I’ve been on a quest lately to reproduce Chinese take-out at home. Stir-frys and noodle dishes provide a great way to take advantage of the fresh produce in my garden and at the farmers market. I recently bought a wok and am working on my skill with fast, high heat cooking.
My new preoccupation—getting a home wok to restaurant temps. I need to make some sort of fluted charcoal chimney.
— Chad Chandler (@chad_chandler) June 2, 2015
The ingredients and techniques associated with Asian-American cuisine can be a little mystifying at first. But once you break it down, it’s actually pretty cheap and easy. If you’re just starting out, this is a great recipe to try first.
Beef & Broccoli
- 1 pound skirt steak
- 1+ tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 heaping tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger, minced
- 2 heads broccoli, chopped
Sauce
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce
- 1/2 cup plus low sodium chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar (or palm sugar)
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- salt and pepper to taste
I think skirt steak is the most underrated cut of beef. Actually, judging by how much the price has risen lately, it might not be underrated anymore. Anyway, all you do is trim the steak of silver skin and excess fat, cut it into manageable pieces, and then slice against the grain. Toss the meat into a bowl with the corn starch and mix to coat evenly.
Meanwhile prep the vegetables and the make the sauce. If you’re going to cook the broccoli stems, make sure to cut them into small, even-sized pieces so they cook at the same rate as the florets.
Just pour the oil into a hot wok or skillet. When it starts to smoke, toss the beef into the pan and cook until mostly done. It’ll finish cooking in the sauce. Remove to a plate.
Add a little more oil if necessary and cook the onion. Once they’re softened, add the garlic and ginger to the pan. As soon as the garlic is starting to toast, add the broccoli, beef, and sauce.
Mix well and then simmer until the broccoli reaches the desires tenderness. Serve over rice or noodles.
