Pork, beef & lamb· GF · DF

Crispy Chilli Beef Noodle Base

Name: Crispy Chilli Beef Noodle Base
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 500g beef mince (10% fat); 1 (160g) red pepper, thin strips; 1 (150g) onion, sliced; 150g carrot, matchsticks; 2 (20g) red chillies, sliced; 4 cloves (20g) garlic; 15g fresh ginger; 60g sweet chilli sauce; 30ml soy sauce; 20g tomato ketchup; 15ml rice vinegar; 10g cornflour; 4 (60g) spring onions, sliced; 15ml rapeseed oil; 100ml water

The takeaway favourite made with mince: crispy beef with peppers, carrot and fresh chilli in a sticky sweet chilli and soy glaze.

makes 15 blocks, about 51p each

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Illustration of a bowl of Crispy Chilli Beef Noodle Base

Time: 30 min15 min prep · 15 min cook
Makes: 15 blocks
Cost per blockPer block: 51p
Calories per blockCalories: 79 kcal
Spice: 3 of 5

You’ll need

Batch size

blocks

500gbeef mince (10% fat)
1 (160g)red pepper, thin strips
1 (150g)onion, sliced
150gcarrot, matchsticks
2 (20g)red chillies, sliced
4 cloves (20g)garlic
15gfresh ginger
60gsweet chilli sauce
30mlsoy sauce
20gtomato ketchup
15mlrice vinegar
10gcornflour
4 (60g)spring onions, sliced
15mlrapeseed oil
100mlwater

Allergens: Soya. Check the labels on stock cubes, sauces and pastes, as brands vary.

Serve it

Tossed through egg noodles · With egg-fried rice · In lettuce cups

Method

Step 1: Heat the oil in a wok or large pan over a high heat and fry the mince for 10 minutes without stirring too much, until dark and crisp.
Step 2: Add the onion, pepper and carrot and stir-fry for 3 minutes, then the garlic, ginger and chillies for 1 minute.
Step 3: Mix the sweet chilli sauce, soy, ketchup, vinegar, cornflour and water and pour in. Bubble for 2 minutes until sticky.
Step 4: Off the heat, stir in the spring onions.
Step 5: Cool quickly and freeze in 70g blocks.

Hotter: keep the chilli seeds in and add chilli flakes.

Nutrition (estimated)
	kcal	protein	carbs	fat	fibre	salt
Per block	79	7.7g	6.5g	2.7g	0.9g	0.35g
Per 3 blocks	237	23.1g	19.5g	8.1g	2.7g	1.05g

Cook’s notes

To serve 1: cook 1 nest of egg noodles, reheat 3 blocks in a hot wok with 2 tbsp water, then toss together.
Let the mince really crisp before adding the veg; that's the 'crispy'.
Keep the chilli seeds in for a 4.

Serve it

Tossed through egg noodles · With egg-fried rice · In lettuce cups.

Freeze, reheat and serve

Freeze: Cool it within two hours, portion it into 70g blocks in a silicone tray, then bag and label them. It keeps for 3 months.
Reheat: Microwave 3 blocks, covered, for 1 minute, stir, then heat for another 1 to 2 minutes until piping hot all the way through. Or warm them in a pan with a splash of water. Never refreeze thawed blocks.
A portion: 3 blocks (210g) make a dinner for one adult: about 237 kcal and 23.1g protein before rice, bread or potatoes.

Crispy Chilli Beef Noodle Base questions

Why shouldn't I stir the mince much?

Leaving it against the hot pan lets the moisture cook off and the edges caramelise, while constant stirring keeps it steaming and grey. Break it up at the start, then turn it only every couple of minutes.

Can I use steak instead of mince?

Thin strips of rump or frying steak work well. Toss them in a little cornflour and fry them in batches over a high heat until crisp, then carry on with the veg and sauce.

Which noodles keep the meal gluten-free?

Egg noodles contain wheat, so use rice noodles if you need the whole meal gluten-free. Flat rice noodles or rice vermicelli both work; soak them as the packet says and toss them through the hot sauce.