Recipe Station

Here's everything you need for this to-die-for stir fry dish. There are a lot of ingredients here, so you might want to take a few minutes beforehand to set out everything you need for easy access.

Ingredients To Gather:

• 1 tbsp peanut oil (or vegetable / canola oil)
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 cup broccoli florets, must be fresh to stir fry and not get soggy
• 4 oz thin sliced stir fry beef
• 1 tsp chili paste
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp coarse ground black pepper
• Pinch of sesame seeds (option, for garnish)

Directions To Follow:

Start by making the Szechuan sauce. To do this, you'll combine the  chili paste, red pepper flakes, soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar and sesame oil. Next, wash the broccoli and break it into small pieces. Mince the garlic and then slice the beef into thin strips and season with salt and pepper. Stir fry the garlic and ginger over high heat for 1 minute and then add the beef and stir fry for about 5 more minutes.

Now you're read for the grand finale:

Remove the beef to a plate and add the broccoli florets. Stir fry the broccoli florets until they are slightly tender (about five minutes). The fat and juices from the beef will begin to brown on the bottom of the pan during this step. When the sauce is added next, it will deglaze the pan and bring up all of the flavor from the caramelized juices on the bottom of the pan.
Return the beef strips to the pan with the broccoli florets and add the Szechuan sauce. Continue to stir and cook until most of the moisture has evaporated from the sauce (about 1-2 minutes).

For an authentic Asian flair, serve this dish over hot white rice. You can also add sesame seeds and green onions on top for even more of an Asian flavor. However, this dish works well as a main dish accompanied by a vegetable. Experiment and see what you prefer!

Article Source: Cooking for One