Crispy Sesame Beef
File this under things Andrew loved but I only liked. Glazey sauces are really not my favorite thing. Neither is pan-frying. I had ghee everywhere before the night was over. I thought I had ruined my leather boots with speckles of hot fat, but the leather eventually soaked it up so you couldn’t tell. That said, I’d eat this again. Just not every day. If you’re a fan of things that come from places like Panda Express, then I think you’ll dig this.
Because I knew cooking this dish would be a minor pain [THAT MESS THOUGH], I went the frozen vegetable route. I couldn’t be bothered with anything more complicated, like knife skills or sautéing. Actually, I’m pretty sure I did at least cook them in a pan instead of cheating with the microwave. That’s probably the only reason why my boots didn’t end up more coated in oil than they did. I now understand why things like this exist.
The double dipping of the arrowroot on the steak strips did yield a crispy coating, but I could have done a better job at letting them crisp up. I was a touch freaked out with all the oil going everywhere that I was more inclined to get the cooking over with.
The overall flavor of the sauce is a touch on the sweet side thanks to all that orange juice. I’d love to dial that back and increase the umami with some more fish sauce. Or add some garlic-chili sauce to tone down that sweetness. Next time. I’m sure there will be a next time.
Inspiration: I Heart Umami
Ingredients
- 1lb sirloin steak, thinly sliced against the grain into strips
- 10oz bag of frozen stir-fry vegetables
- 2 cups of frozen broccoli crowns
- 4 tablespoons arrowroot flour
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 4 tablespoons coconut aminos
- 4 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons ghee
- sesame seeds for garnish
- salt and pepper
Preparation
In a bowl, toss the steak strips with two tablespoons of arrowroot flour, a pinch of salt, pepper, and the garlic and onion powders. Store in the fridge while you finish the rest.
In a medium pot, combine the rice vinegar, coconut aminos, orange juice, garlic cloves, ginger, sesame oil, fish sauce, and tomato paste. Turn the heat up to medium-high. Stir until combined. Reduce the sauce to about 1/3 cup. Stir often. Remove from heat once done.
In a large skillet, heat two tablespoons of ghee over medium-high heat. When the ghee is hot, reduce the heat to medium. Toss the beef strips in the remaining two tablespoons of arrowroot. Pan fry the strips in batches to not overcrowd the skillet. Once the last batch is complete, add all of the fried pieces of beef to the pan. Add the sauce, stirring once before pouring in. Toss to combine.
While the steak is cooking in batches, steam the frozen vegetables according to the package. Season them with salt and pepper.
Serve the vegetables with the crispy steak. Top with sesame seeds.