Korean BBQ Beef Udon

Korean BBQ Beef Udon
Serves 4 to 6

I was classical trained in French cuisine many years ago as a young commis chef. I later became an executive chef at a French style restaurant in England. I have to be honest and say I love the depth of flavors, the cooking techniques, and traditions that follow the French kitchen brigade. The high content of fat, sugar and salt were always on my health-conscious mind.

In 1999, my whole outlook on diet was reshaped when my youngest son Matthew became a type 1 diabetic. The fat, salt and sugar had to go, if we wanted Matthew’s blood sugars to be as normal as possible. I started to develop recipes and dishes that reflected my change in attitude about food. Using mainly vegetables, grains, pulses, seeds, nuts, fruits, fish, shellfish, and lean animal meats, our eating habits evolved to a whole-food approach to eating. We used fat, salt, and sugar are used in very small amounts or not at all.

A trip to Singapore over ten years ago had the profound effect of changing my cooking style again to a more Asian style. When my wife Alison was diagnosed with stage four cancer in 2008, these French and Asian techniques greatly helped with recipe development for her. Being a chef for almost 40 years, it still thrills me to look at an old recipe and apply a new technique like grilling, poaching, roasting, braising, or stir frying that retains a higher level of nutrition and makes a healthier dish.

This recipe for Korean spicy beef udon noodle bowl includes a surprise ingredient that you probably don’t’ think of in an Asian noodle bowl, fruit. I’ve added a half cup of fresh pineapple chunks to add sweetness that takes this spicy dish down a notch or two and ups the flavor. This healthy family recipe takes no time at all to prepare because you’re cutting a very tender good grade of beef, like flank steak, ribeye or a New York strip into thin strips. The beef is velvety, delicious, and complements the vegetables, noodles and sweet and spicy Korean style sauce. Enjoy or Jeulgyeo, as they say in Korea.

Ingredients:

Bowl
2 cups grass fed beef, either rib eye, NY strip or flank steak, cut into thin strips
2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 cup carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup onions, peeled and thinly sliced
½ cup celery, thinly sliced
½ cup fresh pineapple, peeled and flesh cut into small cubes
2 cups green beans or beans sprouts
2 cups fresh udon noodles

Korean BBQ sauce
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
6 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon gochugaru (coarse Korean hot pepper flakes), or ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon grated peeled ginger
1 tablespoon light brown sugar

How to make:
Take a large wok and place over a medium to high heat on the stove. Add the oil. When it is hot add the beef strips. Stir continually until the beef is crisp and golden, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the vegetables and pineapple and continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Toss in the green beans or sprouts and noodles along with the Korean BBQ sauce ingredients. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring all the time until everything is cooked through and piping hot. Remove from the stove and serve.