Chinese Beef with Noodles (kinda-sorta Chow Fun)










It's difficult, but not impossible to find actual kosher chinese recipes on the intertubes.  Difficult due to the fact that even many beef recipes use some items that are potential no-no's -- such as fish sauce, which uses at least one non-kosher fish (if there are any kosher brands out there I would love to hear about it).  Sure, I could use a little mashed anchovies or the juice squeezed from a can of tuna, but then I'd have to be more efficient and either freeze the remaining anchovies (then lose it in the black hole we lovingly call the freezer) or else remember to save the oil/broth from when I make a tuna dish then freeze and lose it anyway in the black hole freezer.











Does anyone remember this old paperback chinese-kosher cookbook, with corny fake chinese recipe names (such as Green Beans Hok Mee Noh Chy Nick)?  The recipes and commentary were a better read than actually attempted.  Gawd awful, all of them!  But I digress ...

So I was thrilled beyond belief when I found a recipe where the ingredients didn't need much in the way of juggling or substituting beyond the rice noodles, and that was only because the linguine in the cupboard suited me just fine thank you very much.

So because this recipe uses linguine rather than broad Chinese mai fun noodles, this is really only kinda-sorta Chow Fun.

I used toasted sesame oil because that's what I bought the other day.  And after enjoying its aroma and taste, I highly recommend it over plain ol' sesame oil.  While I was there, I picked up pre-sliced "stir-fry" beef, which was on sale, otherwise I would have bought steak intact and spent 5 minutes thinly slicing it up.


The only major problem with the original recipe was that the quantities were all in metric.  Yes I know, converting metric is as easy as pi, but I didn't care, especially since the recipe called for fresh bean sprouts, and the canned version was calling out to me as I was pulling out the linguine.  If I wasn't going to drive out to the Try-n-Save to get rice noodles I wasn't going to budge on the sprouts either.  So the quantities I used were all lucky educated guesses.  Everyone loved this dinner anyway, especially youngerSon, even after picking out all the bean sprouts from his portions (all 3 of them).

Chinese Beef with Noodles
adapted from Christine's Recipes
Serves 4-5  (or 2 adults and 1 teenager)

1-8 oz. package broad chinese noodles (or linguine)
1 Tbl.  low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. corn starch
1 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. water
1 lb. pkg. "stir-fry" (pre-thinly sliced)  beef (or 1 lb. chuck steak)
1/2 medium onion
1 stalk scallion
1 Tbl. vegetable oil
1 tsp. ground ginger
additional low-sodium soy sauce, to taste (if needed)
1 can (15 ozs.) bean sprouts, drained
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil

Boil water in a 3 quart or larger pot.  Add linguine and cook according to package directions.  Drain, rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process and set aside.

While water is boiling up, in a food-safe gallon-size plastic bag add the soy sauces, corn starch, sugar and water.









If beef didn't come pre-sliced, thinly slice the beef.  Add to the bagged marinade and seal securely.










Gently turn the bag over a few times to distribute the marinade.  Set aside 15 minutes (you might want to put the bag on a plate just in case the bag springs a leak).










While waiting, slice up the onion.  First make a cut into the onion almost all the way through.










Then thinly slice.










Holding the green parts  together, thinly slice the scallion.  Set both aside.










Heat frying pan over medium-high heat. Add oil, let heat for 10 seconds, then add beef on a single layer.  Sear for 2 minutes.










Flip beef, then immediately remove beef to a covered dish (the beef will not be fully cooked).  keep warm.










Yes, this looks a little unappetizing, but the beef juices contain a lot of flavor so just bear with me. Place pan back over heat.










Add onion and stir-fry for 5 minutes, or until slightly translucent and just barely starts to brown.  Add ginger and stir for 30 seconds.










Add drained linguine.  Sprinkle over the ginger that you forgot to add before.










Taste, and add additional soy sauce, if needed.










Return the beef to the pan.   Add bean sprouts and gently stir to combine.  Drizzle sesame oil over the mixture.










Plate the beef with noodle and garnish with the chopped scallions. Serve hot.










Yes, Cujo, it DOES look delicious!

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