Beef, Vegetable & Shiso Noodles
You may have not heard of it - as I hadn’t until a year ago, when a friend of mine gifted me two little SHISO seedlings…
SHISO is very easy to grow and resilient, with leaves that are a gorgeous deep green and purple, and a smell that is quite pungent and have a unique taste – I’d say something along the lines of a mix of aniseed, mint and cinnamon.
In Japan, where it’s very popular, SHISO is used for wrapping sushi and in stews, soups and salads.
I love using SHISO finely shredded in an Asian-style coleslaw for an authentic taste but mostly, I add it to stir-fried beef and vege noodles, as it magically lifts an everyday meal to one that is special and deliciously fragrant!
Just in case you find SHISO’s unique flavour a bit too “intriguing” for your liking, feel free to replace it with basil leaves or omit it altogether.
And if cooking this recipe in an early learning or school setting, it’s ok to replace the beef strips for finely diced beef, chicken or mince; omit the chilli flakes; and chop the vegetables as you’d normally do, in order to suit children's age.
BEEF, VEGETABLE & SHISO NOODLES
1 Tbsp cooking oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tsp ginger, finely grated
A pinch of dried chilli flakes (optional)
200g beef, finely sliced (I used rump)
Soy sauce
Kecap Manis (Sweet soy sauce)
1 carrot, cut in half lengthways then thinly sliced
1 courgette, cut in half lengthways then thinly sliced
Handful button mushrooms, finely sliced
1 tbsp cornflour
2-3 shiso leaves, finely shredded (or fresh basil)
Fine egg noodles (or alternative, e.g. flat rice noodles, udon, etc), cooked and drained
Method:
1. Marinate beef strips with the garlic, ginger, chilli flakes and about 1 tbsp soy sauce and a drizzle of Kecap Manis.
2. Heat a wok or frying pan and add a drizzle of cooking oil. Stir-fry beef until browned. Remove from pan and reserve.
3..Return pan to heat and add another drizzle of oil. Stir-fry veggies until they begin to soften. Return reserved meat and fry for another minute or so.
4. Add ½ cup of water and let it bubble - at this point, taste a little of the liquid to see if it needs more soy, kecap manis or a pinch of salt – and if happy with the taste, dissolve the cornflour in a little cold water and add to the pan, stirring until sauce thickens.
5. Add cooked noodles and shredded shiso to the sauce and toss until well combined.
6. Serve!
YUM!!! :)