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This sounds complex, but it's quite quick. (And just skip the meat steps, or sub tofu, to make it vegetarian.) I saw the recipe in Cooking Light initially, but I just throw in whatever.
The exotic ingredients you will need are available in the Asian section of a big supermarket, or at an Asian market. If you have the option, go to the Asian market because all of these things put together will be less than $5 and will last you beyond this recipe: • Sambal olek (sp) -- red chile paste • Toasted sesame oil • Rice vinegar • Mung bean thread noodles
Everything else should be easily available in your pantry already or at a regular supermarket, and nothing should be too expensive. You can sub out whatever meat/vegetables you like.
1. Take 8 oz round steak, cut thin across the bias. Sprinkle with cornstarch. Marinate in a mixture of soy sauce, powdered or crushed ginger, sambal olek, brown sugar and toasted sesame oil. You don't need a whole lot of marinade, or a whole lot of time -- 30 minutes in the fridge should do it. Or, you could do a longer (workday) marinade, but omit the cornstarch.
2. In the meantime, boil some water. Throw 4 oz or so of mung bean thread noodles (two bundles in an 8-oz pack) into the boiling water, take off the fire, and let sit for 10 minutes. Drain, and cut with scissors into bite-size pieces. Set aside.
3. Heat up some vegetable oil in a wok -- add a small amount of chopped garlic, ginger, toasted sesame oil, sambal (to taste -- that stuff is hot). Cook for 30 seconds or so, then stir-fry the meat until it's as done as you want it -- 2-3 minutes is all it should take. Remove the meat from the wok (keep warm); add more oil if need be. (You probably won't need to.)
4. Stir fry whatever combination of the following suits your fancy -- matchstick carrots (5 min or so), sliced mushrooms (4 min), red bell pepper (4 min), scallions (2 minutes), spinach (2 minutes), whatever else, for an appropriate amount of time. Don't empty the wok between veggies -- just add them in succession. (Add mushrooms one minute after adding the carrots, etc.) I generally use a few carrots, 10 oz mushrooms, one bell pepper, three scallions and one 10 oz. bag of spinach; this feeds three or four people. (Or two with leftovers -- it keeps well.)
5. When the veggies have cooked, put the meat and noodles back in the wok and mix through.
6. Toss with soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar. (Again, just futz around with the balance until you find something you like -- you'll only need a third of a cup or so.) If you're really into spicy, add some more sambal. Top with sesame seeds.
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