Read Online Quick & Easy Chinese by Nancie McDermott - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Nancie McDermott
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vegetable oil
¼ cup finely chopped green onion
SERVES 4 TO 6
To toast the sesame seeds, heat a small, dry skillet over medium heat. Add the sesame seeds, and let them brown gently for 1 to 2 minutes, shaking the skillet and stirring them often to avoid burning. When most of the seeds are a handsome light brown and giving off a toasty aroma, scrape them out onto a small plate to cool. (If using peanut butter or Asian sesame paste, simply add it to the marinade along with the other ingredients.)
In a medium bowl, combine the soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Stir to dissolve the sugar and mix everything together well.
Grind the toasted sesame seeds in a spice grinder, or use a mortar and pestle, to make a very coarse, seedy paste. Or pile them up on a cutting board and chop them coarsely, stopping once or twice to scrape the seeds back into a mound. Scrape the toasted sesame seeds into the soy sauce marinade, and stir to mix well.
Cut the beef across the grain into very thin slices, about 2 inches long. Transfer the sliced beef to the soy sauce marinade, turning to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or as long as 24 hours, turning occasionally to season all the beef evenly. (You could combine the marinade and the beef in a resealable plastic bag and then refrigerate the bag.)
To cook the beef, heat the vegetable oil in a wok or a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Scatter in about half the beef and spread it out in one layer to cook on one side for about 1 minute. Toss well, and then turn the pieces so that the other side can cook, for up to 1 minute, until the color changes. Add half the green onion, toss well, and transfer to a serving platter. Allow the pan to heat up again, so that a bit of meat sizzles at once. Repeat with the remaining beef and its marinade and green onion. Serve hot or warm.
SPICY BEEF IN LETTUCE CUPS
This Szechuan-style dish is quite delicious, quick to prepare, and fun to eat. You can use flatter lettuce leaves, such as romaine or oak leaf lettuce, and fold them into small packets for eating. Or enjoy the filling in tortillas or pita bread, along with a handful of shredded lettuce and a dollop or two of spicy salsa. We love it with rice and greens for a weeknight supper.
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons dry sherry, white wine, or Shaoxing wine
2 teaspoons cornstarch
½ teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ pound ground beef
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons finely chopped green onion
1 tablespooon Asian sesame oil
About 20 cup-shaped lettuce leaves, such as Bibb, Boston, or iceberg
SERVES 4
In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, sherry, cornstarch, sugar, and salt, and stir well to dissolve the cornstarch and combine everything into a smooth sauce.
Place the ground beef in a medium bowl, and use a spoon to separate it into five or six big clumps. Add about half the soy sauce mixture, and gently mix the seasonings into the ground beef, using your hands or a large spoon. Set aside for 10 to 15 minutes.
To cook, heat a wok or a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Add the vegetable oil; swirl to coat the pan, and then toss in the ginger and garlic. Cook for about 1 minute, tossing once, until fragrant but not browned.
Crumble in the seasoned ground beef, and use your spatula or a big, slotted spoon to break it up and spread the meat out over the hot pan to help it cook evenly. Let it cook until it changes color on one side, 1 to 2 minutes.
Toss the meat just enough to turn the uncooked side onto the hot pan, and let it cook another minute undisturbed. Then toss well, using your spatula to break up any large chunks. When the meat is cooked, add the red pepper flakes and the green onion, and toss well. Add the sesame oil and remove from the heat, tossing once more to
¼ cup finely chopped green onion
SERVES 4 TO 6
To toast the sesame seeds, heat a small, dry skillet over medium heat. Add the sesame seeds, and let them brown gently for 1 to 2 minutes, shaking the skillet and stirring them often to avoid burning. When most of the seeds are a handsome light brown and giving off a toasty aroma, scrape them out onto a small plate to cool. (If using peanut butter or Asian sesame paste, simply add it to the marinade along with the other ingredients.)
In a medium bowl, combine the soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Stir to dissolve the sugar and mix everything together well.
Grind the toasted sesame seeds in a spice grinder, or use a mortar and pestle, to make a very coarse, seedy paste. Or pile them up on a cutting board and chop them coarsely, stopping once or twice to scrape the seeds back into a mound. Scrape the toasted sesame seeds into the soy sauce marinade, and stir to mix well.
Cut the beef across the grain into very thin slices, about 2 inches long. Transfer the sliced beef to the soy sauce marinade, turning to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or as long as 24 hours, turning occasionally to season all the beef evenly. (You could combine the marinade and the beef in a resealable plastic bag and then refrigerate the bag.)
To cook the beef, heat the vegetable oil in a wok or a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Scatter in about half the beef and spread it out in one layer to cook on one side for about 1 minute. Toss well, and then turn the pieces so that the other side can cook, for up to 1 minute, until the color changes. Add half the green onion, toss well, and transfer to a serving platter. Allow the pan to heat up again, so that a bit of meat sizzles at once. Repeat with the remaining beef and its marinade and green onion. Serve hot or warm.
SPICY BEEF IN LETTUCE CUPS
This Szechuan-style dish is quite delicious, quick to prepare, and fun to eat. You can use flatter lettuce leaves, such as romaine or oak leaf lettuce, and fold them into small packets for eating. Or enjoy the filling in tortillas or pita bread, along with a handful of shredded lettuce and a dollop or two of spicy salsa. We love it with rice and greens for a weeknight supper.
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons dry sherry, white wine, or Shaoxing wine
2 teaspoons cornstarch
½ teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ pound ground beef
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons finely chopped green onion
1 tablespooon Asian sesame oil
About 20 cup-shaped lettuce leaves, such as Bibb, Boston, or iceberg
SERVES 4
In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, sherry, cornstarch, sugar, and salt, and stir well to dissolve the cornstarch and combine everything into a smooth sauce.
Place the ground beef in a medium bowl, and use a spoon to separate it into five or six big clumps. Add about half the soy sauce mixture, and gently mix the seasonings into the ground beef, using your hands or a large spoon. Set aside for 10 to 15 minutes.
To cook, heat a wok or a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Add the vegetable oil; swirl to coat the pan, and then toss in the ginger and garlic. Cook for about 1 minute, tossing once, until fragrant but not browned.
Crumble in the seasoned ground beef, and use your spatula or a big, slotted spoon to break it up and spread the meat out over the hot pan to help it cook evenly. Let it cook until it changes color on one side, 1 to 2 minutes.
Toss the meat just enough to turn the uncooked side onto the hot pan, and let it cook another minute undisturbed. Then toss well, using your spatula to break up any large chunks. When the meat is cooked, add the red pepper flakes and the green onion, and toss well. Add the sesame oil and remove from the heat, tossing once more to
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