Stir-fry is a dish many people, adults and kids alike, seem to love. That popularity is perhaps because no two stir-fry dishes ever seem to be the same or because stir-fry dishes encourage cooks to take chances with ingredients.
Those who want to experiment with a tried and true stir-fry success might want to try Michelle Dudash’s recipe for “Orange Peel Beef & Broccoli Stir-Fry With Brown Rice” from her book, “Clean Eating for Busy Families” (Fair Winds Press).
Orange Peel Beef & Broccoli Stir-Fry With Brown Rice
Serves 4
For Sauce:
2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons honey
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1⁄4 teaspoon Chinese 5-spice powder (or 1⁄4 teaspoon cinnamon and 1⁄8 teaspoon each ground fennel and cloves)
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
For Stir-Fry:
51⁄2 cups bite-size broccoli florets
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced ginger (or 1⁄2 teaspoon ground ginger)
1⁄8 teaspoon salt
1 pound flank or flat iron steak, or top sirloin, thinly sliced against the grain in 11⁄2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon expeller-pressed grapeseed or canola oil
1 orange, 2 teaspoons grated zest, inner segments sliced
2 teaspoons sesame seeds
3 cups cooked brown rice
To make the sauce: Stir together all of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
To make the stir-fry: Heat a large frying pan or wok over high heat, add 1 cup of water and bring to a boil. Add broccoli, reduce heat to a low boil and cover with a lid or piece of foil, leaving a gap for steam to escape. Steam for 5 minutes until almost fork-tender. Move broccoli to a plate, reserving cooking water in another container.
In a medium bowl, sprinkle garlic, ginger and salt evenly over the beef. Scrape the pan clean, place it on high heat and add the oil. When the oil is shimmering, add the beef in an even layer and cook for 2 minutes undisturbed until brown. Toss with a wooden spoon to break up the pieces, reducing heat to medium-high as needed. Add orange zest and sesame seeds and cook until beef is done, another 2 minutes. Swirl in the sauce, add broccoli and stir-fry to reheat. Add a splash of reserved broccoli water if mixture seems too dry. Serve hot and garnish with orange segments.