START TO FINISH: 40 minutes
SERVINGS: 4
Tibet shares much of its border with India and Nepal, and centuries of trade have made curry blends an important element in Tibetan cuisine. Use dried Asian wheat noodles about ⅛ inch in diameter; the noodles must have enough heft to stand up to the beef and cabbage. Japanese udon is a good, widely available option, but don’t use Italian pasta—it didn’t give us the right texture for the dish. To use your time efficiently, season the steak first and let it stand while prepping the rest of the ingredients.
Don’t forget to rinse the cooked and drained noodles under running cold water. This stops the cooking, preventing them from turning mushy, and washes away excess starch.
3 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
2 tablespoons white sugar, divided
12-ounce flank steak
6 ounces dried medium-thick Asian wheat noodles (see note)
2 tablespoons grapeseed or other neutral oil, divided
8 scallions, whites finely chopped, greens sliced, reserved separately
8 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon curry powder
1½ pounds napa cabbage, cut lengthwise into 3-inch wedges, then crosswise into thin strips (about 7 cups)
Kosher salt
Lime wedges, to serve
In a medium bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce and 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Cut the steak in half with the grain, then cut each piece across the grain into ¼-inch slices. Add the steak to the soy mixture and toss. Marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes.
In a large pot bring 4 quarts water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook until tender. Drain and rinse under cold water until cool. Set aside.
In a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil until shimmering. Add the steak and any accumulated juices and cook, stirring constantly, until no longer pink, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl.
To the same skillet, add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and heat over medium until shimmering. Add the scallion whites, garlic, ginger and curry powder. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the cabbage, the remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce, the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring and scraping up any browned bits, until the thick rib pieces of the cabbage are crisp-tender, about 4 minutes.
Add the noodles and toss. Add the steak and any accumulated juices and toss again. Off heat, taste and season with salt, then stir in the scallion greens. Serve with lime wedges.