Ginger Broccoli Beef Recipe

I originally went into this as a vegetarian meal, solely because I had an onslaught of broccoli  in my refrigerator waiting to be used. Also, it was a Sunday, and I like to get the majority of my cooking done so it can be enjoyed throughout the week. The night prior, Mark and I had some friends over for a pre-Memorial day barbecue, my sister’s fiance, the butcher, brought over two behemoth size tri-tip steaks to throw on the grill. I’m not much of  a beef eater, but these were an exception. Needless to say, the next day we had tons of leftovers, and tons of delicious steak. So, I thought this would pair well with all of the flavors in my ginger-garlic sauce. Might I add, this also so happens to be Mark’s favorite dish when we go out for Asian food. I just earned some brownie points with the hubby.

If you’re not a meat-eater, then, tempeh, baked tofu, or just cubed tofu would be killer in this, as well. This dish is very accommodating.

The tri-tip was medium-rare, so it cooked up nicely in the sauce. If you are using beef, try to slice it as thin as possible.

Your fresh ginger root should be slightly larger than your thumb, so, I guess a thumb and a half. Skin it and mince it up really well.

Chop your broccoli as small or large as you like it. Broccolini would taste great in this, too. Don’t be afraid to try different vegetables with this ginger-garlic sauce . Sliced carrots, sugar-snap peas, bok choy, would all work out fantastic.

The sauce is pretty simple:  maple syrup, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and a splash of toasted sesame oil. Simmer it for about 10 minutes, then toss in some sliced onions. If you’re using raw steak or chicken, this would be the time to add it in. This will ensure optimal flavor extraction and flavor absorption. Since I already had cooked beef, I tossed this in towards the end.

I prefer my onions translucent and well cooked, and my broccoli with a bit of a crunch. To achieve this, I like to cook up the onions, along with sliced beef for about 5 minutes, or longer. Then toss in your fresh broccoli florets. Stir fry for another 2-3 minutes, or longer depending on broccoli crunch preference.

When it is all done, serve it over cooked brown Basmati rice. This dish has a very authentic flavor, if you close your eyes, you can almost imagine yourself in a Asian restaurant.

Ingredients

Ginger-garlic sauce:

• 1 1/2 cups pure maple syrup
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• salt, to taste

Stir-fry veggies:

• 1 medium white onion,  sliced
• 1 nice sized head of broccoli, chopped
• 2 cup thinly sliced meat (beef, chicken, pork, or even tempeh and baked tofu)
• Cooked brown basmati rice

Directions

1. In a heated wok or frying pan, drizzle in some olive oil (about 2-3 tablespoons)
2. Add garlic, and ginger, stir around for about 15 seconds, then add soy sauce
3. Cook for 1 minute on a low heat, then pour in the maple syrup. Increase heat and bring to a boil for 1 minute, reduce heat
4. Heat should be on a medium-low now, drizzle in toasted sesame oil and salt to taste, and simmer for 10 minutes
5. Meanwhile, chop your broccoli and slice your onions
6. Toss sliced onions and thinly sliced meat of choice into the sauce first, simmer for 5 minutes, add chopped broccoli, cook for 2-3 minutes (depending on how crunchy you want your broccoli, I like my broccoli to have a bit of a crunch)
7. Serve on a bed of brown basmati rice, and enjoy!

Related: Asian Recipes, Healthy Recipes