Funchoza with Minced Meat — Asian Glass Noodle Stir-Fry

Welcome to a delightful culinary journey with our Funchoza with Minced Meat recipe! Funchoza, also known as glass or cellophane noodles, is a staple in many Asian cuisines, celebrated for its unique translucent appearance and slippery texture. While often found in salads and soups, this recipe gives it a hearty, comforting twist by pairing it with a rich and savory minced beef sauce. Think of it as an Asian-inspired Bolognese—a wonderful fusion of flavors that's both familiar and excitingly new. This dish is incredibly easy to prepare, making it a perfect choice for a flavorful weeknight dinner that will impress your family and friends.

Funchoza with Minced Meat

Cooking: 45 minutes

Quantity: 3 Servings

Per serving

Calories: 292 kcal

Proteins: 13 g

Fats: 22 g

Carbohydrates: 47 g

Ingredients for Funchoza with Minced Meat

• 130 g funchoza (glass or cellophane noodles)
• 200 g ground beef
• 50 g onion
• 80 g carrots
• 120 g tomatoes
• small bunch of cilantro
• 1/2 teaspoon each of coriander, cumin, and curry powder
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1/2 chili pepper
• 25 g olive oil
• salt, ground black pepper, Extra virgin olive oil for serving

How to Make Funchoza with Minced Meat

Grinding lean beef pulp through a meat grinder.

Finely chop the onion.

Sauté the onion with spices over low heat for a couple of minutes.

Finely chop the onion. Pour olive oil into a thick-bottomed sauté pan and add the chopped onion. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and sauté over low heat until translucent. You can use any refined vegetable oil for this, not necessarily olive oil.

Remove the seeds and membrane from the chili pepper. Crush half a chili pod and a garlic clove in a mortar with a pinch of salt. Add the chili-garlic paste to the sautéed onion, then add the coriander, cumin, and curry powder. Sauté the onion with the spices over low heat for a couple of minutes.

Add the chopped cilantro to the sauté pan.

Finely chop a small bunch of cilantro. Add the chopped cilantro to the sauté pan.

Add the carrots to the sauté pan and fry for a couple of minutes.

Add the ground beef and stir.

Add the tomato purée to the sauté pan.

Add the ground beef and stir. Use a spatula to break up any clumps of meat to ensure it cooks evenly.

Scald the ripe red tomatoes with boiling water and peel off the skin. Dice the tomatoes and blend them into a purée. Add the tomato purée to the sauté pan. Instead of fresh tomatoes, you can use canned tomatoes in their own juice or tomato paste. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer on low for about 40 minutes.

Prepare the funchoza.

Prepare the funchoza (cellophane or glass noodles made from starch). There are two ways to do this. You can either drop the glass noodles into boiling water, cook for 3 minutes, and then drain in a colander. Alternatively, you can pour boiling water over the funchoza, let it sit for 10 minutes, and then drain the water.

Place the funchoza in a deep bowl and cover with boiling water.

Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste.

Add the funchoza to the simmering sauce.

Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste. You can add a little sugar if the tomatoes are too acidic.

Add the funchoza to the simmering sauce.

Mix the starch noodles well with the vegetables.

Mix the starch noodles well with the vegetables and meat. Cover with a lid and let it sit for a few minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

Plate the funchoza with minced meat in a large dish and drizzle with olive oil.

Serve the funchoza with minced meat in a large bowl, drizzle with Extra Virgin olive oil, and serve immediately.