Stir-Fry Beef and Snow Peas with Ramen Noodle Cake

Make noodle cake: Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a 3 to 4 -quart pot. Add ramen noodles (no need to break them up) and simmer, covered, until just tender, about 3 minutes. Drain noodles in a colander and rinse briefly under cold water.

Heat oil in a 9 to 10-inch non-stick skillet over moderately high heat until it shimmers and add noodles, spreading and pressing them with a heatproof rubber spatula into a flat cake. Cook until underside is golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn cake over (it will be relatively stiff by this point). Drizzle remaining tablespoon oil around edge of skillet, then cook until underside is golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and keep warm, loosely covered. Wipe out skillet.

Assemble sauce: Stir together oyster sauce, soy sauce, cornstarch, sugar, and water until smooth in a small bowl.

Make Stir-fry: Working parallel to the gristle running through the center of each steak, cut steaks into thin slices (1/8 to 1/4-inch thick), avoiding and then discarding the center gristle.

Heat 1/2 tablespoon oil in non-stick skillet over high heat until it begins to smoke. Add snow peas and stir-fry 1 minute. Add water and the lid and steam the snow peas over medium heat until crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl. Wipe out skillet.

Add remaining tablespoon oil to skillet and heat over high heat until it begins to smoke. Add ginger and garlic and stir-fry 30 seconds. Add beef and stir-fry until just browned (no longer pink on outside).

Add remaining tablespoon oil to skillet and heat over high heat until it begins to smoke. Add ginger and garlic and stir-fry 30 seconds. Add beef and stir-fry until just browned (no longer pink on outside).