Sesame Beef and Asparagus Stir Fry

Sesame Beef and Asparagus Stir Fry has ingredients easily found in any supermarket and can be pulled together quickly when the Asian food craving hits!

Oy, busy week here!  Having work done in your home (in my case sinks and faucets replaced) is not for the faint of heart.  I’ll just say….all’s well that ends well!

Hope you had a great week and can enjoy some quality time with friends and family this weekend.

We live too far away from restaurants to enjoy the convenience of take-out or home delivery when life happens.  If we’re in the mood for Asian food, it’s a good 20-minute drive and often not something we feel like doing on a moment’s notice — especially after a long day.

A well-stocked pantry is how we pull off an authentic Asian-inspired meal when the craving hits like this Sesame Beef and Asparagus Stir Fry.

Basic ingredients to keep on hand include soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, oyster sauce and sesame seeds.  Keeping other basic ingredients at the ready, such as fish sauce, hoisin sauce, black bean sauce, dry sherry or Shao-xing cooking wine will also enable you to pull off almost any Asian-style meal like a pro.

To make slicing the beef easier, place the cut in the freezer for about an hour.  Then, thinly slice it against the grain.  Slicing against the grain will yield a tender result.

Whenever I purchase fresh ginger, I purchase more than what I need. I peel it, coarsely chop it, then place in a mini food processor with some water to create a purée.  I use what I need for the dish I’m making, then freeze the remainder in small portions in either snack-size zip-top bags or plastic containers.  Ginger sold in jars or tubes will work in a pinch; however, it often contains ingredients besides ginger.

When doing any type of stir-fry, all the ingredients should be prepped and ready to cook.  I do the vegetables first and remove from the heat at the point of how we like them cooked (which is crisp-tender) then transfer to a bowl.  After everything has been cooked to your preferred doneness, I bring the sauce to a boil for thickening, then add the protein and vegetables back in to be heated through.

This intensely flavored sauce pairs best with beef.  Try broccoli, broccolini or pea pods in place of the asparagus and add color with carrots and brightly colored bell peppers.  Serve over Asian-style noodles or rice.

Sesame Beef and Asparagus Stir-Fry

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Prep Time 15 min

Cook Time 15 min

Total Time 30 mins

This Sesame Beef and Asparagus Stir Fry has ingredients easily found in any supermarket and comes together quickly when the Asian food craving hits!

Ingredients

• INGREDIENTS
• STEAK AND MARINADE
• 3/4 pound thinly sliced flank, skirt or sirloin steak
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce, tamari or coconut aminos
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• SAUCE AND STIR-FRY
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1/3 cup soy sauce, tamari or coconut aminos
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons minced ginger
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons canola or peanut oil (or as needed)
• 1 small bunch asparagus, tough ends trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 bunch scallions, white and light green parts only, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Directions

1. INSTRUCTIONS
2. STEAK AND MARINADE
3. Combine beef strips, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic and ginger in a bowl and toss to coat. Let stand 30 minutes.
4. SAUCE AND STIR-FRY
5. Combine broth, soy sauce, rice vinegar, oyster sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes and cornstarch in a bowl. Set aside.
6. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok, skillet or saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the asparagus and cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the scallion pieces and cook 1 minute more. Transfer to a bowl.
7. Add the remaining oil and brown the beef strips on both sides, working in batches. Transfer to the bowl with the vegetables.
8. Pour sauce mixture into the pan and bring to a boil. Cook 1 to 2 minutes or until thickened. Add beef and vegetables back to the pan to heat through. Serve immediately over rice or noodles.

by Carol | From A Chef's Kitchen

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