Delicious Japanese beef with soba noodles

Invite your friends over for a casual night in and cook this Japanese one–dish meal. Delicious, healthy and impressive looking.

Serves: 4
Preparation: 10 minutes
Cooking: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• ½ cup (125 ml) salt–reduced dark soy sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tablespoon cornflour (cornstarch)
• 1 teaspoon wasabi paste
• 500 g (1 lb) lean sirloin steak, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 300 g (10 oz) soba (Japanese buckwheat noodles)
• 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
• 1 large red capsicum (bell pepper), halved, seeded and thinly sliced
• 5 spring onions (scallions), sliced
• 1½ cups (125 g) sliced shiitake mushrooms
• 3 cups (750 ml) dashi stock, made with dashi powder
• 1 sheet nori, cut into thin strips
• ½ cup (15 g) chopped fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves

Preparation:

1. Put ¼ cup (60 ml) of the soy sauce in a bowl with the garlic, cornflour and wasabi paste and mix well to combine.
2. Add the steak and stir until well coated.
3. Set aside.
4. Cook the noodles in a saucepan of boiling water for about 6 minutes, or until al dente.
5. Drain well and set aside.
6. Heat 1 tablespoon of the sunflower oil in a large wok or large non–stick frying pan over high heat.
7. Add the capsicum, spring onions and mushrooms and stir–fry for 4 minutes, or until the vegetables have softened.
8. Remove to a plate.
9. Heat the remaining oil in the wok, add the steak and stir–fry for about 4 minutes, or until just tender.
10. Remove to a plate.
11. Put the stock and remaining soy sauce into the wok, add the noodles, vegetables, nori and coriander.
12. Toss well, then return the steak to the wok and toss again.
13. Divide the noodles, vegetables and beef among serving bowls and spoon over some of the cooking liquid.
14. Serve immediately.

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This recipe first appeared in Reader’s Digest. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, here’s our best subscription offer.