I have had Facebook requests for my no nonsense Beef Chow Mein. It is a very easy dish and can be made with ingredients that most kitchen cupboards have. I have decided to name drop stores where you can get some of the ingredients really cheaply, somethings you will need to go to of the top 3 chains and not buy own brand. Therfore I’ll pick out the cheapest store.

Ingredients (serves 3-4)

Diced Beef (ASDA) – I bought 500g frozen lean bag which is on a frozen meat deal

1 large Carrot

1/2 Pak Choi (Lidl)- alternatively thin strips of white cabbage 

Pkt Baby Sweetcorn (Lidl) – sweet potato batons can be an alternative or just leave them out

Bell aka Salad Peppers 1/2 a Green or Yellow pepper & Red(Lidl) 

1/2 bag of Beansprouts (Tesco everyday)

Pack of fresh egg noodles (Tesco)

Vegetable Preparation

Carrots – top and tail and peel as you normally would and discard the peelings. Now continue taking long strips with the peeler.

Pack Choi – halve along the length – discard the knot at the bottom, and take thin slices along the length.

Peppers chopped coarsly around 2cms square if you have kitchen OCD.

The Gravy 

2-3Tbs Soy sauce (Lidl)

2 Tbs Osyter sauce (Tesco)

1/2 Glass of white wine or you can use wine, rice, or apple vinegar.

*Sesame oil or the juices from the wok 

1Tbs sugar

1Tbs cornflour alternatively any flour will do

Method

Heat a wok with a little sesame oil on a medium heat (if you are using a deep frying pan increase the heat).

Add the beef and brown until completely sealed.

If there is a lot of juices in the wok, decant to a saucepan*.

Next add the vegetables and combine. 

Place the juices pan on a high heat & add the oyster and soy sauces as well as the wine. Stir vigorously. 

When the sauce almost boils add the sugar and flour mixing continually trying to avoid any floury lumps. 

When combined add this ‘gravy’ straight into the wok, combine and reduce the wok heat to low. Occasionally stir.

After a few minutes (less than 5) decant the chow mein to a serving dish.

The Noodles

Return the wok to a high heat, pour a good drop of soy and and about 2tsp of sesame oil. Next add the noodles and flash fry until warm. 

Decant and enjoy your wonderful homemade Beef chow mein. 

Have it your way

This recipe can be altered for meat lovers to include chicken, pork or lamb. For vegetarians Quorn chicken or sweet potato or jackfruit can be used as meat substitutes.

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