Stir-Fried Noodles with Meat and Vegetables
Instructions:
- The model for stir-fried noodle dishes, which can be
made with just about anything, and a valuable addition
to any cook’s repertoire.
The best cuts of meat to use are sirloin strip (beef ),
pork shoulder (Boston butt or picnic), and chicken
breast or thigh. The meat will be easier to slice thinly if
you freeze it for 30 to 60 minutes first. (This is always the
case with boneless meat or poultry.) Tofu is also good,
especially store-bought spiced and pressed tofu or tofu
that you’ve frozen.
- Salt
- 12 ounces fresh Chinese egg noodles or about
- 8 ounces dried Chinese wheat noodles or spaghetti
- 3 tablespoons peanut or neutral oil, like grapeseed or corn
- 8 ounces beef, chicken, pork, shrimp, tofu, or whathave- you, very thinly sliced and cut into 2-inch-long strips
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 1 pound chopped broccoli florets or chopped asparagus
- 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into thin strips
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons minced or grated fresh ginger
- 1/2 cup chicken stock or water
- 1/2 cup unsalted cashews, roughly chopped, or shelled whole peanuts (optional)
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Cook the noodles until tender but not mushy, about 4 minutes for fresh noodles, longer for dried, then drain and quickly rinse under cold running water. Toss with 1 tablespoon of the oil to prevent sticking and set aside. Soak the meat in the soy sauce.
- Put another tablespoon of the oil in a deep skillet over high heat. When hot, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to brown, about 5 minutes.
- Add the broccoli and red pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the broccoli is crisp-tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute, stirring almost constantly. Remove this mixture from the pan.
- Add the remaining oil to the pan and turn the heat to high. Drain the meat (reserve the soy sauce), add to the pan, and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 1 minute. Add the reserved soy sauce, along with the chicken stock, and stir. Add the drained noodles, vegetables, and nuts. Toss to mix and reheat, then serve.
- Stir-Fried Udon Noodles.
- Great with pork and shiitake mushrooms but, here, too, any meat or vegetables can be used: Substitute udon noodles for the egg noodles and 1/2 cup chopped scallion for the onion. Omit the garlic, ginger, and cashews. Add 1/4 cup bonito flakes as a garnish if you like.