Not that we’ve been eating out (AT ALL since March 2020) or even doing take out lately, but most of our meals seemed to be coming from bagged salads.  I might throw a sandwich in occasionally.  A soup might be added.   Once or twice a month, I would get a box from Hello Fresh.  (Not really creative.)

To start off 2021, I decided to start cooking meals again.  I’ve actually made totally homemade chicken and noodles (boiling down a roasted chicken carcass and making a family recipe for the noodles), chili, spaghetti with homemade meatballs (and bread), Coq au Vin, and pizza (more about the pizzas later).

Since we’re not visiting restaurants or local establishments much, I miss my Yelping, too.  I participated in another great Yelp event, Asian Inspired Dishes with Haochi US,   and cooked along with the Chef Elizabeth.  The results were outrageous (yet simple).

Spicy Beef Sambel

By Haochi US

Easy and spicy and delicious.

Ingredients

• 3 T. oyster sauce (I used Hoisen sauce b/c that’s what I had on hand.)
• 2 T. sambal oelek or Chinese chili garlic paste
• 2 t. dark sweet soy sauce (I used regular soy but added 1 t. honey to the entire sauce mixture.)
• 2 T. vegetable or canola oil
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 4 tomatoes, diced or 15 oz. can of diced tomatoes (Can use cherry tomatoes.)
• 13 oz. dried rice stick noodles
• green onion, finely chopped, to serve (optional)
• chili flakes, to serve (optional)

Instructions

1. For the stir-fry sauce, mix the oyster sauce, sambal oelek, and soy sauce in a small bowl.  Set aside.
2. Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or large frying pan over high heat. Add the beef and spread it out in the pan in a layer. Leave it to sear for 5-6 minutes or until browned. Then mix and break up the beef with your spatula. Now add the garlic, onion and sauce mixture and saute for another 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. In the meantime, cook the noodles until just al dente. If the sauce is not ready, rinse them under cold running water to stop them cooking. If the sauce is ready, transfer them straight into the sauce.
4. Toss the cooked noodles through the sauce. Divide among serving bowls and sprinkle with spring onions and chilli flakes, if using.

Yield: 4

You may also top this with your favorite Asian hot sauce, like sriracha.  If you can’t find rice noodles, substitute in angel hair pasta or just use rice.

This dish is too good not to share.   Seriously good stuff.  We call this our Asian spaghetti.  🙂