Cumin Scented Stir Fried Beef With Celery Food

CUMIN-SCENTED STIR-FRIED BEEF WITH CELERY

Steps:

• Halve steak lengthwise if large. Slice across the grain about 1/8 inch thick.
• Toss beef with 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce, 1/4 teaspoon cornstarch, and a pinch of salt.
• Stir together rice wine, remaining 2 teaspoon soy sauce, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon cornstarch.
• Heat wok over high heat until smoking, then pour 1 teaspoon oil down side and swirl to coat. Add beef in 1 layer and cook, turning occasionally, until browned, less than 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl.
• Add remaining teaspoon oil to wok, then add ginger, garlic, cumin, and red-pepper flakes and stir-fry 15 seconds. Add celery and stir-fry 1 minute, then add beef and juices and stir-fry 15 seconds. Stir rice-wine mixture, then pour into wok and stir-fry until sauce is bubbling, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat and stir in celery leaves.

CUMIN BEEF STIR-FRY

Steps:

• Season the steak with salt and pepper. Finely grind 2 teaspoons cumin seeds in a spice grinder (or grind them with the bottom of a skillet). Toss the steak with the ground cumin, soy sauce, sesame oil and sugar in a large bowl; let sit 10 minutes. Meanwhile, chop the bell pepper, slice the chile into very thin rounds and cut the scallions into 1-inch pieces.
• Preheat a large skillet or wok over high heat until very hot. Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, then add the bell pepper, chile, scallions and a pinch of salt. Cook, undisturbed, until the vegetables are charred in spots, about 2 minutes. Toss a few times and continue cooking until crisp-tender, about 1 more minute; remove to a large plate.
• Add the remaining 1 teaspoon vegetable oil to the skillet, then add the steak, spreading it out in an even layer. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 teaspoons whole cumin seeds and cook, undisturbed, until the steak is crisp around the edges and charred in spots, 3 to 5 minutes. Toss a few times and continue cooking until just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain off any fat from the skillet, then return the vegetables to the pan along with half the cilantro; toss. Serve over the rice and top with the remaining cilantro.

STIR-FRIED BEEF WITH CELERY

Steps:

• Trim fat from beef; cut beef with grain into 2-inch strips.
• Cut strips across grain into 1/8-inch slices.
• Toss beef, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon salt, the sugar, 1 teaspoon soy sauce and the white pepper in glass or plastic bowl.
• Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Cut celery diagonally into 1/4-inch slices.
• Cut green onions into 2-inch pieces.
• Mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch and the water.
• Heat wok until 1 or 2 drops of water bubble and skitter when sprinkled in wok.
• Add 3 tablespoons vegetable oil; rotate wok to coat side.
• Add beef, gingerroot and garlic; stir-fry until beef is brown, about 3 minutes.
• Remove beef from wok.
• Add 3 tablespoons vegetable oil to wok; rotate.
• Add celery; stir-fry 1 minute.
• Stir in chicken broth and 1/2 teaspoon salt; heat to boiling.
• Cover and cook 2 minutes.
• Stir in cornstarch mixture; cook and stir until thickened, about 10 seconds.
• Stir in beef and 2 tablespoons soy sauce; heat to boiling.
• Garnish with green onions.