THE EVERYTHING® STIR-FRY COOKBOOK
Page 10
1 cup kidney beans
1 cup tomato sauce
¼ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon oregano
Serves 2 to 4
½ pound flank steak
2 teaspoons oyster sauce
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
½ teaspoon cornstarch
2 tomatoes
¼ cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 slices ginger
Tomato Beef
Tomato Beef is a classic home-cooked Cantonese dish. It would go very nicely with Stir-Fried Celery (page 251) or any other stir-fried green vegetable.
Cut the beef across the grain into thin strips approximately 2 inches long. Place the beef in a bowl and add the oyster sauce, rice vinegar, and cornstarch. Marinate the beef for 15 minutes.
Peel the tomatoes if desired. Cut each tomato into 6 wedges, and then cut these in half. Combine the chicken broth, dark soy sauce, and sugar in a bowl. Set aside.
Heat a wok or skillet on medium-high heat until it is nearly smoking. Add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the slices of ginger. As soon as the ginger sizzles, add the beef, laying it flat in the pan. Let sear (brown) briefly, then stir-fry the meat, stirring and tossing until it is no longer pink.
Push the beef to the sides of the wok or skillet. Add the tomatoes in the middle. Stir-fry for a minute, then add the sauce ingredients. Bring to a boil. Serve hot.
Easy Tomato Peeling Tomatoes are difficult to peel the same way you'd peel other vegetables. To make it easier to remove the peel from tomatoes, blanch them briefly in boiling water first. Just make sure not to blanch the tomatoes too long, or they will turn mushy.
Beef and Baby Corn
Adding oil to the marinade in this dish helps tenderize the meat. Another tip is to add a bit of baking soda — try it the next time you're stir-frying an inexpensive cut of beef, which would likely be more tough when cooked than a more expensive cut.
Cut the flank steak across the grain across into thin strips 1½ to 2 inches long. Place the strips of beef in a bowl and add the soy sauce, rice wine or dry sherry, 1½ teaspoons oil, and the cornstarch. Marinate the beef for 20 minutes. Combine the chicken broth and oyster sauce in a bowl. Set aside.
Heat a wok or skillet over medium-high heat until it is nearly smoking. Add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add half the garlic and ginger. Stir-fry for 10 seconds, then add the beef. Let sear (brown) briefly, then stir-fry the meat, stirring and tossing until it is no longer pink. Remove and drain in a colander or on paper towels.
Heat 1½ tablespoons oil in the wok or skillet. Add the salt, green onion, and baby corn. Stir-fry for 1 minute, then add the chicken broth mixture. Bring to a boil.
Add the beef back into the pan. Stir-fry for another minute to mix the ingredients together. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding salt and pepper if desired.
Serves 2 to 4
¾ pound flank steak
1½ tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
4 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil, divided
1½ teaspoons cornstarch
¼ cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chopped green onion
1 cup canned baby corn, drained and cut in half
Salt and black pepper to taste
Serves 3 to 4
1 pound beef liver
½ teaspoon salt Black pepper to taste
2 teaspoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil, divided
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons minced ginger
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 large tomatoes, halved and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 green onions, cut into thirds
1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
Lunch Counter Liver and Onions
Beef liver is low in sodium and is a good source of vitamin C and vitamin B3, more commonly called niacin.
Cut the liver into thin strips 1½ to 2 inches long. Place the liver in a bowl and combine with the salt, black pepper, and cornstarch. Set aside.
Heat a wok or skillet on medium-high heat until it is nearly smoking. Add 2 tablespoons oil, swirling so that it covers the sides. When the oil is hot, add the minced garlic. Stir-fry for 10 seconds, then add the liver, laying it flat in the pan. Let sit for about 30 seconds, then stir-fry the meat, stirring and tossing until it is no longer pink. Remove and drain in a colander or on paper towels.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in the wok or skillet. When the oil is nearly hot, add the ginger. Add the onion. Stir-fry for 2 minutes or until it begins to soften. Add the tomatoes and stir-fry for another minute. Stir in the soy sauce.
Add the liver back into the pan. Stir in the green onions. Remove from the heat and stir in the sesame oil. Serve hot.
Beef Liver Versus Calf's Liver Calf's liver has a more delicate flavor and is more tender than liver from an older cow. Many people consider it safer because liver from a young cow is less likely to have picked up toxins from the animal's food and environment. To make sure you are purchasing calf's liver, look for lighter-colored beef liver that is pinkish brown, instead of reddish brown, in color.
Cashew Beef
Feel free to replace the water chestnuts and bamboo shoots in this recipe with other canned Chinese vegetables such as baby corn or straw mushrooms.
Cut the steak across the grain into thin strips. Place the beef in a bowl and add the oyster sauce, soy sauce, black pepper, and cornstarch. Marinate the beef for 20 minutes.
Roast the cashews in a heavy frying pan over medium heat, shaking the pan continuously so that the nuts do not burn. Roast until the cashews are browned (about 5 minutes). Remove the cashews from the pan to cool.
