Tangy Beef Noodle Stir-Fry
Introduction
Tangy Beef Noodle Stir-Fry is a quick and flavorful dish that brings together tender, crispy beef, vibrant vegetables, and a zesty, sweet, and spicy sauce. This Asian-inspired stir-fry is ready in just 20 minutes, offering a perfect balance of textures and tastes that’ll leave your taste buds tingling.
How to Make It
- Coat the Beef: Toss the thin strips of sirloin steak in a bowl with cornflour, salt, and pepper until they’re evenly coated. This helps the beef get crispy when cooked.
- Crisp the Beef: Heat oil in a hot wok or large frying pan. Add the beef and fry for about 5 minutes until the strips are dark brown and crispy. Remove them with a slotted spoon and let them drain on kitchen paper.
- Stir-fry the Veggies: Lower the heat to medium and add more oil to the wok. Stir-fry the broccoli and red bell pepper for 2-3 minutes until they’re just tender but still crisp. Add the minced garlic and ginger, and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Make the Sauce: In a bowl, mix together lime juice, soy sauce, sugar, and chopped chilli. Pour this mixture into the wok, turning the heat up to high. Let the sauce bubble and reduce for about 2-3 minutes.
- Cook the Noodles: Add the fresh noodles to the wok and toss them with tongs until they’re heated through, about 2-3 minutes.
- Combine Everything: Return the crispy beef, vegetables, and chopped spring onions to the wok. Toss everything together, cooking for an additional 2-3 minutes to blend the flavors.
- Serve: Plate the stir-fry in bowls, garnishing with chilli flakes, fresh chillies, and finely chopped spring onions for an extra kick.
Tangy Beef Noodle Stir-Fry
Strips of tender, crispy beef tossed with stir-fried noodles and vibrant vegetables, all coated in a zesty, sweet, and spicy sauce. This quick and flavorful dinner brings together the perfect balance of textures and tastes, ready in just 20 minutes.
Equipment
- 1 Wok or large frying pan
- 1 Slotted spoon
- 1 Tongs
- 1 Bowl
Ingredients
Steak:
- 300 g 10.6 oz, Sirloin steak cut into thin strips
- 2 tbsp Cornflour Cornstarch
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Black pepper
- 2 tbsp Oil Neutral high-smoke-point oil like avocado, rapeseed, or vegetable oil
Vegetables and Sauce:
- 1 tbsp Oil Neutral high-smoke-point oil like avocado, rapeseed, or vegetable oil
- 1, Red bell pepper deseeded and sliced
- 200g 7 oz Broccoli cut into small florets
- 3 cloves Garlic peeled and minced
- 2 tsp Minced ginger
- 90ml 6 tbsp Fresh lime juice approx. juice from 3 limes
- 90ml 6 tbsp Dark soy sauce
- 6 tbsp Caster sugar superfine sugar
- 1 Red chilli finely chopped (use Fresno for mild heat or Birds Eye for more heat)
- 4 Spring onions scallions, chopped into 2 cm pieces
To Serve:
- 1 tsp Chilli flakes
- 1 tsp Finely chopped fresh chillies
- 2 Spring onions scallions, finely chopped
Instructions
- Coat: Place the steak strips in a bowl and add the cornflour, salt, and pepper. Toss together until the beef strips are completely coated.
- Crisp: Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan over high heat. Add the beef and fry until dark brown and crispy, about 5 minutes. Remove the beef with a slotted spoon and place it in a bowl lined with kitchen roll to soak up excess fat.
- Stir-fry: Reduce the heat to medium and add another tablespoon of oil to the wok. Add the broccoli and red pepper and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until lightly cooked but still crisp. Add the garlic and ginger, and fry for another 30 seconds.
- Sauce: In a bowl, combine lime juice, soy sauce, sugar, and chopped chilli. Stir together and pour the sauce into the wok. Turn the heat to high and let the sauce bubble for 2-3 minutes until reduced by about one-third.
- Noodles: Add the noodles to the wok and cook, tossing regularly with tongs, until heated through, about 2-3 minutes.
- Combine: Add the cooked beef, broccoli, peppers, and spring onions back to the wok. Heat through for 2-3 minutes, tossing to prevent sticking.
- Serve: Dish out into bowls and top with chilli flakes, chopped chillies, and spring onions.
Notes
- Using dried noodles? Replace the 400g (14oz) fresh egg noodles with 200g (7oz) dried medium Chinese egg noodles. Cook according to package instructions, drain, and toss with sesame oil to prevent sticking.
- Why isn’t my beef crispier? For an extra crispy coating, coat the beef with egg first, then plenty of seasoned cornflour. Shallow fry in 1 cm of oil or deep fry for the crispiest results.
Final Flavor
This Tangy Beef Noodle Stir-Fry is a quick and vibrant dish that’s all about contrast—the crispy beef against tender noodles, the sweet sauce with a hint of spice, and the fresh crunch of vegetables. It’s a recipe that’s as satisfying to make as it is to eat, perfect for a weeknight dinner that’s both fast and packed with flavor.
