Instructions
Follow the steps and taste along the way.
Prepare the ingredients and sauce
Slice the beef thinly across the grain. Separate the pak choi into white stems and green leaves; cut the stems into pieces about 2 cm wide and roughly chop the leaves. Slice the shiitake mushrooms, cut the spring onion into rounds, grate the ginger, and mince the garlic. In a bowl, mix the soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, and 30 ml of water.
Cook the soba noodles
Bring 2,000 ml of water to a boil in a pot. Add the soba noodles and cook according to the time on the package, usually 4 to 5 minutes, until they remain firm to the bite. Drain and briefly rinse with cold water to stop them from cooking further; leave to drain well.
Quickly sear the beef
Heat a large pan over high heat without adding anything. Add half of the neutral oil and arrange half of the beef in a single layer. Sear for about 1 minute without stirring, then briefly toss and cook for 1 more minute. Transfer the beef to a plate and sear the rest in the same way using the remaining oil. Do not overcrowd the pan, so the beef sears instead of stewing.
Sear the mushrooms and pak choi
Add the shiitake to the same pan and cook for 3 minutes, until softened and browned at the edges. Add the white pak choi stems, ginger, and garlic, and stir for 2 minutes. Add the green leaves and spring onion; cook for 1 more minute, just until the leaves wilt while the stems remain slightly crisp.
Combine the noodles and season
Return the beef and any juices from the plate to the pan. Add the drained soba noodles and prepared sauce. Toss over medium-high heat for 1 to 2 minutes, until the sauce coats the noodles evenly and the beef is cooked through. Remove from the heat, stir in the sesame oil, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Taste; the acidity should be noticeable but balanced by the honey and saltiness of the soy sauce.
