Cowboy Bebop: Bell Peppers and "Beef"

There's no beef in here. So, you wouldn't really call it bell peppers and beef now would you? - Spike Cowboy Bebop, Ep. 1- Asteroid Blues

Bell peppers and beef was a running theme throughout the series. In the first episode it was pointed out that beef is not usually part of the equation. For our version, we wanted to keep the texture, appearance, and taste close to beef. To do this, we used soy curls, maggi seasoning, and beef broth.

You could easily make this recipe vegetarian or vegan by swapping out the broth and Worcestershire sauce.

Bell Peppers and "Beef"

What you need:

for the "beef"

• 1 8oz bag of soy curls

• 3 cups beef broth

• 1 cup water

• 3 TB Worcestershire sauce

• 3 TB sesame oil

• 1/4 cup soy sauce

• 1 TB minced ginger

• 1 1/2 tsp liquid smoke

• 4 TB cornstarch

• 1 tsp black pepper

• 2 TB olive oil

• 2 TB Maggi seasoning

for the sauce:

• 1/2 cup soy sauce

• 2 TB Worcestershire sauce

• 3 TB sesame oil

• 1 TB Maggi seasoning

• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

• 1 TB minced ginger

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 3 TB brown sugar

• 2 TB corn starch

• 3 Bell peppers, sliced in strips

• 1 Medium onion, sliced

What to do:

1. Rehydrate soy curls in a bowl with beef broth and water. Sit for 30 minutes.

2. Drain well.

3. In same bowl, mix Worcestershire sauce, sesame oil, soy sauce, ginger, and liquid smoke.

4. Add curls and marinate for 30 minutes.

5. Drain, using a paper towel to pat the curls dry.

6. Combine 4 TB of cornstarch (amount may vary depending on how wet curls are) and pepper and thoroughly coat.

7. Heat olive oil and 2 TB of Maggi season in Wok. Cook curls until browned. Remove f from pan.

8. Mix together sauce ingredients.

9. Add peppers and onion to wok. Cook until softened.

10. Add curls back to wok.

11. Add sauce, stir to combine, and cook until liquid is gone.

12. Serve with rice or noodles. (I used ramen noodles, cooked in 1 cup beef broth and 1 cup of water.