Gluten-free orange sesame beef stir fry

I was speaking to a friend today about blogging. My advice to her was that some times it's ok to just write a quick entry without spending a lot of time. That's my goal; let's see how I do (I had to write the recipe; this took the longest).

This recipe is a combination of two recipes/techniques. It's broken down into 4 steps:

1. Marinate the meat and prep the sauce.

2. Cut the veggies.

3. Cook the veggies.

4. Cook the meat.

5. Put it all together and enjoy.

I grabbed some of the veggies (cabbage, mushrooms and scallions) from the salad bar for easy prep and used cooked green beans from the fridge along with shredded carrots.  When I cook, I usually prep as I go to save time but forgot that the flat snap peas take some time to take off the string in the center. Note to self: prep the veggies first!. Once you start cooking, it all comes together very quickly.

The meat is delicious on its own so you can use this part of the recipe to make Asian beef anytime. The orange rind is added at the end so it can even be omitted it you want something less "orange-y." We served this over brown rice. My kids didn't eat all of the veggies but most of them. My son kept asking for more "chicken" (really, I did tell you it's beef, honey...sigh). Either way, it was a great family recipe that I will make again.

Gluten-free Orange Sesame Beef Stir Fry

Serves 4-6

Marinade

1/2 cup gluten-free soy sauce

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil (dark)

2 teaspoons minced ginger (you can also use a minced ginger paste)

3-4 garlic cloves, minced

1.5 lbs top sirloin, cut into strips

Stir fry vegetables, sorted in order of hardness: broccoli, carrots, red cabbage, zucchini, mushrooms, snap peas, about 3-4 cups total, more or less

Orange Sauce 

2 tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce

2 tablespoons water

4 tablespoons sugar

4 tablespoons white vinegar

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Oil for high heat like peanut or safflower

1 tablespoon ginger, minced

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

1 tablespoon sushi rice flour or white rice flour

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon rice wine or sherry (not vinegar)

Zest of 1 orange

Optional: hot chili oil or crushed red chili peppers

Optional: more cornstarch to thicken sauce

1. Combine the marinade ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Add the beef and stir to coat evenly. Let stand for 20 minutes. Optionally cover and marinate overnight.

2. Prep all of the veggies. 

3. Mix the orange sauce in a small bowl. Set aside.

4. In a wok, toast the sesame seeds over medium heat, shaking the pan frequently, until lightly colored, 3 to 4 minutes. Immediately pour onto a plate to cool.

5. Place a wok over medium-high heat until hot. Add 1 tablespoon of oil, swirling to coat on all sides. Cook the veggies until just crisp, hardest to softest. At the end, add the ginger and garlic, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove and place all of the veggies in a bowl.

6. Drain the marinade. Add the rice flour and cornstarch to the meat and stir until combined.

7. Place wok back on stove and wipe out if necessary. Add 2 teaspoons oil. Add the beef and stir-fry until cooked but still slightly pink in the center, 2 to 3 minutes. 

8. Add rice wine and cook for about 20-30 seconds. 

9. Add orange sauce and veggies; bring to boil then lower the heat.

10. Add sesame seeds, and orange zest. Cook for 1 more minute and serve. If you like spicy food, add hot chili oil and/or crushed red chili flakes.

11. If sauce needs to be thicker, in a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of cold water with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Add to the beef, stirring. This will thicken the sauce. Continue simmering about 2-3 minutes. Add more water or soy sauce if the sauce becomes too thick.