Mongolian Ground Beef Noodles

Fill a large pot with six quarts water. Bring to a boil. Add salt. Be generous, this salt seasons the pasta as it cooks and penetrates into the noodles. Add the dried pasta. Stir until the water returns to a boil. Set a timer for one minute less than the package instructions recommend. Test for doneness at this point. If you like your pasta very firm (al dente) or are going to be simmering for a while in sauce, check and remove even sooner. Now, strain and cool briefly, but do not rinse. Rinsing washing away the starch that helps the sauce stick to the pasta. Toss in olive oil instead.

In a large skillet, heat sesame oil over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it apart as it cooks. Add diced onions and cook until translucent. Add minced garlic to the skillet and sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant.

Stir in soy sauce, brown sugar, beef broth, hoisin sauces and red pepper flakes. Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.

Add cooked noodles to the skillet, tossing to coat them in the sauce. Stir in sliced green onions and cook for another minute so noodles absorb the wet ingredients. Optional: Top w/ sesame seeds for garnish.