By Linda Gassenheimer / Tribune News Service
Enjoy a quick, crunchy taste of Vietnam. This fragrant stir-fry features beef and bok choy, a cousin of cabbage. My friend Binh Duong introduced me to this Vietnamese treat.
It takes a few extra minutes to prepare the ingredients, but only 7 to 8 minutes to cook. To speed cooking place the ingredients on a plate in order of use.
Helpful hints:
■ Flank steak can be used instead of skirt steak, or buy beef cut for stir-fry at the market.
■ Any type of stir-fry sauce found in the market can be used.
■ Chinese cabbage can be used instead of bok choy.
■ A quick way to slice scallions is to snip them with a scissors.
■ A quick way to use fresh ginger, is to peel it by scraping it with the edge of a teaspoon and press it through a garlic press or grate it.
Countdown:
■ Prepare ingredients.
■ Boil the noodles and drain.
■ Complete dish.
Vietnamese stir-fried beef with crispy noodles
¼ pound Chinese noodles or angel hair pasta
¾ pound skirt steak
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Vegetable oil spray
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
4 cups sliced bok choy including green tops
4 scallions, sliced (about ¾ cup)
¼ cup bottled stir-fry sauce
Bring a large saucepan filled with water to a boil and add the noodles. As soon as the water returns to a boil, drain.
Remove visible fat from steak and slice against the grain into ½-inch strips. Set aside. Prepare remaining ingredients.
Heat oil in wok or skillet until smoking. Add the drained noodles and stir-fry for 2 minutes, they will become crisp. Divide between two dinner plates.
Spray the wok or skillet with vegetable oil spray and add the ginger and fry about 10 seconds. Add bok choy and scallions and stir fry until wilted but still crunchy, about 2 minutes. Remove to a bowl. Add the beef and stir-fry 2 minutes. Remove to bowl with vegetables. Add stir-fry sauce to wok. Heat until sauce bubbles. Add vegetables and beef to the sauce. Toss well. Serve over noodles.
Yield 2 servings. Nutrition per serving: 603 calories (33 percent from fat), 22.3 grams fat (6.7 grams saturated, 9.7 grams monounsaturated), 156 milligrams cholesterol, 48.8 grams protein, 55 grams carbohydrates, 4.1 grams fiber, 1,263 milligrams sodium.
Linda Gassenheimer writes for Tribune News Services.
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