As with a most stir-fry, the prep time usually takes longer than the actual cooking. These times are estimates based on your knife skills (mine are good, not great). The key to delicious stir-fry is actually quite simple: cook your meats separate from your vegetables, which allows you to cook each to the right temperature without overcooking either or both.
Throughout the prep and instructions, I’ve outlined two separate sections for “Beef” and for “Vegetables & Noodles”.
Beef Prep:
Cut the flank steak (with the grain) into strips about 2 inches wide
Slice the strips of flank steak into pieces about ¼ inch thick; slice perpendicular to the grain and at an angle. FAB TIP: Cutting the beef against the grain allows more sauce and flavor to get absorbed into the meat, and it will be easier to chew.
Mince fresh ginger
Slice the red pepper, yellow onion and shitake mushrooms into long strips. FAB TIP: Dried shitake mushrooms give a more robust flavor than fresh ones, but you will need to soak them for an hour or two in cool water before you can slice them (not included in the prep time above).
In a large bowl, mix the flank steak, minced ginger, onions, black bean garlic & chili garlic sauces, together and refrigerate until ready to stir-fry. (chili garlic sauce is optional; we like our beef a little spicy)
Vegetables & Noodles Prep:
Clean the bok choy and bean sprouts well, especially the bok choy – similar to celery, dirt often gets trapped by the base of the bunch.
Slice the bok choy at an angle to create long pieces
If not already pre-cut, slice the Chow Fun Noodles into strips (we prefer slightly wider slices, ~1 inch) and peel some of the layers apart.
INSTRUCTIONS:
Beef
Heat up the sesame oil in your Wok (or large frying pay) at medium to high (1-2 minutes).
While you wait for the wok to heat up, mix the corn starch and water in a small bowl and set aside
When the oil starts smoking, you are ready to go… get ready for the sizzle and smoke (turn on your exhaust fan).
Add the flank steak mixture along with red peppers and shitake mushrooms to the hot wok.
Stir fry until the beef is mostly brown but a little pink (about 4-5 minutes). You want your meat to be slightly undercooked.
Add in the corn starch and water mixture (this helps thicken the juices) and continue to stir fry for about a minute.
Empty the wok into a bowl and set aside (the beef will continue to cook while in the bowl, which is why you want to undercook the beef a touch)
Vegetable & Noodles
With the wok still hot and flavored with beef, dump in the bok choy, noodles and bean sprouts, and cover the wok. Turn heat to medium.FAB TIP: Traditional methods would have you add more hot oil and quickly stir fry the bean sprouts and noodles. Adding vegetables, like bok choy will release water and eliminate the need for more oil and make the noodles nice and tender.
Add the Oyster and Fish Sauces.
Cook the vegetables and noodles for 6-7 minutes, covered, but stir as needed.
When the vegetables are just about cooked to your liking, add the beef mixture into the wok, turn up the heat and stir for a 3-4 more minutes, until everything is thoroughly mixed together.
Remove from heat and serve.
Recipe by Fab Food Chicago at https://www.fabfoodchicago.com/fab-recipe-beef-chow-fun/