QUICK & EASY GINGER BEEF

Crispy fried strips of beef tossed in a delicious garlic and ginger sauce.  Who needs to order in when you can have this on the table in 30 minutes or less?  Cheaper cuts of beef work well with this recipe so use whichever cut of beef you have in the fridge or freezer. 

Serves 5-6

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb steak or roast of choice, sliced thinly into long strips

• 1 cup cornstarch

• 3 cups vegetable oil for frying

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil

• 1 large white onion, sliced into thin strips

• 1 cup carrots, shredded or julienned

• 1 red bell pepper, cored and cut into thin strips

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 1/2 tbsp fresh ginger, grated

• 1/2 teaspoon dried red chili flakes (or more for spice)

• 1/2 cup light soy sauce

• 2 tbsp rice vinegar

• 1 tbsp sesame oil

• 1/2 tsp black pepper

• 1/2 cup brown sugar, lightly packed

• 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

• 1/4 cup green onions, thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS: 

• Add beef strips to a bowl and toss with the corn starch and set aside.

• In a saucepan over medium heat, add the 2 tbsp vegetable oil and onions to a sauce pan. Sauté for two minutes until onions are translucent.

• Add the carrots and bell pepper strips to the onions and cook for 3 more minutes.

• Add the garlic, ginger, and chili flakes and cook for 1-2 more minutes.

• Add the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, black pepper, brown sugar, and sesame seeds and combine thoroughly.

• Lower the heat and simmer the sauce so it can slightly thicken.

• In a large wok or deep skillet, heat the 3 cups of vegetable oil. Dump the cornstarch coated beef into a colander and over the sink, shake the excess corn starch off the beef.

• Fry the coated beef strips in small batches until crispy (about 3-4 minutes per batch)

• Remove fried beef to a plate with a paper towel on it to drain the excess oil.

• Toss the fried beef with the vegetable and sauce mixture.

• Garnish with extra sesame seeds and green onions. Serve immediately with rice or noodles.