Broccoli Beef with Water Chestnuts and Jasmine Rice

Yesterday we went out for a family hike at Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge.  On our way back to the car we ran into the Henry family.  They were past clients of mine when I used to practice Real Estate.  We were doing a little catching up when Mr. Henry says “We just love your chicken recipe” and then Mrs. Henry pipes in “Yes, the one that’s your daughters favorite”.  I was beaming with excitement to hear that people I know locally read this blog of mine.  I mean, I know people do, but hearing it from their lips is confirmation that I’m doing what I should be doing.  Anyway, I look over at my daughter and she’s beaming too.  When we got back to the car, she agreed that Honey Glazed Spicy Chicken Thighs was indeed her favorite dinner but that Broccoli Beef is her second favorite.  Lucky for her I had a flank steak out and ready to be turned into her second favorite dinner of all time.  

Start with a 1 1/2 lb flank steak and cut across the grain into ultra thin slices.  This make the meat tender and succulent.  Add to a large bowl.

In another bowl add 1/2 cup of soy sauce.

4 tablespoons of Sherry.  You can usually find this in the isle with vinegar or in the wine section of your supermarket.

Note: those gorgeous blue fingernails belong to my lovely Assisticant.  (I would never paint my nails blue)

Add 2 tablespoons of brown sugar to the bowl.

2 tablespoons of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of Sriracha sauce.

2 tablespoons of grated fresh ginger.  I use a small cheese grater and grate frozen ginger.  Freezing it keeps it longer and makes grating a breeze!  Use the edge of a spoon to scrape off the outer skin before grating.

Whisk it together…..

And pour it over the sliced meat.  You could let this marinate for about 30 minutes, but if you’re like me and don’t think that far in advance, it’s still great if it just marinates while you get the other things ready.

Now would be a great time to get the jasmine rice cooking if you haven’t already.

You’ll need 3-4 cups of broccoli crowns.  Make sure they are uniform and bite sized otherwise they will cook unevenly.  You’ll also use a can of water chestnuts that have been drained.  Have all of these at the ready because once you start cooking, you won’t be able to stop to open cans or cut up broccoli.

In a hot frying pan or wok add 2 tablespoons of peanut oil or olive oil.  Let the oil get hot but not smoking.

Working in batches, add just enough steak to fill the frying pan.  Don’t over crowd.  Also, try to get as much of the marinade off the beef before adding to the hot oil or you will be cleaning your ceiling!  Cook on one side for about 1 minute then flip and cook another minute.  Remove to a clean bowl and repeat with all remaining steak.

p.s. – Broccoli Beef is a great meal to make when you know your stove needs a thorough cleaning.  The oil will sputter and you will be cleaning every inch of the stove afterward.  This is my public service announcement.

Add the broccoli and 1 cup of water to the pan and continue to cook at high heat for about 4 minutes.

Add the drained water chestnuts and give it a stir.  Add the steak and any accumulated juices as well as the remaining marinade to the pan.  Cook until the sauce just begins to thicken.  Remove from the heat and serve with cooked jasmine rice.

Broccoli Beef with Water Chestnuts and Jasmine Rice

Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs flank steak, trimmed, sliced very thin across the grain
1/2 cup soy sauce
4 tbsp Sherry
2 tbsp light brown sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp Sriracha sauce
2 tbsp grated or minced fresh ginger
3-4 cups broccoli crowns, uniform sized
1 cup water
1 can water chestnuts, drained
2 tbsp peanut oil
Instructions
1 In a small bowl, mix the sherry, brown sugar, cornstarch, Sriracha and ginger together with a whisk.  Pour over the sliced steak and stir to combine.  Set aside.
2 Heat the peanut oil in a large frying pan or wok until very hot.  Working in small batches, add the steak without crowding the pan and fry for 1 minute per side.  Remove to a clean bowl and repeat with remaining steak.  
3 Add the broccoli to the same frying pan along with 1 cup of water.  Scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the pan and allow the broccoli to cook until just tender but still crisp.  Add the water chestnuts and stir to combine.  Add the reserved steak and any accumulated juices as well as the remaining marinade and stir to combine.  Cook just until the sauce begins to thicken, about 30 seconds.  Remove from heat and serve with steamed jasmine rice.

Written by

Heather is the author of the food blog Farmgirl Gourmet. An avid home cook, amateur photographer and organic gardener. She lives in Spokane County, Washington where she develops family friendly recipes from her 100 year old kitchen.

Leave a Reply