Description
Black Pepper Beef Noodles is a quick and flavorful stir-fry dish featuring tender marinated rump steak slices tossed with fresh Hokkien noodles, aromatic choy sum, and a savory black pepper sauce. This recipe balances the rich umami of oyster sauce and soy with the boldness of freshly cracked black pepper, making it an ideal weekday dinner ready in 35 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef Marinade
- 400–500 g (14 oz–1 lb 2 oz) rump (sirloin) steak, thinly sliced against the grain (can be substituted with sirloin/porterhouse/New York strip)
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- 1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
Sauce
- 3 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tsp white sugar
- 1 tbsp freshly cracked black pepper
- ½ cup (125 ml) beef stock
- 1 tsp cornflour (cornstarch) mixed with 1 tbsp water
Stir-Fry Ingredients
- 2 tbsp neutral oil of choice (e.g., light olive oil)
- 1 brown onion, cut into thick wedges
- 1 tbsp freshly minced garlic
- 1 bunch choy sum, trimmed and cut into 5 cm (2 in) lengths
- 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) fresh Hokkien (thick egg) noodles
- Extra freshly cracked black pepper (optional, for serving)
Instructions
- Marinate the beef – In a large bowl, combine the thinly sliced rump steak with bicarbonate of soda, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, cornflour, sesame oil, and freshly cracked black pepper. Toss everything well to coat evenly. Set aside for 15–20 minutes to allow the flavors to penetrate and to tenderize the meat.
- Make the sauce – In a small bowl, whisk together the oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, white sugar, freshly cracked black pepper, beef stock, and the cornflour mixed with water until the sauce is smooth and well combined. Set aside.
- Stir-fry the beef – Heat a large deep heavy-based pan or wok over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of neutral oil. Stir-fry half the beef for 1–2 minutes until it’s browned but still tender. Remove the cooked beef from the pan and set aside. Repeat the process with the remaining oil and beef.
- Add the vegetables – In the same pan, add the brown onion wedges and freshly minced garlic. Cook while stirring for about 1 minute until the garlic is fragrant and the onion begins to soften. Add the choy sum and toss together for another 1–2 minutes until the greens are just wilted but still crisp.
- Combine everything – Return the cooked beef to the pan along with the fresh Hokkien noodles. Pour over the prepared black pepper sauce and use tongs to toss everything together thoroughly. Stir-fry for an additional 2–3 minutes until the noodles are glossy and the dish is heated through evenly.
- Serve – Divide the black pepper beef noodles into four bowls. Finish with an optional sprinkle of extra freshly cracked black pepper for an added kick and serve immediately.
Notes
- For substitutions, sirloin, porterhouse, or New York strip can be used instead of rump steak.
- Bicarbonate of soda helps tenderize the beef; adjust quantity proportionally when scaling the recipe.
- Adjust the amount of freshly cracked black pepper according to your preferred spice level.
- Fresh Hokkien noodles are preferred; if unavailable, fresh or dried thick egg noodles can be substituted. Soak dried noodles according to package instructions before use.
