Do you ever look forward to something for so long that you can hardly believe it’s actually arrived?
That’s how I feel about Spring this year. I’ve been dreaming about all the things I want to make, do, and see this season, that it seems unbelievable that it’s arrived. Of course, it would probably seem more like Spring if we weren’t still having really cold weather, but that’s okay, the warm weather will get here soon enough and I’ll be ready for it, sunglasses and t-shirts in hand.
I’m sort of thinking this needs to be the year of exploring. I’m 22 now (omg, I’m getting so old guys!) and while I love staying at home sometimes, I also adore discovering new places. I’m for sure going to be taking at least one trip before Summer, but hopefully I’ll get in at least two new destinations. Stay tuned for more travel posts my friends because they’re coming. Also, many of you have been asking me about video. Now I know you’re probably wanting recipes and stuff, but I was curious, would you be interested in more personal vlogs such as “day in the life” or travel vlogs? Let me know!
Okay, but travels aside, I’ve got a delicious recipe to share today. So I clearly need to visit some Asian countries soon because when it comes to exploring the world of culinary flavors I always seem to come back to something Asian. I just love all the different ingredients that go into making these types of dishes, and I genuinely love eating all types of different veggies too.
Honestly guys, I don’t understand why veggies have such a bad rep, especially when you prepare them like this. I mean, everything becomes a world of yumminess when it’s stir-fried and cooked with layers of flavor. And speaking of flavors, I was so excited recently when I happened to find some fresh Thai basil at my local grocery. It’s something I’ve rarely ever found around here so I knew I wanted to star it in one of my next recipes.
It may look a lot like regular basil, but the taste is way different. It’s got it’s own thing going on and it makes the perfect finishing touch for a stir-fry like this. So I used beef in this, but it could very easily be replaced with any other meats that you’d prefer. Actually, if you’re vegetarian or vegan you could add some tofu or tempeh for an equally delicious but meatless weeknight meal.
I’d say one of the best parts of this dish is that it’s so fast and easy. I know I say this about a lot of recipes, but I can never pass up celebrating a quick meal after spending years now trying some not-so-fast recipes. This is coming from the girl who’s tried to make pretty much everything the long way. I mean, if we’re talking about slow-cooker meals, that’s a different story, but I’m referring to those meals that need like two or three days of planning ahead. This dinner takes right around 30 minutes and the only unusual ingredient is the Thai basil, which may not even be that unusual to some of you. The rest of the list are all things that are pretty common in Stir-fry dishes so they should be familiar. I hope you enjoy this one!
Grab the chopsticks and get your appetite ready for this quick and easy stir-fry that only takes about 30 minutes to make.
Ingredients
-
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar (or honey)
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons chili garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 pound boneless sirloin steak, cut into cubes
-
- 1 cup carrots, diced
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil, divided (I used peanut)
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
- 1 leek, thinly sliced
- 1 1/2 cups sugar snap peas
- 1/2 pound portabella mushrooms, sliced
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 cup beef or vegetable stock
- 1 handful Thai basil leaves, roughly chopped
- steamed rice for serving
- toasted sesame seeds for topping, optional
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, chili garlic paste, ginger, garlic, and sesame oil. Add the steak pieces to the mixture and allow to set for at least 10 minutes while you prepare the vegetable.
- Heat a large wok or skillet over medium high heat and add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. Remove the steak pieces from the sauce mixture with a slotted spoon and place in the skillet. Cook on each side for 2-3 minutes until completely cooked. Remove from pan into a separate dish and set aside.
- Add the cornstarch and beef stock to the sauce/marinade and stir until smooth. Set aside.
- Heat remaining oil in pan and add the carrots. cook for 2-3 minutes until starting to soften then add the rest of the vegetables and cook for an additional few minutes until tender-crisp, about 3 minutes. Pour the sauce mixture into the skillet and bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes until it begins to thicken. Return meat to pan and heat through. Serve with rice and a sprinkle oc sesame seeds if desired.
