I was watching a recent No Reservations episode with host Anthony Bourdain, and the location was Penang. An island off the coast of Malaysia, Penang was colonized multiple times, and as a result has myriad culinary Asian influences. Bourdain ate the same dish twice during his stay, which was the local noodle bowl, and from the TV shots of its preparation, here is my best guess for the recipe. I’ve recently made it, and it was spicy and excellent.
Cut up small pieces of your favorite red meat – lamb, beef, or pork – leftovers are excellent candidates. Brown the meat, adding a healthy dose of soy sauce, as well as two tablespoons of Chinese hot chili sauce. Add onion, chopped bok choy (or celery), red chili and garlic, and sautee until the sauce begins to caramelize. Lower heat.
In a saucepan, heat 32 oz. of beef stock. From your local oriental shop, add a packet of “pho seasoning” (which saves the time and expense of hunting down spices fairly difficult to find in the US). When simmering, add oriental noodles and cook through (3 minutes).
In serving bowls, place the meaty goodness on the bottom, add noodles, and then ladle just enough broth to make the mixture wet. Top with chopped chives, and prepare to open those sinuses.
berowne.com 