Chop Suey with Ramen

A heaping serving of ground beef, bean sprouts and assorted other veggies in a generously juicy sauce commonly served over white rice, but this time I opted for ramen noodles as the carb. 

Ingredients:

 t tbsp vegetable oil

1 lb ground beef

2 tsps minced garlic

1 ramen noodle cake (discard flavour packet)

218 ml (7 oz) can sliced water chestnuts 

1 carrot, shredded

3 green onions, sliced and divided white and green

2 celery stalks, sliced

370 g (13 oz) bean sprouts

1 cup water

salt and pepper to taste

 

Sauce:

1 1/2 tbsps soya sauce

1 1/2 tbsps oyster sauce

1 tbsps mirin or red wine vinegar

2 tsps sesame oil

1/2 tsp sugar (if using red wine vinegar)

 

Combine the sauce ingredients and set aside.

Heat oil to medium high in a wok or skillet. Add the beef and garlic and cook until no pink remains in the beef. Add the sauce and cook for 1 minutes. Add the carrot, celery, water chestnuts and white part of the green onions. Cook 1-2 minutes. Then push everything to the sides making a well in the center. Add water and place the ramen in the center pressing down to get into the water. (It won't be completely covered by the water, that's ok). Cover and leave to simmer for 1 minute then flip the ramen and cook 1 minute longer. You could use 2 ramen cakes for a more noodly dish but I wanted to highlight the veggies!

Separate the noodles with a fork and add the bean sprouts, green slices of green onion, salt and pepper. Stir together and cook 2 minutes longer.

Serves 4-5

Happy Year of the Dragon!

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Clear Out The Fridge Beef Chop Suey

A great way to use that lonely carrot or abandoned celery stalk left in your vegetable crisper. Make this very customizable recipe your own with what's in your fridge. Of course, bean sprouts are a must but you can use mushrooms, snow peas, broccoli, whatever is left behind in that drawer in your fridge!   

Ingredients:

1/2 lb ground beef

1/2 onion, diced

1 or 2 celery stalks, sliced

1 carrot, julienned

1/2 bell pepper, diced

1 tsp minced ginger

2 tsps minced garlic

2 cups shredded cabbage or bagged coleslaw

2 cups bean sprouts

a handful of chopped spinach

salt and pepper

1/2 cup beef broth

1/4 cup soya sauce

1 1/2 tbsps cornstarch

sliced green onion to garnish

In a wok or large skillet, brown the beef on medium high heat until no pink remains. Add some salt and pepper along with the onion, celery, carrot and bell  pepper. Stir fry 4-5 minutes.

Then add the ginger, garlic, cabbage, bean sprouts and spinach and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Combine the beef broth, soya sauce and cornstarch. Make a well in the center of the pan, pour the sauce in and whisk then stir together. Cook on medium heat until slightly thickened.

Give it a little taste to see if you want more salt, pepper or soya sauce.

Serves 2-3

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