STICKY GARLIC BEEF UDON

Tender seared beef and chewy udon noodles tossed with crisp vegetables in a rich, sticky garlic sauce with honey, soy and chilli. Sweet, savoury, garlicky and ready in minutes — the perfect quick noodle bowl.

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

In a little bowl, mix together the soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, ketchup, garlic, lemon juice, chilli flakes, water and cornflour.

Step 2

Give it a proper stir so there are no lumps of cornflour.

Step 3

Taste it now. You want salty → garlicky → sweet → little kick of heat.

Step 4

Slice your beef thinly

Step 5

Add it to a bowl with garlic granules, smoked paprika, onion granules, pepper, a tiny pinch of salt, soy sauce, cornflour and oil.

Step 6

Mix everything together until the beef has a light coating.

Step 7

Get a wok or frying pan really hot with a small drizzle of oil. Spread the beef out in one layer and leave it alone for around 45–60 seconds so it actually browns rather than steams. Toss and cook for another 1–2 minutes, depending on how thin you’ve sliced it.

Step 8

Once browned and just cooked, take it OUT of the pan.

Step 9

Into the same pan, add your red onion and bell pepper. Stir-fry over high heat for around 1–2 minutes so they pick up a little colour but retain some crunch. Finally add the chopped garlic and fry for around 30 seconds until fragrant.

Step 10

If your udon are vacuum-packed/pre-cooked, loosen them according to the packet instructions first. Add them straight into the pan with the vegetables. Toss over high heat for about 1 minute.

Step 11

Give your sauce another stir because the cornflour will have settled. Pour it into the pan. Let it bubble for 30–60 seconds, tossing the noodles constantly.

Step 12

Return your beef — including any juices — to the pan. Toss everything together for another 30–60 seconds, just until the beef is hot and every noodle is coated in that glossy garlic sauce.