Heat a wok or skillet over medium-high heat until it is nearly smoking. Add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the beef, laying it flat in the pan. Let sear (brown) briefly, then stir-fry the meat, stirring and tossing until it is no longer pink. Remove and drain in a colander or on paper towels.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in the wok or skillet. When the oil is hot, add the garlic. Stir-fry for 10 seconds, then add the water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, and the salt. Stir-fry for a minute, then add the beef. Add the cashews. Stir-fry for another minute to combine all the ingredients. Serve hot.
Serves 2 to 4
¾ pound top sirloin steak
1½ tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Black pepper to taste
1½ teaspoons cornstarch
½ cup raw, unsalted cashews
3 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil, divided
1 teaspoon minced garlic
½ cup canned sliced water chestnuts, drained
½ cup canned sliced bamboo shoots, drained
½ teaspoon salt
Serves 2
½ pound flank steak
2 tablespoons burgundy
3 cloves garlic, chopped, divided
Black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1½ teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons tomato sauce
3 tablespoons water
1½ teaspoons granulated sugar
2 Japanese eggplants, cut on the diagonal into ½-inch-wide strips
½ cup chopped onion
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 cups cooked rice
Stir-Fried “Moussaka”
Don't be put off by the lengthy ingredient list for this dish! This dish is very easy to make — most of the ingredients are used in the marinade and the sauce.
> Cut the beef across the grain into thin strips approximately 2 inches long. Place the beef in a bowl and marinate in the burgundy, half of the chopped garlic, black pepper, 2 teaspoons olive oil, and cornstarch for 20 minutes.
Combine the tomato sauce, water, and sugar in a bowl. Set aside.
Heat a wok or skillet on medium-high heat until it is nearly smoking. Add 1½ tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the eggplant. Stir-fry, stirring and moving the eggplant around the pan, for 3 minutes. Remove the eggplant from the pan and drain in a colander or on paper towels.
Heat 1½ tablespoons oil in the wok or skillet. When the oil is hot, add the remainder of the garlic. Stir-fry for about 10 seconds then add the onion. Sprinkle the nutmeg, cinnamon, and ground allspice over the onion. Stir-fry the onion for 2 minutes, or until it begins to soften.
Add the beef, laying it flat in the pan. Let sear (brown) briefly, then stir-fry the meat, stirring and tossing until it is no longer pink.
Add the eggplant back into the pan. Add the sauce. Stir in the parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired. Cook for 2 to 3 more minutes to heat everything through. Serve hot over the cooked rice.
Easy Eggplant Preparation Japanese eggplant is less bitter than the thicker Western eggplant. This means that there is no need to degorge the eggplant by salting it before cooking. Nonetheless, Japanese eggplant still requires special care — it is one of the few vegetables that can't be completely cooked by stir-frying. After browning briefly, the eggplant is gently braised until it is cooked through.
Mexican Breakfast Burritos
If you enjoy different types of Mexican cheeses, feel free to replace the Monterey jack with your favorite type of hard Mexican cheese when preparing these burritos.
Heat the flour tortillas according to the package directions. Keep warm in a 250°F oven while stir-frying the chorizo.
Cut the chorizo on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces. Lightly beat the eggs, stirring in the chicken broth, sour cream, salt, pepper, and chopped onion.
Heat a wok or skillet on medium-high heat until it is nearly smoking. Add 1 tablespoon oil. When the oil is hot, add the sausage. Stir-fry, stirring and moving the chorizo around the pan, until it is cooked through. Remove the chorizo from the pan.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in the wok or skillet. When the oil is hot, add the egg mixture. Scramble the eggs for about 1 minute, then add the chorizo. Continue scrambling until the eggs are almost cooked but are still moist. Remove from the heat.
Lay a tortilla out flat. Spoon one-fourth of the scrambled-egg mixture lengthwise in the center of the tortilla. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the shredded cheese over the filling. Fold up the tortilla in the standard burrito shape. Continue filling the rest of the tortillas.
Yields 4 burritos
4 soft flour tortillas
2 links chorizo (Spanish sausages)
4 large eggs
¼ cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon sour cream
¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste
¼ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
¼ cup chopped red onion
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
¼ cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
Serves 3 to 4
¾ pound flank steak
4½ teaspoons Japanese soy sauce
3 teaspoons Japanese mirin
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 pound broccoli florets
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons minced ginger
¼ cup teriyaki sauce
Sizzling Beef with Teriyaki Sauce
Mirin, the Japanese version of rice wine, gives teriyaki dishes their rich flavor. If you can't find mirin, try substituting an equal amount of sake (available in many liquor stores) and increasing the amount of sugar in the marinade to 2 teaspoons.
Cut the beef into thin strips (it's easiest to do this if the beef is frozen for 15 to 20 minutes). In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, mirin, and sugar. Add the beef strips. Marinate the beef for 20 minutes.
