From Grace Brinton of Tru Provisions
For this dish, I took inspiration from the comfort of a noodle bowl and paired it with the flavors of Mongolian beef. The result is a rich, satisfying broth with fall-apart-tender beef ready to be slurped up with sesame zucchini noodles. To mix things up a bit, we’re using beef stew meat instead of the traditional flank steak you usually see in Mongolian beef. If you want to prep ahead of time, spiralize your noodles and make the dressing, but don’t mix them together until about 15 minutes before serving. You can also prep the sauce ahead of time. It thickens while cooking due to the arrowroot, which gives this dish a rich and flavorful finish.
Serves 4
Prep: 45 minutes
Slow Cook: 10 hours (low) or 5 hours (high)
Total: 10 hours 45 minutes
For the Sauce
¾ cup coconut aminos
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 piece (1 inch) fresh ginger, peeled and grated
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
For the Beef
2 pounds beef stew meat
3 tablespoons arrowroot powder
½ teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons avocado oil
2¼ cups Whole30-compliant beef broth or Beef Bone Broth (page 294)
For the Noodles and Dressing
2 packages (10.7 ounces each) zucchini noodles or 3 medium zucchini, spiralized
2 cups thinly sliced bok choy
½ cup thinly sliced green onions
4½ teaspoons toasted sesame oil
4 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Make the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the coconut aminos, olive oil, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Set aside.
Make the beef: In a medium bowl, combine the beef, arrowroot, and salt; toss to coat. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat; add 2 teaspoons of the avocado oil. Cook half the meat until browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the meat to a 4-quart slow cooker. Repeat with remaining 2 teaspoons oil and meat. Pour the sauce over the beef in the cooker and stir to coat. Pour 1¼ cups of the broth into the skillet. Stir, scraping the browned bits on the bottom of the skillet. Pour over the beef and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 5 hours.
Make the noodles and dressing: About 15 minutes before serving, place the noodles in a large bowl. Add the bok choy and half the green onions. In a small bowl, combine the sesame oil, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Pour the dressing over the noodles and toss to coat. Set aside to let the noodles soften.
Transfer the beef to a bowl. Use two forks to coarsely shred the beef. Use a fine-mesh sieve to strain the cooking liquid into a small saucepan. Pour ½ cup of the strained cooking liquid over the beef; stir to coat. Add the remaining 1 cup broth to the saucepan with the cooking liquid and heat through, about 2 minutes.
Divide the noodles among four bowls. Pour the hot broth over the noodles. Top the noodles with the beef. Serve with the remaining green onions.