Badly Written Recipes: Chilli Beef/Crispy Tofu Ramen

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Aight recipe number 2 from me. If you know me, you know that I’m all about killing it in a studio, the kitchen is just a side hobby so make sure to read the WHOLE THING before cooking as i forget to write things in the right place from time to time.

for this recipe I use cheap instant noodles for two reasons: 1 is the come with stock and they cook super quick which takes a lot of effort out. 2 is that they taste AWESOME to me! when you grow up broke or had the university woes you almost definitely backed about 100 packs of these in your lifetime, you know its the truth don’t lie!! if you want you can substitute em for some fresh egg or rice noodles no problem though.

I also like throwing in VEGAN alternatives so my plant-based peeps can enjoy too!

so you’re gonna need:

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1 good steak ,any will do (Vegans grab some japanese tofu, and a bag of panko

breadcrumbs!)

1 packet of ramen (theyre usually wheat noodles but if you’re vegan be sure, and get spicy, or sesame flavour)

half a pack of beansprouts

half an avocado

1 …stalk? of lemongrass

1 red chilli

1 green chilli

fresh coriander (cilantro to the yanks lol)

1 lime

1 clove of garlic

crushed chilli

powdered ginger

1 teaspoon of mirin

garlic powder

dried parsley

chiu chow chilli oil

1 handful  of baby spinach

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before we start, I just have to stress how lit this chilli oil is man, i could eat it on its own easily. I don’t know what chilli oil you picked up, but try and get this one and you wont be disappointed.

Cooking the steak

ok first you want to let your steak reach room temp. take it out of its packaging and leave it for like 20 mins. we’re gonna cook the steak first, then while its rests do the noodle soup. the only difference if you’re doing the tofu version is that you’re gonna fry your tofu AFTER you make the soup as it needs no time to rest and it cooks super quick.

Put a non stick frying pan on a really hot stove till its almost smoking. season your steak with salt, black pepper, a teensy bit of mirin and the chiu chow chilli oil (just the liquid, not the chilli bits at the bottom)

cooking a steak right is a pretty personal thing due to the preference of rarity, so do it how you like it, youtube it, all of that. i like mine medium and this is how i do it personally (vegans the method for the tofu is written AFTER the soup so scroll doooown)

throw the steak on the dry pan on maximum heat for 1minute , flip over and sear the other side for another minute. turn the heat halfway and continue to cook for 3 minutes each side (im using a pretty thick cut, so adjust the time depending on the meats thickness)

now this is the MOST IMPORTANT point in this whole recipe. let the meat REST DAMMIT. put it on a chopping board, and don’t touch it for 10 minutes. seriously, this is one of the biggest things between your meat being trash or treasure lol.

Cooking the soup

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Now the soup, fill your serving bowl, yes your serving bowl three quarters full with cold water then transfer that water into a small saucepan and put onto the stove, medium heat.

chop the green chilli, crush the garlic, juice half a lime and throw in the water. add 1 teaspoon of dried garlic, crushed chilli and ginger. add the seasoning sachet(s) that came with the ramen and add the dried ramen block. crack the lemongrass stalk and throw it in. beansprouts? throw em in.

leave to simmer, stirring occasionally for 5-10 minutes, just check the noodles and when they’re limp enough to your liking, take off the stove.

chop up some coriander and thickly slice the red chilli. slice up the avocado.

Vegans! your time right here! –

crispy tofu in panko breadcrumbs recipe

remove your tofu from the packaging and thickly slice (like 1 cm thick. 3-4 slices don’t be greedy!)

season with salt, pepper,  1 teaspoon of mirin, 1 teaspoon of dark soy sauce & 1 teaspoon of garlic powder. empty out the panko breadcrumbs into a bowl and firmly press each slice into the crumbs, including the sides.

generously pour some chilli oil into  the frying pan on a hot stove till it heats up and cook the tofu 3 minutes each side on a medium to high heat. once golden brown, place on a wire rack or some kitchen towel while you assemble

Assembly

now time to bring all the glory together.

arrange your baby spinach around the bowl like a little nest. Take the lemongrass stalk out of the pot, unless you’re as savage and wanna try eating it and gently pour the contents into the bowl, in the dead centre.

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slice the steak diagonally, really thin, and arrange the corriander, steak, avocado & chilli’s like in the pic. get a nice big spoonful of the seeds in the bottom of the chilli oil and place in the middle, drizzle some oil over the steak slices and sprinkle some parsley over the top!

boom bang we’re done!

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this takes about 20mins and its reeeeeeally good, but lemma know your thoughts in the comments and all that.

i’ll try and alternate weekly between my cover songs and recipes, but check out the daily posts in between too. till next time!