Beef Scalliion Stir Fry

Even if your kids HATE onions, do not dismiss this recipe.  The green onions in it basically cook down to the nothing and your kids can easily pick them out.  Left behind in the beef, though, is the lovely buttery flavor of scallions--so not only will you get to eat something that tastes great, they'll also, slowly and without even knowing it, become acclimated to the taste of onions.  How wonderfully Machiavellian is that?

This should be served with rice, of course, so be sure to figure that into your cooking time.  If you hate cooking rice, and use this as an excuse to not make this dish, then perhaps it's time to suck it up and invest a whole $19.99 on a rice steamer.  They're so easy even a distracted monkey can do it.

This recipe comes from Helen Chen's Easy Chinese Stir Fries, an excellent book that lives up to its title.

Beef Scallion Stir Fry
1 lb. flank steak, trimmed
2 Tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 Tablespoon corn starch
1 Tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry (I use the sherry)
1 teaspoon sugar
3 Tablespoons canola oil
2 round slices of unpeeled fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, crushed and peeled
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 small can of slice bamboo shoots, drained
5 green onions
1 teaspoon sesame oil

1. Cook your rice, according to instructions.  
2. Slice the beef with the grain into 2-inch wide strips. 
3. Slice the beef against the grain into 1/8-inch wide pieces. 
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the hoisin sauce, the soy sauce, the cornstarch, the wine, and the sugar. 
5. Add the beef to the sauce and mix well.  Set aside.  
6. Slice the roots off the green onions.  Then cut the bulbs off and cut them in half, lengthwise.  
7. Cut the rest of the onions (the green stems) into 2-inch long segments. 
8. Heat your wok over high heat.  Once it's hot, add the oil and heat until it shimmers. 
9. Now add the ginger and garlic.  Cook for ten seconds.  Do not let them brown!
10. Add the beef mixture and stir-fry for 1 minute. 
11. Stir in the broth and the bamboo shoots, stirring constantly, for another minute. 
12. Add the green onions and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes until the scallions are wilted.  
13. Turn off heat.  Drizzle sesame oil and mix.  
14. Remove ginger slices and serve!

Family Ratings

Will, who never takes seconds but did for this dish:  10

Lucy, who's not crazy about bamboo shoots:  9

Jamie, who's still getting the hang of this numbering system:  88

Ellen, who's not a big red meat fan: 9

Paul who loooooooves onions:  10