Ultimate Cook Book_ 900 New Recipes, Thousands of Ideas - Bruce Weinstein [133]
½ sirloin, thinly sliced against the grain
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
½ teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 large onion, sliced in half, then into ½-inch-thick semicircles
¾ pound baby bok choy, washed of all sand, the water still adhering to the leaves
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
½ teaspoon chili paste
1 pound fresh rice noodles, cut into 1-inch segments, or 12 ounces wide dried rice noodles, soaked in very hot water for 10 minutes
Mix the sirloin strips, garlic, 2 teaspoons soy sauce, sugar, cornstarch, and sesame oil in a large bowl until the cornstarch dissolves and the steak is coated in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
Heat a large nonstick wok or a high-sided sauté pan over medium-high heat until smoking. Swirl in the peanut oil, then add the onion. Toss and stir constantly until the onion turns translucent, about 1 minute.
Stir in the beef strips and any remaining marinade in the bowl. Toss and stir until the beef browns, about 3 minutes.
Dump in all the bok choy at once. Using two wooden spoons, pick up the vegetables and steak; toss them until the bok choy is slightly wilted, about 2 minutes.
Pour in the hoisin, rice vinegar, chili paste, and the remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce. Cook, tossing constantly, for 30 seconds.
Stir in the noodles. Toss to coat and cook for about 30 seconds, just until they’re heated through and coated with the sauce.
Variations: Substitute 1/2 pound pork loin, cut into bite-sized pieces, or ½ pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips, for the sirloin. Cook the pork or chicken about 2 minutes before adding the bok choy.
Substitute ½ pound firm tofu for the beef—in this case, stir it and its marinade into the pan after the bok choy.
Substitute ½ pound thinly sliced Char Siu or purchased Chinese barbecued pork for the beef; omit the marinade and add the barbecued pork after the bok choy.
* * *
Asian stir-fries and noodle dishes move fast. Make sure you have all your ingredients prepped in advance.
* * *
Pad See Ew
Made with fresh rice noodles, this dish is sold in Thailand as grab-and-go street food. The sauce is spicy/sweet, thanks to sweet soy sauce, an Indonesian product. Makes 4 servings
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 large onion, halved and sliced into semicircles
1 red or green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and thinly sliced
6 garlic cloves, minced
½ pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons sweet soy sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons Asian red chili paste, preferably a Thai bottling such as Sriracha
1 pound fresh rice noodles, cut into 1-inch segments, or 12 ounces wide dried rice noodles, soaked in very hot water for 10 minutes
1/3 cup packed basil leaves, shredded
Heat a large nonstick wok or sauté pan over medium heat. Swirl in the peanut oil, then add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Stir-fry just until softened, about 1 minute.
Add the chicken. Continue stir-frying until cooked through, about 3 minutes.
Stir in the sweet soy sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and chili paste. Bring the sauce to a simmer.
Stir in the noodles and basil. Cook, tossing constantly, until heated through, about 30 seconds. Serve at once.
Bread
DESPITE DIRE WARNINGS FROM CULINARY SCOLDS, BREAD MAKING IS NOT A dying art. One stroll down the bread aisle of the modern supermarket puts to rest that end-of-Western-civilization scenario. Time was, white bread was all most of us could get; crunchy loaves were specialty items, brought back by some uncle or aunt who had visited a major city with an ethnic enclave. Today, good bread is available in abundance.
Bread making