Udon Noodles with Spicy Beef & Leeks

Udon Noodles with Spicy Beef & Leeks is what we are cooking tonight. The inspiration for this Udon Noodles recipe is typical Szechuan stir-fry. Szechuan cooking has the reputation of being extra spicy, but luckily I chose to allow you to decide how hot you would like it.

The key to this meal

What makes this meal taste special is the chili oil. In a large skillet, combine 2 tablespoons of oil with remaining crushed red pepper and a touch of sesame oil. Cook over low heat just until warm, but not sizzling. Carefully pour into a small bowl, and clean out skillet.

The second most important part of this meal is seasoning of the beef. In a medium bowl, combine beef, cumin, 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper, remaining tamari, and 2 teaspoon of the sesame oil and mix it all up. This combined with the chili oil and you have yourself a tasty meal.

Tips for cooking Stir-fry

Prepare all the ingredients before turning on the heat: Once the pan is hot, things can move quickly. Make sure the ingredients are sliced and your liquids measured before you start.Make sure you act quickly, and make sure each component is cooked properly.

Slice meat and vegetables for maximum surface area: The goal is to make sure as much surface area as possible vegetables are often sliced thinly on a sharp diagonal; Garlic and ginger are usually finely chopped; and meat is always sliced against the grain to increase tenderness.

Make sure to use a wok or cast-iron pan: A wok has a large surface area and retains heat very well, making it great for stir-fries.

If you don’t have a wok, you can use a cast iron pan. As you add more ingredients, you want the pan to remain very hot and cast iron pans will retain heat better than other materials.

Spicy Beef & Leeks with Udon Noodles

The inspiration for this recipe is typical Szechuan stir-fry. Szechuan cooking has the reputation of being extra spicy, but luckily I chose to allow you to decide how hot you would like it.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Japanese

Servings 2

Calories 890 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 14 oz leek
• ½ oz fresh cilantro
• 1 pkt chicken broth concentrate
• 2 oz tamari
• 12 oz grass-fed ground beef
• ¼ oz ground cumin
• 2 tsp crushed red pepper
• ½ oz toasted sesame oil
• 7 oz udon noodles

Instructions

 

• Prep ingredients: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Halve leeks lengthwise, cut into 1⁄2- inch slices and rinse clean. Roughly chop cilantro, and in a measuring cup, whisk broth concentrate, 3 tablespoons tamari, and 1 cup water to dissolve.
• Season beef: In a medium bowl, combine beef, cumin, 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper, remaining tamari, and 2 teaspoon of the sesame oil.
• Make chili oil: In a large skillet, combine 2 tablespoons oil with remaining crushed red pepper and sesame oil and cook over low heat just until warm, but not sizzling. Carefully pour into a small bowl, and clean out skillet.
• Cook beef: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in the same skillet over medium heat. Add beef mixture, stirring to break up the large pieces, and cook until fat is rendered and beef is browned, 6–7 minutes. Pour mixture into a colander to drain to get rid of fat.
• Cook leeks: Add 1 tablespoon oil to skillet over high. Add leeks, cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, but still green, 4-5 minutes. Return beef to skillet and stir in 1 tablespoon flour. Add broth mixture and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the skillet. Simmer over medium-low until slightly thickened, 2–3 minutes.
• Cook noodles & serve: Add noodles to boiling water and cook, stirring once or twice, until tender, 6–7 minutes. Drain and rinse under hot running water; Stir in cilantro into beef mixture, and spoon over noodles. Top with remaining cilantro and serve with chili oil on the side, adding as much or as little as you like. Enjoy!

Video

Keyword beef, noodles, udon