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Broccoli Beef Stir Fry Recipe

Vegetable and Meat Dinner Dish with a Lemony-Garlic Sauce

Dec 8, 2008 Kari Miller

This beef stir fry recipe featuring broccoli, carrots and peppers and sprinkled with sesame seeds, makes a hearty meal atop a bed of rice or thin noodles.

Stir fry, a Chinese cooking technique, is a versatile dish that can have hundreds of variations. Usually made with a variety of fresh vegetables and meat or seafood, it is a healthy way to increase the number of vegetables in one's diet and is perfect comfort food for the cold winter months. In this version lemon (or lime) gives the dish a tang, making it different from other beef and brocooli stir fry recipes. In addition, the beef can be omitted without losing any of the flavor, providing a tasty alternative for vegetarians. The broccoli, carrots and red pepper contrast beautifully with each other, but other vegetables can also be added or substituted, such as mushrooms, bean sprouts, zucchini or pea pods.

Broccoli Beef Stir Fry

Serves: 4-6

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1 ½ lb. beef, cut into strips
1 c. broccoli florets
½ c. carrots, sliced
¼ c. each green pepper and red pepper, sliced
2 tsp sugar
2 tbs soy sauce
3 tbs fresh lemon or lime juice
½ tsp lemon/lime zest
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp garlic, minced
2 tbs shallots, minced
1 tsp shredded ginger root
Oil for frying
Sesame seeds for garnish (optional)

Preparation:

Fry the beef (if using) in about 2 tbs oil, about 5-10 minutes or until cooked through. When cooked, remove from heat. Cover and keep warm.
Meanwhile, put about 2 inches of water in a separate saucepan and bring to boiling. Once the water boils, add the vegetables and boil for about 2 minutes or until the carrots and broccoli have softened a bit. Drain and set aside.
In a small bowl, combine the sugar, soy sauce, lemon juice and zest. Add the cornstarch and stir until it is completely dissolved. Set aside.
Add about 2 tbs oil to a large frying pan and fry the garlic, shallots and ginger until the shallots are light brown. Add the vegetables, beef and sauce and cook until the sauce thickens.
In a small, dry saucepan add the sesame seeds. Toast over medium low heat for 1-2 minutes until a light gold.
Serve over white or brown rice. Sprinkle with lightly toasted sesame seeds (optional). Another way to serve this dish is over thin noodles.

Tip: Adjust the amount of garlic and ginger according to personal tastes. For more garlic flavor, add another teaspoon. For less ginger flavor, omit entirely or add just a dash of the ginger root. For more sauce, add 1 cup cold chicken broth to the cornstarch mixture (this will change the flavor slightly).

Variation: Top with peanuts or almonds instead of the sesame seeds.

The copyright of the article Broccoli Beef Stir Fry Recipe in Recipes is owned by Kari Miller. Permission to republish Broccoli Beef Stir Fry Recipe in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.