Stir-Fried Beef with Kimchi

 

Here's another quick-prep meal to work into your weeknight meal rotation. Even with marinating the meat, we're talking about 20 minutes max. It's as healthy can be....just a nice combination of protein and veggies. And having just made this recipe for Becky and I this week, I'm here to tell you that this is big flavor for very little prep time!

INGREDIENTS

4 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon sugar plus 1 tablespoon

12 oz. flank steak, cut with grain into 2-inch wide strips, then sliced across grain into thin slices

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1 teaspoon cornstarch

3 cloves garlic, minced 

1 tablespoon ginger, minced 

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup kimchi, cut into 1-inch pieces

4 oz. mung bean sprouts (about 2 cups)

5 scallions, white and green pieces, cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 1 teaspoon sugar in medium bowl. Add beef, toss well, and marinate for at least 10 minutes or up to 1 hour, stirring once. Meanwhile, whisk remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, remaining tablespoon sugar, chicken broth, sesame oil and cornstarch in a medium bowl. Combine garlic, ginger, and 1 teaspoon oil in a small bowl.
2. Drain beef and discard liquid. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a wok or 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add half of beef to wok/skillet in single layer, breaking up any clumps. Cook, without stirring, for 1 minute, then stir and continue to cook until beef is browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer beef to clean bowl. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in wok/skillet and repeat with remaining beef. Rinse wok/skillet clean and dry with paper towels.
3. Add remaining tablespoon oil to now-empty wok/skillet and heat until just smoking. Add kimchi and cook, stirring frequently, until aromatic, 1 to 2 minutes. Add bean sprouts and stir to combine. Push vegetables to sides of skillet to clear center; add garlic-ginger mixture to clearing and cook, mashing with spatula, until fragrant, 15 to 20 seconds. Stir to combine garlic-ginger mixture with vegetables. Return beef, any accumulated juices, and scallions to skillet and stir to combine. Whisk sauce to recombine, then add to skillet; cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened and evenly distributed, about 30 seconds. Transfer to serving platter and serve.

Wine pairing: Zinfandel