Big on flavour and very easy to prepare. Bon appétit.”
- Sauce:
- 10 ml (2 teaspoons) corn flour
- 15 ml (1 tablespoon) soy sauce
- 15 ml (1 tablespoon) pad Thai sauce
- 10 ml (2 teaspoons) sugar
- 2½ ml (½ teaspoon) sesame oil
- Chow Mein:
- 6 egg noodle cakes
- boiling water, enough to cover the noodles
- 45 ml (3 tablespoons) peanut oil
- 600 g beef stir-fry strips
- thumb-sized ginger, thinly sliced
- 1 onion, roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, finely sliced
- 2 green chillies, finely sliced
- 500 ml (2 cups) cabbage, thinly sliced
- 3 carrots, julienned
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 250 ml (1 cup) spinach, thinly sliced
- salt and pepper, to taste
Mix the corn flour and soy sauce in a small mixing bowl.
Add the rest of the sauce ingredients and mix well.
Pour boiling water over the noodles and cook for 15 minutes.
Drain and rinse under cold running water.
Drizzle with a dash of sesame oil to prevent them from sticking together.
Heat a wok over high heat and add half the peanut oil.
Season the beef with the salt and pepper.
Now add the beef and ginger to the wok and stir-fry for five minutes or until cooked.
Remove and set aside.
Add the rest of the peanut oil to the wok.
Then add the onion, garlic and chillies, and stir-fry for one minute.
Add the cabbage, carrots, bell pepper and spinach, and also stir-fry for one minute.
Make sure that the vegetables are crunchy and not soggy.
Return the beef to the wok.
Make a well in the centre of the wok, add the sauce, and thereafter toss in the noodles.
Coat the noodles and vegetables with the sauce before turning off the heat.
Drizzle with a dash of sesame oil. Garnish with finely chopped spring onions; though, this colourful dish really needs no garnish at all.
Recipe and photo: Mauricia Jordaan