Thai Basil Noodles with Beef
BellaFina™ peppers may be used to create a wide variety of recipes, from appetizers to main dishes. BellaFina peppers are often used in salads, vegetables trays with or without dip, cooked in stews and sauces and stuffed with meat, cheese and grains.
Grown on the vine in the field, BellaFina peppers are a great source of vitamins and nutrients. They are low calorie, fat free, sodium free and high in Vitamin C.
Serves: 3 servings
INGREDIENTS
¼ cup gluten-free tamari or coconut aminos
2 teaspoons fish sauce
1 teaspoon molasses
1 teaspoon sambal oelek, or more for spicier noodles
2 tablespoons raw or coconut sugar
¼ cup hot water
12 ounces thinly sliced beef, sliced crosswise into pieces about 2 inches long*
¾ teaspoon tapioca flour
7 ounces wide rice noodles
3 red Bellafina peppers, chopped
1 shallot, halved and thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 dried red Thai chiles
2 large eggs
1 cup lightly packed Thai basil leaves**
INSTRUCTIONS
Mix all the sauce ingredients in a bowl until the sugar dissolves. Put the beef and tapioca starch in a separate bowl, add two tablespoons of the sauce, and toss until well mixed. Let the beef marinate while you prepare the other ingredients.
Prepare the rice noodles according to the package directions (mine just needed to be soaked in warm water for 10 minutes). Make sure your vegetables are chopped and ready to go.
Heat a very large skillet or wok over high heat and add 2 tablespoons of avocado oil. When the oil is very hot, add the Bellafina peppers, shallots, and garlic, and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes, then add the chiles. Stir-fry for one minute and then push the vegetables to the edges of the pan. Add the beef in a single layer and let cook undisturbed for about a minute, then toss with the vegetables for a minute or so.
Add the noodles and most of the sauce, leaving a little in the bowl to add later so the noodles won’t be dry. Cook, stirring occasionally until most of the sauce is clinging to the noodles. Push everything to one side of the pan and add a little more oil to the other side. Crack the eggs into the pan, break the yolks with your spatula, and then flip some of the noodles over onto the top of the eggs. Let cook undisturbed for about 30 seconds, then stir to distribute the pieces of egg throughout the dish.
Once the egg is cooked, turn off the heat and stir in the basil and the last bit of sauce. If the noodles look dry, add water one tablespoon at a time. Serve right away.
NOTES
*I got thinly sliced beef from ButcherBox. If you’re going to slice the beef yourself, I recommend freezing it first for 30-45 minutes so it’s easier to slice it nice and thin. Rump or sirloin steak works well here.
**Italian basil also works, but it’s worth it to track down some Thai basil if it’s available near you. Most Asian markets will have it.
Slightly adapted from a recipe from acalculatedwhisk.com