Description
A flavorful and quick-to-make Black Pepper Beef Noodles recipe featuring tender marinated rump steak stir-fried with fresh Hokkien noodles, crisp choy sum, and a savory black pepper sauce, perfect for a comforting Asian-inspired meal served in just 35 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef Marinade
- 400–500 g (14 oz–1 lb 2 oz) rump (sirloin) steak, thinly sliced against the grain
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- 1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
Sauce
- 3 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tsp white sugar
- 1 tbsp freshly cracked black pepper
- ½ cup (125 ml) beef stock
- 1 tsp cornflour (cornstarch) mixed with 1 tbsp water
Stir-fry and Vegetables
- 2 tbsp neutral oil of choice (e.g., light olive oil)
- 1 brown onion, cut into thick wedges
- 1 tbsp freshly minced garlic
- 1 bunch choy sum, trimmed and cut into 5 cm (2 in) lengths
- 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) fresh Hokkien (thick egg) noodles
- Extra freshly cracked black pepper (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Marinate the beef: In a large bowl, combine the thinly sliced rump steak with bicarbonate of soda, light and dark soy sauces, Shaoxing wine, cornflour, sesame oil, and ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper. Toss well to coat evenly and let it rest for 15–20 minutes to tenderize and absorb flavors.
- Prepare the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, white sugar, freshly cracked black pepper, beef stock, and the cornflour-water mixture until smooth. Set aside for later use.
- Cook the beef: Heat a large deep heavy-based pan or wok over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the neutral oil and stir-fry half of the marinated beef for 1–2 minutes until browned but still tender. Remove and transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining beef and second tablespoon of oil.
- Cook the vegetables: In the same pan, add the onion wedges and minced garlic. Stir-fry for about 1 minute until fragrant. Add the chopped choy sum and toss for another 1–2 minutes just until the greens are wilted but still crisp.
- Combine beef and noodles: Return all the cooked beef to the pan with the vegetables. Add the fresh Hokkien noodles and pour in the prepared black pepper sauce. Using tongs, toss everything together for 2–3 minutes until the noodles are coated in the glossy sauce and heated through.
- Serve: Divide the black pepper beef noodles evenly among four bowls. Finish with extra freshly cracked black pepper if desired for additional heat and aroma. Serve immediately while hot.
Notes
- Substitute sirloin, porterhouse, or New York strip steak if rump steak is not available.
- Adjust bicarbonate of soda proportionally if scaling the recipe up to avoid over-tenderizing the beef.
- Adjust the amount of freshly cracked black pepper according to your preferred spice level.
- If fresh Hokkien noodles are unavailable, dried egg noodles or udon noodles can be used as substitutes but adjust cooking times accordingly.
