Stir-Fried Beef with Asian Mustard Greens
Stir-fried beef with Chinese broccoli (gai lan): the beef is sliced into thin strips and dry-fried without added oil, using the meat's own juices to prevent sticking. Finished with lemongrass, ginger, and garlic for aroma.
Ingredients
flank steak or top sirloin
1 pound
lemongrass (trim, crush (see page 10), cut in half crosswise)
1 plump stalk
garlic (minced)
2 cloves
fresh ginger (peeled, cut into 6 slices lengthwise)
1½-inch piece
salt
1½ teaspoons
Asian mustard greens (trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 6-7 cups))
8 ounces
sugar
1 teaspoon
Instructions
1
Slice the beef
For easiest slicing, the beef works best when slightly semi-frozen (if using fresh beef, place it in the freezer for approximately 30 minutes). First, cut the beef into 1.5-inch thick strips with the grain. Next, hold your knife blade almost parallel to the cutting board, and slice the meat across the grain into thin pieces. Then cut these slices into strips roughly 0.25 inches wide.
2
Stir-fry the beef
Preheat a large wok or skillet over high heat for approximately 1 minute. Add the beef, lemongrass, garlic, ginger, and salt. Stir-fry until the beef just changes color, 1 to 2 minutes. The beef will release its natural juices, which prevents the ingredients from sticking to the pan.
3
Stir-fry the vegetables
Add the mustard green stems and sugar. Stir-fry for about 30 seconds, then add the leaves. Continue stir-frying until the vegetables are tender and bright green, approximately 1 more minute. Taste and adjust seasoning to your preference. Discard the lemongrass and ginger, and serve with freshly steamed rice.
