Vietnamese Pasta Stir-Fry with Beef (Nui Xào Bò)

Name: Vietnamese Pasta Stir-Fry with Beef (Nui Xào Bò)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2
Ingredients: 8.5-10 oz beef, thinly sliced against the grain; 1/4 teaspoon salt ((and more for cooking the pasta)); 1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper, divided; 4-5 garlic cloves, minced, divided; olive oil; 5 oz pasta, short type ((I use fusilli)); 1 small onion, thinly sliced; 1 small carrot, julienned ((or half a large carrot, around 2.5 oz)); half a red bell pepper, julienned; 3.5 oz baby bok choy, cut into sections ((or other greens like yu choy sum, spinach)); 2 tablespoons oyster sauce; 2 tablespoons soy sauce; 1 tablespoon ketchup ((see Notes for substitute)); 3/4 teaspoon sugar ((to taste))

Prep 15 min Cook 15 min Serves 2 Source

Ingredients

8.5-10 oz beef, thinly sliced against the grain
1/4 teaspoon salt ((and more for cooking the pasta))
1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper, divided
4-5 garlic cloves, minced, divided
olive oil
5 oz pasta, short type ((I use fusilli))
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 small carrot, julienned ((or half a large carrot, around 2.5 oz))
half a red bell pepper, julienned
3.5 oz baby bok choy, cut into sections ((or other greens like yu choy sum, spinach))
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon ketchup ((see Notes for substitute))
3/4 teaspoon sugar ((to taste))

Steps

1
In a bowl, toss thinly-sliced beef with 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon minced garlic and 1 teaspoon oil. Set aside for about 10 minutes while preparing other ingredients.
2
Combine oyster sauce, soy sauce, ketchup, sugar and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a bowl to make the stir-fry sauce. Taste and adjust the level of sweetness to your liking
3
Cook pasta in boiling salted water according to package instructions, but undercook by 1 minute. Rinse under cold water, drain and toss with some olive oil to prevent sticking.
4
Heat a pan over medium heat, add some oil. Once the oil is hot, add half of the remaining minced garlic, stir and cook for a few seconds until fragrant. Then add sliced onions, stir briefly and then add julienned carrots and bell pepper. Stir and cook for 1-2 minutes, then add baby bok choy. Continue to stir and cook for another minute until all veggies are crisp-tender. Transfer to a plate.
5
To the same pan, add a bit more oil. Sauté the remaining minced garlic for a few seconds until fragrant. Add beef to the pan in a thin layer (increase the heat to medium-high if needed), sear, stir and cook until beef is 70-80% cooked. Add pasta and half of the stir-fry sauce. Toss and cook for a few seconds to coat beef and pasta with sauce.
6
Add the vegetables to the pan and give everything a quick toss. Then add the remaining sauce and continue to stir-fry quickly until everything is cooked through. Transfer to serving plates and serve immediately.