Stir-Fry Beef Udon Noodles in Black Pepper Sauce

Ingredients

For marinating the beef

• 300g / 10.6 oz beef

• 1.9g / ⅓ tsp salt

• 1.6g / ⅓ tsp baking soda

• 2.5g / 1 tsp cornstarch

• 14g / 1 Tbsp Chinese cooking wine, optional

• 5.5g / 1 tsp dark soy sauce

For seasoning the udon noodles

• 400g / 14 oz udon noodles

• 16.6g / 1 Tbsp soy sauce

• 18g / 1 Tbsp oyster sauce

• 17g / 1 Tbsp fish sauce

• 5.5g / 1 tsp dark soy sauce

• 7.2g / 1 Tbsp ground black pepper

For stir-frying the noodles

• 57g / 2 oz celery, julienned

• 57g / 2 oz carrot, julienned

• 57g / 2 oz purple onion, sliced thinly

• 57g / 2 oz multicolor bell pepper, julienned

• 41g / 3 Tbsps cooking oil

30g / about 2 scallions, cut into 2-inch-long pieces

9g / 1 Tbsp finely minced garlic

9g / 1 Tbsp finely minced shallot • 4.5g / ½ Tbsp minced ginger

Directions

1. Slice the beef into ⅛-inch thick slices and place them into a bowl. I recommend using flank steak or sirloin. Add the salt, cornstarch, Chinese cooking wine, dark soy sauce, and baking soda and mix thoroughly. Let the mixture sit for 15 minutes.

2. Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the udon noodles, and gently stir for 30 seconds or until the noodle strings are loose.

3. Quickly remove the noodles from the water and spread them on a rack, allowing the rest of the heat to evaporate the excess moisture.

4. Season the udon noodles by adding soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, dark soy sauce, and ground black pepper, and mix thoroughly. If you are serving kids or those who don't like spicy food, you may want to reduce the amount of black pepper.

5. Turn the heat to high and heat the wok until smoking hot. Add 2 Tbsps cooking oil to the wok and swirl it around so the oil coats the bottom. Add the marinated beef and stir over high heat for 2 minutes, and then remove from way through; the wok. Do not cook the beef all the otherwise, it will be overcooked when you introduce it back to the wok later.

6. Add 1 Tbsp oil, the minced garlic, shallot, ginger, celery, and carrot to the same wok and sauté over medium heat for 2 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked.

7. Add the udon noodles, purple onion, and bell pepper, and keep stirring for 3-4 minutes.

8. Add the beef and the scallion stalks and toss thoroughly.