Beef Lo Mein

I'm a good Jew. And by that, I mean I love Chinese food. Even not on Christmas, I develop cravings for crispy egg rolls, wonton soup and sweet and sour chicken. And while it's nice to order in and line up those little cardboard containers on the table, it's also nice to be able to cook at home sometimes, which is where this recipe for beef lo mein comes in.

I added carrots, bean sprouts, mushrooms and scallions to my stir fry, but you can experiment with the vegetables you like, just be careful when it comes to cooking times. You can use just about any kind of noodle, but I like the flatness of soba or linguine because they give more surface area to soak up sauce and flavor.

This is best served right away, but if a pinch you can also reheat it on low – just make sure not to dry out the meat.

Beef Lo Mein – serves 4

2 tablespoons canola oil
1 pound steak, thinly sliced – sirloin or flank steak are good options
8 ounces udon or soba noodles – or spaghetti, cooked
½ cup shredded carrots
½ cup bean sprouts
2 portobello mushrooms caps, thinly sliced
⅓ cup sliced scallions
¾ cup beef or chicken broth
3 tablespoons soy sauce
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon sugar
salt and pepper to taste

In a large wok or skillet, heat the canola oil. Add the beef and sear each side for a few minutes, until just cooked through, being careful not to overcook. Remove to a plate.

Without cleaning it out, add the carrots, bean sprouts and mushroms to the skillet, cooking 10-12 minutes until the mushrooms are cooked. Add in the scallions and return the beef to the pan, mixing until all the ingredients are evenly distributed.
In a separate bowl, mix together the broth, soy sauce, garlic powder, cornstarch and sugar. Pour over the beef mixture and stir to coat. Add in the pasta, toss to combine, and leave on the heat 5 minutes to heat everything through.

Serve hot.