Orange Beef Lo Mein with Gai Lan & Napa Cabbage

Orange Beef Lo Mein

with Gai Lan & Napa Cabbage

20 MIN
2 Servings
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From the Test Kitchen

In this recipe, you’ll make a healthful, quick stir-fry that’s seasonal and delicious. The sauce that gives this dish its unique flavor is made with both orange juice and orange zest, infusing the beef and lo mein noodles with a bright, citrusy note. As for the vegetables, you’ll be using napa cabbage and gai lan (a broccoli relative with a slightly stronger taste). It’s a simple, fresh and homemade way to enjoy a take-out favorite.

Get Cooking
  • Nutrition
    PER SERVING
  • Calories
    700 Cals (est.)
fresh
ingredients
Orange Beef Lo Mein with Gai Lan & Napa Cabbage
Title
  • 8 oz Ground Beef
  • 5 oz Lo Mein Noodles
  • 3 Scallions
  • 2 cloves Garlic
  • ½ bunch Gai Lan
  • 1 Navel Orange
  • ½ lb Napa Cabbage
  • 1½ Tbsps Cornstarch
  • 1 Tbsp Mirin
  • 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
  • 2 tsps Orange Beef Spice Blend (Chinese Five-Spice Powder, White Sesame Seeds, Dried Orange Peel & Ground Ginger)
time-saving
tips & techniques
Mirin
step-by-step
instructions
Cook Along Triangle Created with Sketch.
Prepare the ingredients:
1 Prepare the ingredients:

Wash and dry the fresh produce. Heat a medium pot of salted water to boiling on high. Cut off and discard the root ends of the scallions. Thinly slice the white bottoms; cut the green tops into 1-inch pieces. Peel and thinly slice the garlic. Cut off and discard the stem ends of the gai lan; roughly chop the gai lan. Using a peeler, remove the rind of the orange, avoiding the pith; mince the rind to get 1 tablespoon of zest (or use a zester). Halve the orange; squeeze the juice into the bowl of zest, straining out the seeds. Cut out and discard the cabbage core; thinly slice the cabbage. To the bowl of orange zest and juice, add the mirin, soy sauce and cornstarch; whisk to thoroughly combine.

Brown the beef:
2 Brown the beef:

In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 2 teaspoons of oil on medium-high until hot. Add the ground beef and half the spice blend; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently and breaking the meat apart with a spoon, 3 to 4 minutes, or until lightly browned. Transfer to a bowl, leaving any drippings in the pan. Carefully drain off and discard the drippings. Wipe out the pan.

Cook the vegetables:
3 Cook the vegetables:

In the same pan used to brown the beef, heat 2 teaspoons of oil on medium-high until hot. Add the garlic, white bottoms of the scallions and remaining spice blend. Cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until softened and fragrant. Add the gai lan and cabbage. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly softened.

Cook the noodles:
4 Cook the noodles:

While the vegetables cook, add the noodles to the pot of boiling water. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until al dente (still slightly firm to the bite). Reserve ¾ cup of the noodle cooking water; drain the noodles thoroughly.

Finish the noodles:
5 Finish the noodles:

To the pan of vegetables, add the cooked noodles, browned beef, orange sauce (whisking thoroughly just before adding) and ½ cup of the noodle cooking water. Cook, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes, or until thoroughly combined and heated through. (If the sauce seems dry, gradually add the remaining noodle cooking water to achieve your desired consistency.) Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.

Plate your dish:
6 Plate your dish:

Divide the orange beef lo mein between 2 dishes. Garnish with the green tops of the scallions. Enjoy!

Tips from Home Chefs

Orange Beef Lo Mein

Prepare the ingredients:
How To: Get Perfect Citrus Zest
1 Prepare the ingredients:

Wash and dry the fresh produce. Heat a medium pot of salted water to boiling on high. Cut off and discard the root ends of the scallions. Thinly slice the white bottoms; cut the green tops into 1-inch pieces. Peel and thinly slice the garlic. Cut off and discard the stem ends of the gai lan; roughly chop the gai lan. Using a peeler, remove the rind of the orange, avoiding the pith; mince the rind to get 1 tablespoon of zest (or use a zester). Halve the orange; squeeze the juice into the bowl of zest, straining out the seeds. Cut out and discard the cabbage core; thinly slice the cabbage. To the bowl of orange zest and juice, add the mirin, soy sauce and cornstarch; whisk to thoroughly combine.

2 Brown the beef:

In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 2 teaspoons of oil on medium-high until hot. Add the ground beef and half the spice blend; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently and breaking the meat apart with a spoon, 3 to 4 minutes, or until lightly browned. Transfer to a bowl, leaving any drippings in the pan. Carefully drain off and discard the drippings. Wipe out the pan.

Brown the beef:
Cook the vegetables:
3 Cook the vegetables:

In the same pan used to brown the beef, heat 2 teaspoons of oil on medium-high until hot. Add the garlic, white bottoms of the scallions and remaining spice blend. Cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until softened and fragrant. Add the gai lan and cabbage. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly softened.

4 Cook the noodles:

While the vegetables cook, add the noodles to the pot of boiling water. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until al dente (still slightly firm to the bite). Reserve ¾ cup of the noodle cooking water; drain the noodles thoroughly.

Cook the noodles:
Finish the noodles:
5 Finish the noodles:

To the pan of vegetables, add the cooked noodles, browned beef, orange sauce (whisking thoroughly just before adding) and ½ cup of the noodle cooking water. Cook, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes, or until thoroughly combined and heated through. (If the sauce seems dry, gradually add the remaining noodle cooking water to achieve your desired consistency.) Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.

6 Plate your dish:

Divide the orange beef lo mein between 2 dishes. Garnish with the green tops of the scallions. Enjoy!

Plate your dish:
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