Hey everyone,
If you have followed this blog since the first posts, am sure you can notice some changes. We decided to upgrade the blog and offer more features, I will do a page on the user guide and link it up here once it is done. We have worked so hard to get this new site up that is why we have we have been a bit MIA. We still have to finalise some issues with the backend but it will all be done very soon.
Today’s recipe has become one of my favourite meals. I am not very accustomed to Chinese food but ever since I had my first plate of Chinese noodles back in 2013, yes only 2 years ago, I had to know how to make the dish.
Try it out, and let me know what you think about it.
Shanghai Noodle with Broccoli
Print ThisTOOLS & INGREDIENTS
For the noodles
- 1 pack of noodles (250g)
Egg noodles are usually used but you can use whichever type of noodles you prefer. I used half a pack of egg noodles and half ramen noodles because there are times when that is all you have.
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced
- 1 red bell pepper or chilli if you like it spicy, sliced
- 2 cloves of garlic, sliced
- 1 medium to large head of broccoli, broken down into florets
- A bundle green onions- around 5-7, sliced -> separate the white and green parts
- 500g of beef
Look for flank steak or Sirloin steak. Flank takes marinades well but get tough if cooked past medium rare. Sirloin stays pretty tender even when cooked well done. Chicken (thighs preferably) and pork (tenderloin preferably) can be used instead.
- 2 tablespoons of a high heat cooking oil. -> I used refined sesame oil
Oils with high smoke points, such as corn, soybean, peanut and sesame(not dark roasted), are good for high-heat frying and stir-frying.
- 1 cup of beef stock
If using chicken or pork use chicken stock.
- A pinch of ground black / white pepper or to taste -> I used black pepper
- A few dashed of dark roasted sesame oil (optional)
- A few pinches of roasted sesame seeds for garnish (optional)
For the marinade
- 1 tablespoon of finely grated ginger -> 2 thumb sized portions around 11/2 inch in total.
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons of honey or brown sugar -> white sugar can work too
- 1/4 cup of dark soy sauce
You can always opt for a low sodium version, if you prefer it less salty.
- 2 tablespoons of oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon of hoisin sauce (optional)
You can leave it out if you do not have it, but it brings in a unique sweet flavour profile.
- 2 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon of cornstarch
PROCEDURE
- Make the marinade. Add the ground ginger, ground garlic, soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, rice wine vinegar, honey/sugar and cornstarch. Mix in the meat and let it marinate for 10-30minutes.
- Cook the noodles according to the packet instructions. I steeped the ramen noodles for 5 minutes and the egg noodles for 4 minutes in boiling water.
- Steam the broccoli. Add the broccoli florets into a saucepan with around and inch of water. Bring the water to boil on high heat. Once boiled reduce the heat to low and cover for 5-6mins. Remove from the fire when the florets are easily pierced with a fork.
- Put around a tablespoon of the the high heat cooking oil in a wok and heat it on high till it starts to smoke slightly (you will see wisps of white smoke). Fetch the beef from the marinade and add in the beef (without the marinade) to the smoking hot wok. Place it in one layer if possible and let it sear for 1 – 3 minutes on one side then stir fry on the other side for another 1 – 2mins or until the desired doneness.
- Remove the meat from the heat and set aside.
- Add another tablespoon of high heat cooking oil onto the pan and fry the white parts of the onions and the sliced garlic and fry for 30 secs to a min until the spring onions are tender and garlic fragrant.
- Return the meat to the wok together with the remaining marinade, the stock, the green parts of the onions, and the peppers. Cook for 30 seconds. Be careful not to overcook the meat.
- If you are in a hurry, or just do not want you noodles mixed in, you can skip go ahead and serve. If not, add in you noodles and broccoli then stir to combined. Once combine remove from the heat.
- Serve with few dashes of dark roasted sesame oil and few pinches of roasted sesame seeds. If you opted not to mix in the noodles, layer the noodles, the stir fried meat and the broccoli.