Description
This Cumin Beef Stir Fry is a flavorful and quick dish that combines tender flank steak with aromatic spices and a savory sauce. Perfect for a weeknight meal, it’s packed with bold flavors and served with your choice of rice and vegetables.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the beef:
- 1 1/2 lbs flank steak
- 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine (or any dry sherry or rice wine)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (see notes for gluten-free needs)
For the stir fry:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more as needed
- 1 medium-sized white onion, sliced into half moons
- 6 cloves of garlic, finely minced or pressed
- 2 fresh red chilies, deseeded & chopped – optional
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon Szechuan peppercorns, ground
- 1 teaspoon packed brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice wine
- 6 scallions, green parts only, chopped
For serving cumin beef stir fry:
- White or brown rice, steamed broccoli/other veggies – as desired
Instructions
- Prep & Marinate Beef: Place the steak onto a cutting board, using a sharp knife, slice the steak across the grain into thin, bite-sized strips that are about 3-4 inches long. Place the steak into a large bowl (or inside a large plastic baggie). Add the Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry/rice wine), ground cumin, salt/pepper- to taste, and cornstarch. Toss all ingredients well to fully combine. Then set the steak aside to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- Cook Beef: In a wok or large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, working in batches, add the beef- don’t overcrowd pan. Cook the beef, searing well until the beef is golden brown and slightly crispy, about 2-3 minutes on each side. Then use a slotted utensil to transfer the cooked beef to a clean plate and set aside. Repeat the process until all beef is seared, adding more oil in between batches if your pan is dry.
- Build the Stir Fry: With all seared beef set aside, if needed, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil into the pan. Add the onion and cook until softened and lightly caramelized, about 2-3 minutes. Then add in the garlic, red chilies (if using), ground cumin, and ground Szechuan peppercorns. Continue cooking until the garlic is fragrant and the spices toast up nicely, about 2 minutes. Then add the brown sugar and ginger, stirring well into the mixture.
- Add Beef & Finish Off Stir Fry: Return the beef into the pan along with any residual juices that have collected, and add soy sauce, fish sauce, rice wine, and scallions, stir-frying the mixture until well combined and deeply fragrant. Continue cooking until the sauce has thickened and creates a glaze over the beef, about 2-3 minutes or so.
- Serve: Remove from heat. If you’d like, add rice of choice into shallow bowls and top with cumin beef stir fry or serve alongside steamed veggies for a completely satisfying meal, as desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Gluten-free needs? Other alternative options for gluten-free needs include potato, arrowroot, and tapioca starch- or any gluten-free baking flour as a 1:1 ratio.
- Please read the blog post in its entirety for more tips + tricks.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 500
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 900mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 40g
- Cholesterol: 120mg
