Originally Beef-Broccoli Lo Mein from Cooking Light magazine, I found this recipe on MyRecipes.com and adapted it to the ingredients I had in the kitchen. I substituted cabbage for broccoli and used angel hair pasta instead of spaghetti. The result was a very delicious, easy to prepare dinner that was ready in no time flat. Feel free to use the vegetables you have on hand to make this dish a penny-saver.
During Veganomics, I had purchased red chile paste and lamented that I was afraid I would not use it again. I was glad to find another recipe that called for it, though the original recipe called for red chile paste with garlic. Either one would work fine in this dish. This is also an all-in-one type meal with vegetables, meat, and pasta all in the same dish, which saves time in the kitchen and avoids having to make unnecessary side dishes to compliment the main course.
Beef & Cabbage Lo Mein Noodles
adapted from Cooking Light
4 cups (8 oz uncooked) angel hair pasta
1 tsp dark sesame seed oil
1 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and minced
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 head cabbage, cored and sliced
1 yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 lb beef, thinly sliced (cut for stir-fry)
3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp red chile paste
green onions, chopped (optional)
Bring a medium pot of water to boil and cook pasta according to package directions, omitted any salt or oil. Drain and toss with sesame seed oil, keeping warm. Meanwhile, whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, oyster sauce, and red chile paste in a small bowl.
While pasta cooks, in a large skillet or wok, saute ginger and garlic in olive oil over high heat for 30 seconds. Add onion and saute for 1 minute. Add cabbage and saute until slightly wilted, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside in a large bowl.
Add beef strips to pan, sauteing on one side for 2-3 minutes. Add soy sauce mixture and toss to coat beef. Return cabbage mixture to pan and toss to coat. Continue to sauteing, adding cooked pasta, until beef is just cooked through (do not overcook). Serve immediately, topped with chopped green onions if desired.
