Well, maybe not entirely "also known as" since ramen noodles are all crinkly, but they are basically the same thing. I've found they can be used interchangeably quite easily. So, have you ever made pot roast (or a roast chicken or pork or turkey, etc) and had left over juice or sauce that just gets thrown away? Quit throwing it away and save it! Either freeze it if you don't have an immediate plan for it's use or just put it in the fridge. I managed to make two meals with the left over sauce from my last pot roast. The first was by using it instead of beef broth for Swedish Meatballs. The second was for the idea that I conceived tonight from what I had in my kitchen and will be sharing with you. I call it Pot Roast Lo Mein because I wanted to use my Lo Mein noodles. But I could have just as easily used rice or mashed potatoes. One trick to cooking without measurements is to always be flexible. I often create new recipes when I've forgotten to purchase an ingredient or didn't realize I was out of it. Anyway, I hope you enjoy my guide to cooking Pot Roast Lo Mein without measurements!
So, I started out with a piece of round steak. I'd started out with a family pack and used two out of three steaks for chicken fried steak last week and had this one left over. Now, round steak tends to be kind of tough if you just cook it as is. But that's what a meat mallet is for! And if you happen to have one lying around: a man. :) (If you want a good laugh, suggest you'd like him to do it since he has more experience beating meat than you do. These kinds of comments from me gain me with the cutest glares from Anthony! I'll try and post one soon!)
After tenderizing, which I actually did on my own, but later wished I'd had Anthony do, I cut it into bite size chunks. Often in Asian cooking, one sees thin strips of meat or those oddly cut bits that are awkward to eat. I like bite size chunks because they are easier to stir around and don't require extra cutting for small children.
Next I put the meat off to the side, you want meat to be room temperature when you cook it, so that it cooks more evenly. Then I put just enough oil into the pan to cover the bottom of the pan. I used olive oil this time because I have a huge bottle of it cause it was on such a good sale at Meijer last week. You use whatever you have. The oil is a little hard to see in the pan, but it's there!
I set the burner to Med. I usually start everything out at Med, unless I know I want it to boil. And then I sliced an onion. A little trick, if you have issues peeling onions: cut it in half, end to end in this case, then cut off the ends, then peel it! I sliced it from side to side, rather than from top to bottom because I get more uniform slices that way. I tend to use onions in a lot of things. In this case, it's entirely optional, so leave it out if you don't like onions. Or add more if you really like onions!
While the onions are frying, I set up my steamer for steamed veggies. I used a store brand of frozen mixed veggies called "parisian blend." It has French cut green beans, julienne carrots, broccoli, and a smidgeon of onions, and mushrooms. Why frozen? They are less expensive than fresh veggies, last longer, and don't have all the nutrients cooked out like canned veggies do.
By this time the onions are turning translucent and before they over cook, I add the meat to cook with them.
If I'd had fresh garlic, I would have cooked it with the onions. Since I didn't I added garlic powder. I do this by sprinkling an even amount over everything and then stirring it around and adding another even sprinkling or dusting in the case of a powder, really. It should look something like this, unless you're really in love with garlic, then feel free to add more.
Next, start your noodles. If you're using rice, you probably should start it with the veggies. Alternatively, you can start the veggies now, if you want to simmer the meat longer.
Most noodle packages say to wait for a roiling or rolling boil. I'm not usually that patient, and I've found that just getting bubbles is close enough. After all, adding the noodles breaks the boil, anyway. With many noodles, it can help to add salt to help the boil along, but these noodles don't need it and could be ruined by absorbing too much of it.
Most noodle packages say to wait for a roiling or rolling boil. I'm not usually that patient, and I've found that just getting bubbles is close enough. After all, adding the noodles breaks the boil, anyway. With many noodles, it can help to add salt to help the boil along, but these noodles don't need it and could be ruined by absorbing too much of it.
Now if your sauce isn't as thick as you would like, then make a mixture of water and flour (or cornmeal) to thicken it. I used some of the veggie water from my steamed veggies. About a 1/4c and 2 Tbsp of flour.
Now drain your noodles. Finally, combine everything. I combined the veggies and noodles first because it's easiest to see that they mixed evenly.
Then I added the meat and sauce and mixed it all together. And remember, you can substitute ramen noodles, rice, mashed potatoes, or anything else you might like for a variation. Depending on how much sauce you actually have, yours may look somewhat different. And make more sauce than you think you need, if you have a choice, because the noodles will absorb some of it.