Soy-Ginger Stir fry

Ginger Beef Stir-fry:

Ingredients (for two people)

• 1 Pound "quick fry" Steaks. Ideally a quality cut of beef, not a "simmering" or "marinading" steak
• 1 Carrot
• 4 White Mushrooms, or an equal amount of another type of mushroom
• 3 Celery Stalks
• 1/2 Cup Snow or Snap Peas
• 2 Green Onion Stalks, chopped
• 1 Teaspoon Sesame Seeds
• 1 Tablespoos fresh Gingeroot, minced
• 3 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1/2-1 cup Korean BBQ style sauce, or honey garlic sauce or teriyaki. 

Marinade:

• 2 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar
• 5 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
• 1 Tablespoon Honey or Brown Sugar 
• 1 Tablespoon fresh Gingeroot , minced
• 1 Teaspoon Red Chili Pepper Flakes
• 1 Teaspoon Ground Cumin

Instructions:

1. Place the steaks in the freezer for about 5 minutes
2. Start the marinade by whisking all the ingredients listed in a medium size bowl. 
3. Remove the steaks from the freezer and cut into about finger-width slices. 
4. Add beef to the marinade and stir to coat all the beef slices and allow to marinade for at least 30 minutes, but up to 4 hours. Any longer and there is a risk that the acid and salt in the marinade will degrade the steak too far, tender steak is good but falling apart mush is never good.
5. While your beef marinates, chop all your vegetables for the stir fry. I like to thinly slice the celery stalks, cut the carrot into small match-sticks, and chop the mushrooms into small bite size pieces. 
6.  When you are getting ready to start cooking, heat up a cask-iron skillet to about medium high, oil it with the sesame and olive oil and allow oil to heat up. 
7. Saute the beef strips until they are just at roughly medium-rare temperature. Move the beef strips to a bowl and set aside for now.  
8. Add the celery, carrots, peas,  minced ginger, and minced garlic to the pan and cook for about 7-10 minutes or until the veg is cooked to your taste.  
9. Add the mushrooms last so they don't overcook and lastly re-add the cooked beef. 
10. Pour the Korean BBQ sauce into the skillet and stir everything to coat. 
11. Cook for about 2 more minutes then serve over white rice, or rice noodles. 
12. Garnish with the sesame seeds and chopped green onion.

Enjoy!

Notes:

So apparently when most grown ups think of a quick easy meal to make on a weeknight, they go for something like a stir fry. I am not one of those people. In fact I grew up not really eating any stir fry meals at all. Which means my stir fry cooking skills have my fiance left wanting. . .  I never know what kind of meat to get, or how much to use for the number of people I have. I often do not make the best vegetable combination choices, I cut things the wrong size, cook them in the wrong order, use too much sauce, not enough sauce, etc etc. So yes, while I feel fairly confident when it comes to most kitchen related things the stir fry is something that has constantly kicked my butt. Until now! I kept trying different combinations and finally created a stir fry recipe that I enjoy and that passes the husband test. Excellent accomplishment indeed.

Using a cast iron skillet for this? Tips and tricks are here!