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Place a heatproof platter in a warm oven while you prepare the noodles.
Put the sliced noodles in a colander and pour a kettle of hot water over them to
remove the protective oil coating and soften them a bit. Unfold and separate the
noodles into individual ribbons. (If some break off into short lengths, that's fine-it
will create texture. Just be as careful as you can to separate the individual noodles
from the folded mass.) Set aside.
Set a wok over medium-high heat. When it is quite hot, add the oil. Rotate the
wok a bit so the oil coats the sides. When the oil is hot, add the noodles. Stir-fry
briskly, tossing the noodles in the hot oil to heat them through, about 1 1/2 minutes.
Add the soy sauce and stir-fry briskly to coat all the noodles with the sauce, about
1 minute. Transfer the noodles to the warm serving platter and keep in the warm
oven while you prepare the beef topping.
Make a seasoning paste from the garlic and cilantro stems:
Mortar-and-pestle method: Put the garlic and chopped cilantro stems in the mortar
and pound them to a mash.
Alternate method: Crush the garlic with the side of a chef's knife. Mix the chopped cilantro stems with the crushed garlic and finely chop.
Place the seasoning paste and all the remaining ingredients, except the chili sauce,
within easy reach of the cooking area.
Set a clean wok or a deep, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When it is quite
hot, add the oil. If using a wok, rotate it a bit so the oil coats the sides. When the
oil is hot, add the seasoning paste and stir-fry for a few seconds before adding the
ground beef. Take handfuls of the beef and work it through your fingers to break it
up a little as you add it to the wok. Stir-fry the beef, pressing it down into the bottom
of the wok. Turn the beef mixture over, press it down into the wok again, and stirring
until the meat begins to brown, about 45 seconds.
Add the onion, curry powder, sugar, fish sauce, pepper, and chicken stock and
stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the cornstarch-water mixture and stir-fry until the sauce
thickens slightly, about 1 minute.
Remove the platter of noodles from the oven and ladle on the curried ground
beef. Tear sprigs of cilantro over the noodles and serve. |
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