I don’t mind grocery shopping, in fact, I rather like it. I doubt that many people who have not been out of the country realize just how amazing our options are here in the United States when it comes to the mundane task of buying groceries. After spending an extended amount of time in England one year when my husband had a Fellowship to the British Library, the first place I visited upon our return was the supermarket. I stood at one end and looked all of the way down to the other and said, “Wow.” Wow, indeed. The space, the options, the produce, the meats, dairy, bakery (!), salad bar, food bars, all conveniently located in one place. But despite the fact that I do enjoy it, my husband seems to enjoy it more, and does nearly all of our shopping. What’s that you say? I’m a very lucky woman. Well, yes…and no. He buys the food; I’m the one who has to figure out what to do with it. Sometimes that is not easy, particularly when he stumbles upon a sirloin steak sale and comes home with a half dozen of them. In mid-winter, outdoor grilling is not all that attractive, so I’m constantly on the lookout for quick, easy, and tasty ways to use sirloin.
Here is one recipe that deliciously fills the bill. Reminiscent of the dish offered at P.F. Chang this can pretty much go from fridge to table in 40-45 minutes.
Mongolian Beef
1 lb. sirloin, patted dry, thinly sliced across the grain
1 small onion, sliced
¼ cup cornstarch
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Sauce:
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
½ cup water
1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)
3 scallions, sliced diagonally into 2” pieces
In medium-sized bowl, toss steak slices with corn starch until well coated. Place coated meat into a sieve and shake off excess cornstarch. Set aside.
To make sauce, combine all sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Heat large skillet or wok to medium-high heart, pour in sauce and heat for 2-3 minutes. Pour sauce back into bowl; set aside.
Increase heat in skillet or wok to high, add oil, and allow oil to heat. Add the beef and onion all at once and cook, stirring until the beef is browned and onion translucent. Pour the sauce into the skillet and simmer until all is heated through, reducing to desired thickness. Add the green onions and cook an additional minute, or use them to garnish the top. Serve with rice. Makes two ample servings.
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