Blanch the broccoli florets in boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes, until the broccoli turns bright green. Plunge the broccoli into cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain thoroughly.
Heat a wok or skillet until it is nearly smoking. Add 1½ tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the garlic. Stir-fry for 10 seconds, then add the steak, laying it flat in the pan. Let sear (brown) briefly, then stir-fry the meat, stirring and tossing until it is no longer pink. Remove and drain in a colander or on paper towels.
Heat 1½ tablespoons oil in the wok or skillet. When the oil is hot, add the ginger. As soon as the ginger starts sizzling, add the broccoli florets. Stir-fry for 1 minute, then add the teriyaki sauce. Bring to a boil. Add the beef back into the pan. Cook for another minute, stirring to mix everything together, then serve hot.
Appealing Japanese Cuisine Designed to appeal to all the senses, a properly prepared Japanese dish should have a pleasing appearance, aroma, taste, and even texture. To enhance the appearance of Sizzling Beef with Teriyaki Sauce, try garnishing it with colorful pickled red ginger (called benishoga) before serving.
Beef and Bean Sprouts
You can alter this basic recipe by replacing the carrot with trimmed snow peas or strips of bell pepper.
Cut the flank steak across the grain into thin strips. Place the beef in a bowl and add the soy sauce, rice wine or sherry, salt, white pepper, and cornstarch. Marinate the beef in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
Combine the chicken broth and dark soy sauce in a small bowl. Set aside.
Heat a wok or skillet until it is almost smoking and add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the minced ginger and garlic. Stir-fry for 10 seconds, then add the beef. Sear the beef briefly, then stir-fry, stirring and moving the beef around the pan, until it is no longer pink and is nearly cooked.
Push the beef to the sides of the pan and add the carrot in the middle. Stir-fry the carrot until it darkens, then add the mung bean sprouts. Stir-fry for a minute or until the carrot is tender but still crisp. Add 1 tablespoon water if the vegetables begin to dry out during stir-frying.
Add the broth mixture and bring to a boil. Stir in the sugar. Stir-fry for 1 to 2 more minutes to heat everything through. Serve hot.
Serves 2
½ pound flank steak
2 teaspoons light soy sauce
2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper, or to taste
1 teaspoon cornstarch
3 tablespoons chicken broth
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil
1 thin slice ginger, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 carrot, julienned
2 cups mung bean sprouts
1 tablespoon water, if needed
½ teaspoon granulated sugar
Serves 4 to 6
1½ pounds beef short ribs
1½ teaspoons salt, divided
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons cornstarch
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 medium white onion, chopped
½ teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup beef broth, divided
1 cup broccoli florets
1 cup cauliflower florets
2 tablespoons tomato sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
Speedy Beef Stew
If you can't find beef short ribs, you can use stewing beef instead. Be sure to cut the stewing beef into uniform pieces so it cooks evenly.
Cut the short ribs into 1- to 1½-inch cubes. Place the beef cubes in a bowl and toss with 1 teaspoon salt, black pepper, and cornstarch. Marinate the beef for 15 m
inutes.
Heat a wok or skillet over medium-high heat until it is nearly smoking. Add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add half the beef, laying it flat in the pan. Let sear (brown), then stir-fry the meat, stirring and tossing until it is no longer pink. Remove and drain in a colander or on paper towels. Repeat with the remainder of the beef.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in the wok or skillet. When the oil is hot, add the garlic. Stir-fry for 10 seconds, then add the onion. Sprinkle the dried basil and oregano over the garlic and onion. Stir-fry for 2 minutes or until the onion begins to soften. Add the carrots and ½ teaspoon salt. Stir-fry the carrots for 2 minutes, splashing with 1 tablespoon beef broth if they begin to dry out. Add the broccoli and cauliflower. Stir-fry for 2 minutes.
Add ¾ cup beef broth. Cover and cook the vegetables for about 3 minutes, until they are tender but still crisp. Uncover and add the beef back into the pan. Add the remainder of the beef broth. Stir in the tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and the sugar. Stir-fry for 1 to 2 more minutes to mix all the ingredients together. Serve hot.
Crisped Beef with Zucchini
This recipe shows you how to combine a meat dish with one of the vegetable stir-fry dishes in Chapter 10. Try to look for a balance of flavors when pairing recipes. For example, Crisped Szechuan Beef is already spicy, so you wouldn't want to pair it with a spicy vegetable dish.
Combine the chicken broth, chile paste, dark soy sauce, and sugar in a bowl. Set aside.
Prepare the Crisped Szechuan Beef up through step 2, draining the dry-fried beef in a colander or on paper towels. Clean out the wok or skillet.
Use the same wok or skillet to prepare the Stir-Fried Zucchini (page 250). Pour the sauce over the stir-fried zucchini and bring to a boil. Add the Crisped Szechuan Beef. Stir in the white pepper. Stir-fry for another minute to mix the ingredients together and heat through. Serve hot.
Serves 2 to 4
¼ cup chicken broth