K-Noodles
When I was an intern in Siete in Lima they had a fabulous show-stopper of a ribs dish on the menu. Tender, falling apart ribs braised in a perfectly balanced spicy-sweet-sour sauce. That recipe is top secret and I would never share, but this is a simplified version that I came up with as a result of using the leftover sauce for stir-fries.
Low and slow simmered tomatoes infused with gochujang, chilies, oyster sauce and saké. I started calling these K-Noodles because of the gochujang and the name stuck, but they’re not truly Korean – more of an Asia Market pastiche.
This sauce is very versatile. Most often I use beef and broccoli, but you could use anything you like – chicken, prawns, finely sliced pork, or if you want a vegetarian version sautéed mushrooms or aubergines work well. Some shredded cabbage is another lovely addition if you want to increase your fibre intake. My favourite noodles for this dish are handcut Taiwanese noodles because I love the texture, but Udon noodles are a close second and again, whatever you feel like – rice noodles and egg noodles would also be good choices.
Ingredient note : chili garlic sauce is a straightforward, non-fermented, medium-spicy hot sauce. I like the Lee Kum Kee brand which is available in some supermarkets and all Asian markets.
This recipe yields enough sauce for 2 stir fries that each serve 4 – 6 people, depending on hunger levels. I make a batch and freeze half for another day. The sauce keeps well in the freezer for up to three months.
Ingredients :
For the sauce:
1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
4 cloves garlic, very finely chopped
125ml saké
75g chili garlic
40g soft dark brown sugar
75g oyster sauce
75g gochujang
For the body:
2 medium white onions, finely sliced
200g tenderstem broccoli, sliced in half vertically if very thick
300g sirloin steak, very finely sliced
400g noodles of choice
To garnish :
toasted black and white sesame seeds
For frying:
sunflower or light olive oil
Directions :
In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan heat 1 tsp oil and add the finely chopped garlic. Allow to sizzle for a moment and then add the chopped tomatoes. (Rinse out the can with 100ml of water and add this liquid to the pan.) Allow to simmer for about 10 – 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until the tomatoes have cooked and darkened in colour and you can no longer taste any raw garlic.
Add the saké, chili garlic, soft dark brown sugar, oyster sauce and gochujang and leave to simmer, stirring frequently while you make the rest.
While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of water to boil.
Heat a large wok over a high heat and add the steak pieces. Cook, stirring frequently, for 3-4 minutes, until cooked, and remove to a side plate. ( I don’t use oil for this stage as the steak has enough fat to begin with).
Add the onions to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, until they have reduced and darkened. Add the broccoli, and other vegetables if using, and cook for 5-6 minutes, until the broccoli is bright green and tender. (You might not need to add any additional oil here either, use the leftover fat from the beef and see how you go).
Cook the noodles – according to packet instructions.
Return the beef to the pan, along with the cooked noodles and half of the sauce. Toss to coat. Serve sprinkled with lots of sesame seeds.