Ingredients:

Meat:

1 lb flank steak, sliced with the grain into lengths and then crosswise into bite sized strips

Meat Marinade:

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1 T ginger
1 T low sodium soy sauce
fresh cracked black pepper to taste
2 t cornstarch
1 t sesame oil
1 t vegetable or peanut oil

Vegetables:

1 T garlic, minced
6 oz shiitake mushrooms, sliced in half if large
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 cup carrot matchsticks
2 cups snow peas, sliced on diagonal
3 scallions, sliced

Stir Fry Sauce:

1 1/2 T chili garlic sauce
3 T Hoisin sauce
2 T rice wine vinegar

1-2 T grapeseed oil for wokking – or other high heat stir-fry oil

Spoon Mage Note:

Wokking works its magic best at high temperatures. If at any time your wok even hints that it want to start smoking, reduce the heat to medium high. Learning exactly when to reduce the heat is a matter of learning your wok and stove.

The temperature in the wok will reduce from high to medium high with the addition of each ingredients. It rises again as the new ingredient cooks. Add the next ingredient when the wok is back to high. If you begin on medium high, you will end up simmering veggies in their liquids and instead of delightful crisp and colorful veggies, you’ll end up with a soggy mess.

Don’t worry about burning the veggies or burning the oil. You are going to stand there anyway. No answering the phone. Nothing but wokking and paying attention for the teensiest wisp of smoke so you can immediately adjust the heat.

Directions:

Mix the marinade and add with meat to a bowl with a lid. Place in the refrigerator for about an hour. Flank steak does need a bit of tenderizing time, but it is far tastier in a stir fry than a tender steak would be.

Prepare the vegetables: Place garlic in small bowl, mushrooms in a medium bowl, combine the bell pepper and carrot in the same bowl, use separate bowls for the snow peas and scallions.

Mix the stir fry sauce in a small bowl.

Heat a wok over high heat. Not medium high, always start with high as when you add the meat or veggies the temperature reduces.

Add 1 T of the oil and the garlic, stir fry about 15 seconds. Scoot the garlic to one side, as what you have just done is infuse the oil with garlic flavor for the beef! Add the beef evenly in one layer and allow meat to cook for a minute undisturbed – until the meat begins to sear. Stir and cook for another minute. Transfer to a separate bowl.

Add the rest of the oil to the wok, swirl to coat, add the mushrooms cook on high until the mushrooms sear.

Add the bell pepper and carrots, stirring until the carrots brighten in color – just a couple minutes.

Add the snow peas with half of the scallions and stir for one minute. If you have not reduced the heat to medium high yet, this is the time to do it.

Return the meat to the wok and stir for one minute.

Add the stir fry sauce mixture and stir frequently until the veggies are done to your liking. Many people like them to be super crisp and others prefer their veggies more cooked. Taste after two minutes and remove from heat only when the veggies meet your approval.

Serve immediately with the reserved scallions at the table, jasmine rice, and if you live near a good Asian grocers, get some fresh potstickers.