This is my ultimate comfort food. A mountain of delicious noodles with peppery beef and plenty of vegetables, all tossed in a sweet and spicy sauce. To finish, we add a handful of crunchy peanuts.
This is the perfect noodle recipe and it is very easy to prepare, as long as we follow the number-one rule of stir-fries: have all our ingredients prepared and within reach before we start cooking. The whole dish will be ready in just 8 minutes. We should always keep a little extra oil and some water nearby, just in case we need them.
Noodles with Peppery Beef
This is my ultimate comfort food. A mountain of delicious noodles with peppery beef and plenty of vegetables, all tossed in a sweet and spicy sauce. To finish, we add a handful of crunchy peanuts.
Ingredients
For the Marinade
- 500 grams beef tenderloin see Note
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp sherry
- 1 Tbsp cornflour cornstarch
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 Tbsp soft brown sugar
For the Sauce
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 Tbsp sweet chilli sauce
- 1 Tbsp sherry
- 2 Tbsp soft brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
For the Noodles
- 250 grams egg noodles or spaghettini
- 3 Tbsp olive oil or another vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion sliced
- 1 Tbsp fresh ginger finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- 1 hot red chilli deseeded and finely chopped
- 1 carrot cut into ribbons (see Note 2)
- 1 sweet red pepper sliced into strips
- 2 spring onions thinly sliced
- 1 lime juice only (optional)
- ⅓ cup shelled and salted peanuts
Instructions
- Cut the beef into thin, small strips and place it in a bowl with the remaining marinade ingredients. Mix well and set aside to marinate while we prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- Cook the noodles in plenty of boiling water for 1 minute less than the cooking time indicated on the package. Drain and rinse thoroughly with plenty of cold water to stop them from cooking further. Leave them in a colander close to the stove.
- Mix all the sauce ingredients together in a bowl and place it close to the stove as well.
- Once we have made sure that all our ingredients are prepared and within easy reach, heat a wok or large frying pan over high heat. Add the oil. When it is hot, add half of the beef strips. Stir-fry for 1–2 minutes, until the beef is nicely browned and cooked through. (If some pieces are still slightly undercooked, don’t worry, as they will cook further later.) Transfer the beef to a bowl.
- Continue with the remaining beef and transfer it to the same bowl.
- Add the onions, ginger, garlic and chilli to the same wok or pan. Stir-fry for 1–2 minutes, until the onion softens slightly, but do not let it become too soft.
- Add the carrot and red pepper. Continue stir-frying for another minute, until the pepper starts to soften slightly.
- Return the beef to the wok, along with the cooked noodles, sauce and spring onions. Toss everything well using two spatulas or spoons until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined. Reduce the heat and continue cooking for about 1 minute, until the noodles are fully cooked and the flavours have come together.
- Squeeze some lime juice over the top, if you like. Personally, I love the acidity of lime with the sweet and spicy flavours of this dish. Sprinkle with the peanuts and serve immediately with ice-cold beers.
Notes
Whenever I buy a whole beef tenderloin for a gathering, before tying it, I cut a piece from the thinner end of the tenderloin and place it in the freezer. I use these pieces later for noodles, as tenderloin is one of the most tender cuts of beef.
To cut a carrot into ribbons, use a vegetable peeler and shave the carrot lengthwise into thin strips, as if you were peeling it. Alternatively, you can cut the carrot into thin sticks or grate it using the coarse side of a box grater.
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