I am in no way a cook, as I’ve stated before, but I’m starting to build a set of recipes that work for my family and for our lifestyle (meaning, fast, furious, and as healthy as we can make it within reason). So I’m trying out new recipes in an effort to continue expanding my abilities – and to hopefully keep the kids and the husband from getting too bored with my go-to meals.
Last night, I cranked through this Mongolian Beef recipe. I was surprised by how many of the ingredients were already in my house; I have cornstarch! And soy sauce! And fresh ginger root! What the crap? After my normal trip to the store on Sunday, I grabbed the rest of the list and we were ready to go. I set some rice to steam for the rest of the family, chopped up some broccoli for myself, and then got to work on the beef.
Tip 1: get the tenderized flank steak, if you can find it. I don’t know if it’s just my inexperience with all of this or what, but it seemed like it was easier to chew than previous flank steaks I’ve tried in the past.
Tip 2: you don’t need as much cornstarch as you think you do. Seriously. Trust me on this, and stick to the 1/4 cup that is listed in the recipe. It looks like a wimpy when you put in in a bowl, all sad and small down there, but it’s got some CRAZY coverage abilities. Also, it will stick to anything you touch – your cabinets, your pants, your cat.
It turned out great, with both of the kids actually eating it without complaint. That’s a sure sign that this one is going in my recipe binder.
