Beef and Bok Choy Stir-Fry

Beef and Bok Choy Stir-Fry combines elements from Chinese, Japanese and Indonesian cooking to produce a dish of intriguing flavors.  You can use a lean cut of beef for this recipe but more marbleized cut of beef, like boneless chuck, will taste better.  The marinade/sauce will also work very well with pork.  We recommend a light appetizer like Heirloom Tomato Caprese Salad to start.  Serve Beef and Bok Choy Stir-Fry with fluffy steamed rice or as is, if you’re carb-conscious, accompanied by a crisp, dry rosé wine.  We think “Beef ‘n Bok” will become a favorite of at your home.

Prep Time: see below, Total Time: 1 hour plus marinating time. Serves: 2.

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Ingredients:

Marinade:

• 1 Lb boneless Beef
• ½ Tb minced Garlic
• ½ Tb crushed Ginger
• 1 ½ tsp Ground Turmeric
• 1 tsp granulated Sugar
• 2 Tbs Soy Sauce
• 3 Tbs Unseasoned Rice Vinegar
• 2 Tbs Mirin
• 1 Tb Cooking Oil (Peanut/Canola Oils blend recommended)

Cooking:

• 1 ½ tsp Garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 Tb crushed Ginger
• 2 Thai (Bird’s Eye) Chilis, sliced into thin rounds
• 2 Red Fresno Chilis, sliced into thin rounds
• 1 large Onion, sliced thinly lengthwise
• 1 Lb Bok Choy or Baby Bok Choy, rinsed well
• 1/3 Cup Cooking Oil (Peanut/Canola Oils blend recommended)
• 1 Tb Cornstarch

Preparation:

Prepare the beef and marinade (15 minutes).

1. Combine the marinade ingredients (garlic through cooking oil) in a bowl or container and whisk to blend thoroughly.
2. Cut the beef crosswise into thin strips and add to the marinade; stir to mix, cover, and set aside to marinate for 1½ to 2 hours or longer.

Prepare the ingredients for cooking (15 minutes).

1. Take the beef and marinade out of the refrigerator.
2. Peel and trim the garlic cloves, slice thinly and add to a bowl with the crushed ginger, sliced chilis and sliced onion.
3. Cut the well-rinsed bok choy stems into 1” pieces and the leaves into strips; reserve in a second bowl.

Cooking (30 minutes).

1. Using tongs, remove the beef from the marinade, place in a bowl and reserve the marinade.
2. Add the cooking oil to a wok or wide, deep frying pan, swirling to coat the sides of the wok/pan with the oil.
3. Heat the oil in the wok over a high heat.
4. Using tongs, remove the beef from the bowl, allowing any excess marinade to run-off into the bowl and combine this liquid with the reserved marinade.
5. Add the beef to wok and stir fry until it is no longer giving off any liquid and has browned. 
6. Add the garlic, ginger, chilis and onion to the wok and stir-fry until the onion has softened.
7. Add the bok choy stems to the wok, stirring to combine all the ingredients.  Stir-fry for a few minutes until the stem pieces begin to soften, add the leaves and stir-fry until the leaves wilt.
8. Add the cornstarch to the reserved marinade, stir to mix and pour into the wok, mix thoroughly.
9. Continue to stir-fry over a high heat, as the sauce comes to a boil and thickens.
10. Transfer the Beef and Bok Choy Stir-Fry to a large bowl and serve accompanied by steamed white rice.