Week Nine: Julianna

This week, I was given the task of finding a recipe to share with all of you lovely folks. I was initially worried about this because, well, it’s sad to say, but I never make a meal at home because I live with my parents. That being said, it turned out that my parents were not going to be eating dinner at home on Monday, which left me to fend for myself — poor me. Luck being on my side once again, my older brother has been staying at our home for the past week. Together we bonded while concocting and improvising a recipe that we found on Mark Bittman’s The Minimalist blog.

Honestly, I’m not sure how healthy it is, but the more veggies you add the better. Plus, you can substitute the steak for leaner meat such as chicken or turkey. It is great because Bittman says that “your version is as legitimate as anyone’s.” Items can be substituted as well as the amount of each when putting together the Yakisoba. This is why this recipe is so much fun to make. Not to mention that it is “fast food”, at least according to Bittman, which is especially great for students who have things to do and places to be.

Yakisoba with steak and fresh vegetables
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 thinly sliced strip loin steaks (substitute with any other lean meat)
Handful of carrots, shredded or whole
1 green pepper, sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
Handful of sugar snap peas
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1-teaspoon ketchup
1-tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons Oyster sauce
2 packages of Ichiban noodles

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil, then add noodles. Cook until just done, about 2 minutes. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, put vegetable oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add garlic, stir for about 1 minute. Add steak slices. Cook for about 8 minutes or until cooked to desired redness.
3. Add noodles into the large skillet and mix with meat.
4. Add vegetables and cook until vegetables soften. You may need to turn down the heat slightly to avoid burning.
5. Meanwhile, stir together in a small bowl ketchup, soy sauce and oyster sauce. You may add Tabasco sauce if spice is desired. Add sauce and mix until everything is well coated and heated to desired temperature.
   Makes about 2-4 servings