To tell you the truth, I first created this dish by accident, when I added lamb instead of beef by mistake. But when I tasted it, I realized it was no mistake! Lamb might not be a traditional Japanese ingredient, but it’s delicious when mixed with these Asian flavors and vegetables. If you prefer beef, though, you can always use that instead. Follow the fresh Egg Pasta recipe on page 112, but leave out the optional squid ink.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4
Ingredients
Sweet Soy-Ginger Sauce
Preparation
Step 1
To make the sauce, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl. Mix well and set aside.
Step 2
Prepare an ice bath and place a large pot of salted water over high heat. When the water comes to a boil, add the pea pods and cook for 1 minute. Remove the pea pods and submerge in the ice bath (don’t discard the cooking water). Once cool (about 30 seconds), pat the pea pods dry. Cut in half and set aside.
Step 3
Return the water to a boil and stir in the pasta. At the same time, place a very large sauté pan over high heat and add the vegetable oil. Once the oil just begins to smoke, add the lamb and cook on one side for 30 seconds, then flip the lamb over and stir in the cabbage, baby corn, mushrooms, and onion. Cook for 2 minutes. By this time, the pasta should be cooked through (be careful not to overcook). Drain the pasta and add it to the sauté pan along with the reserved soy-ginger sauce. Mix well, then add the bean sprouts and pepper. Cook for 30 seconds longer, or until the bean sprouts are warm.
Step 4
Remove the pan from the heat. Divide the noodles, lamb, and vegetables among 4 plates and serve.
