Vegetable Beef Lo Mein

There’s something about eating noodles with chopsticks that, to me, has always seemed supremely exotic and fun. I know that sounds provincial, as quite literally half of the world eats noodles with chopsticks as an everyday occurrence and thinks nothing of it.

Growing up in the 80’s though, in suburban New England, films in which New Yorkers ate Chinese take-out straight from the box with chopsticks, always made me want Chinese food. Now, when I find myself in a standard American Chinese restaurant, I can’t pass up the lo mein. But, as with any food, I like to know what’s in it and where it came from, so I like to make my own Lo Mein at home.

This is a colorful dish, great to serve as a main course. The beef tenderizes as it marinates in ginger and soy sauce, resulting in satisfyingly tender chunks of beef. Bell peppers and snow peas add color and the udon noodles offer the perfect tooth.

Vegetable Beef Lo Mein – serves 4-6

1 1/2 lb well-marbled beef sirloin tips, cut against the grain into 1 inch cubes
1/4 C soy sauce
1 T grated ginger
1 8 oz package udon noodles
2 T olive oil
1 red bell pepper
1 orange or yellow bell pepper
1 C snap peas, de-strung
1 onion, chopped

Combine the ginger and soy sauce, and toss with the beef. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the noodles as directed. Drain, rinse and toss with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in the colander. Set aside.

Over medium-low heat, caramelize the onions for 10 minutes. Add the peppers and snow peas. Cook for an additional 10 minutes until the colors become vibrant, watching the heat to be sure not to burn the vegetables. Remove from heat.

In a deep sauté pan or shallow stock pot, bring the olive oil to a shimmer over medium-high heat. Add the beef, lower the heat to medium/medium-low and saute for 10 – 12 minutes, until the juices begin to thicken.

Add the noodles to the beef and toss. Turn off the heat, add the vegetables and toss.

Serve hot.