Beautyfash Blog: Spicy Beef and Bok Choy Noodle Bowl

Hello! Can we please talk noodle bowls? And how utterly satisfying they are? Let's be honest - my love for the "noodle bowl" started many moons ago with good ole, cheap, satisfying, RAMEN NOODLES. This spicy beef noodle bowl that I made for dinner a few weeks ago reminds me of a bowl of ramen noodles - but kicked up in flavor and fancied up with tender shreds of premium beef. I can't think of any better dinner on a cool fall night when you are craving noodles but want to punch up the flavor a bit. This is pretty easy too. If you are like me and keep a good stash of Asian condiments in the fridge, a variety of pasta in the pantry and a few packages of beef in the freezer you could whip this up without having to go to the grocery store.

I loved using bok choy in this recipe for a different twist but you could certainly sub it for kale, cabbage or even spinach! That's the beauty of cooking - substituting and improvising only make things better! :)

Enough of the jabbering let's get to this BOMB recipe!

Ingredients

1 pound of Fusilli Corti Bucata Pasta, or your pasta of choice

1/2 Pound Thinly Sliced Sirloin

2 Tablespoons Avocado Oil

1 Large Onion, Thinly Sliced

2 Cloves Garlic, Crushed

1 Teaspoon Crushed Ginger

4 Cups Baby Bok Choy, Chopped

3 Cups Beef Stock

2 Tablespoons Hoisin Sauce

2 Tablespoons Ponzu Sauce

2 Tablespoons Teriyaki Sauce

1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce

1 Tablespoon Rice Vinegar

1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil

1 Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper {or more if you like it spicy!}

2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar

Salt and Pepper to taste

{Here are the condiments, spices and seasonings I used for this recipe. All of these condiments were found in the Asian aisle of my grocery store.}

{I wanted to pause and make sure I highlighted the pasta used in this recipe. This brand of fusilli is unlike anything I have ever used. I am no pasta expert and I have used the standard corkscrew-like pasta plenty of times before, but the boxed stuff at the market just isn't the same as this bag of pasta I used. If you can get your hands on this brand/type, definitely try it out. Fusilli Bucati Corti translates to "short hollow fusilli" and the texture is unbelievable. I highly recommend it!}

{First, cook your pasta of choice until al dente, drain and set aside. Keep it in a warm spot on the stove so that the pasta is still warm when you are ready to serve.}

{Be sure to use a good cut of beef and slice it really thin. I used a super fresh cut of sirloin, took my time and shaved it really thin.}

{In a large skillet {or wok} over medium-high heat, heat the avocado oil until it's HOT and add the sliced onion. Sautee for a few minutes until they start to brown.}

{When the onions start to brown, add in your thinly sliced beef. Season this mixture really well with salt and pepper.}

{Let this cook and brown for a few minutes while the beef gets crispy, caramelized and delicious! Add in the crushed garlic and ginger.}

{Be sure to let this sizzle and caramelize for a few minutes.}

{Clean your bok choy, chop it and add it to the beef and onion mixture. Mix it until the bok choy starts to slightly wilt. Season again with salt and pepper.}

{Add your beef stock. Be sure to use a wooden spoon or spatula and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan, which will add to the flavor.}

{Reduce the heat and let this simmer for a few minutes while you mix up the flavorful sauce that will bring this all together.}

{In a mixing bowl, add in the hoisin, ponzu, teriyaki, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, crushed red pepper, brown sugar and mix well to combine.}

{Add your sauce to the pan of beef, bok choy and beef stock mixture and stir to combine.}

{Now it's time to thicken the sauce a bit. To a small bowl, add in 3 heaping tablespoons of corn starch and 3 tablespoons of cold water to create a thin paste. This "slurry" works like a charm every time to help thicken any sauce.}