Classic Beef Lagman Recipe with Noodles

Prepare all the necessary ingredients for a delicious beef lagman with noodles according to the classic recipe. For the lagman, choose any boneless beef cut. If the beef is frozen, thaw it in the refrigerator. As for the assortment of vegetables, you can choose the composition and quantity according to your taste. Some recipes include Napa cabbage. Eggplant, daikon, and turnip work great too. I use a standard set of vegetables: onion, carrot, bell pepper, potato, and radish. If you don't want to add potatoes, you can skip them. If you can't find radish, you can use other vegetables of your choice. I bought ready-made noodles for lagman at the supermarket. It is called Lagman noodles. If you have the opportunity, you can make lagman noodles at home using water, flour, and eggs. Knead a stiff dough, like for dumplings. Roll it out thinly. Cut into strips about 3-4 mm wide. Separate each strip from the others and, if necessary, dust with flour. Let them dry if you don't plan to use them immediately. You can choose the spices for lagman to suit your taste. I will use ground cumin, salt, and black pepper. If desired, you can add red hot pepper, coriander, basil, ginger, turmeric, and celery. Ready-made spice sets for lagman are available in stores. Choose herbs according to your taste. In my case, it's dill and parsley. Cilantro, celery, basil, or other herbs work great too. Tomato paste can be replaced with crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce. Adjust the amount according to your taste.

Rinse the beef well with running water. Pat dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. If necessary, trim off the white film. Cut into small pieces, approximately 2x2 cm.

To prepare beef and noodle lagman according to the classic recipe, you need to choose a suitable dish. I will be using a cauldron. You can use a pot with a thick bottom or a deep skillet or wok. Pour vegetable oil and heat over medium heat. Heat until the oil starts to crackle. Add the pieces of beef and sauté while stirring. If the meat doesn't stick to the bottom, the oil is heated well. Add all the sliced meat and sauté over medium heat, stirring, until lightly browned. It took me about 10-12 minutes for this step.

Peel, rinse, and blot the onion and carrots with a paper towel. Cut the carrots into large pieces and the onion into cubes. Add the vegetables to the meat and mix well.

Remove the seeds from the bell pepper. Rinse and dry. Cut into random pieces. Add to the cauldron. Mix.

Peel the radish and rinse well. Cut into cubes. Add to the meat. My radish is sweet in taste, without a bitter note. Mix.

Add tomato paste. Stir to coat all vegetables and meat with a thin layer of tomato.

Pour hot water. Cold water can also be used, but the cooking process will take longer. Adjust the amount of water to your taste. Add a little salt, mix well and bring to a boil. Cook covered on low heat for 30 minutes to tenderize the meat. Occasionally remove the lid and stir.

Meanwhile, pour 2 liters of water into another pot. Add salt and bring to a boil. For 1 liter of water, approximately half a teaspoon of salt. Add the noodles to the pot, gradually and carefully dipping them into the boiling water. Stir. For 1 liter of water, use 100 g of noodles. Bring to a boil, occasionally stirring, and cook for 6-7 minutes at a medium boil.

Drain the cooked noodles in a colander and shake well to remove any excess liquid. Add a little vegetable oil and stir to prevent the noodles from sticking together.

Peel and dice the potatoes. Rinse and thinly slice the garlic. Add both ingredients to a cauldron. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add cumin. Stir and taste. If the tomato paste is too acidic, you can add a little sugar. Stir and bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low heat for 25-30 minutes, until all the ingredients are tender and cooked.

Turn off the heat and sprinkle with chopped herbs.

If the noodles have cooled down, pour boiling water over them to warm them up. Place a portion of noodles in a deep bowl. Add the meat and vegetable sauce. Sprinkle generously with herbs. Optionally, you can serve with a spicy sauce (laza-chang). Lagman is traditionally eaten with a spoon, fork, or chopsticks. Lagman with beef according to the classic recipe with noodles is ready. Enjoy your meal!