Stir-Fried Beef with Mustard Greens
For this recipe, Yi Thao buys chuck steak with bits of muscle and chops it up into a coarse mince with a cleaver. I find it easier to use slivered flank steak instead. Health-conscious Yi doesn’t use any oil to cook the beef, as the meat releases juices that prevent it from sticking to the pan. If you’re skeptical, a little oil won’t hurt.
Time: 30 minutes
Makes: 4 to 6 servings as part of a multicourse family-style meal
Ingredients
- 1 pound flank steak or top sirloin
- 1 plump stalk lemongrass, trimmed, bruised, and halved crosswise
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1½-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut lengthwise into 6 slices
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 8 ounces Asian mustard greens, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces (6 to 7 cups)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
Instructions
- Handle the beef partially frozen so that it is easier to cut (if it’s fresh, place in the freezer for about 30 minutes). Cut the beef along the grain into 1½-inch-thick strips. With your knife at an angle almost parallel to the cutting surface, slice the meat diagonally across the grain into ¼-inch-thick slices. Then cut into about ¼-inch slivers.
- Preheat a large wok or skillet over high heat for about 1 minute. Add the beef, lemongrass, garlic, ginger, and salt. Stir-fry until the beef just loses its blush, 1 to 2 minutes. The beef will release its own juices that prevent it from sticking to the pan.
- Add the mustard green stems and the sugar. Stir-fry for about 30 seconds, then add the leaves and stir-fry until the vegetables are tender and bright green, another minute. Taste and adjust seasonings if desired. Discard the lemongrass and ginger and serve with freshly steamed rice.
