korean bbq meets stir fry

I'm not big into stir frying. It's not that I have anything against stir frying, per say, but more that I just never think about it. And on Sunday night, I still wasn't thinking about stir fry. I was thinking about making some Korean BBQ: Beef Bulgogi. Thinly sliced rib eye steak gets marinated in soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, scallions, chili flakes, and a sprinkle of sugar. Then into a hot pan it goes until it's just cooked through and then it's served in lettuce cups with a spoonful of rice.

But I was feeling a little vegetable-deprived. To be fair, I was feeling extremely vegetable-deprived. Because pizza toppings don't count as a serving of veggies, Kiira. So after I'd cooked my ridiculously aromatic marinated rib eye, I removed it from the pan and threw in a generous amount of broccoli florets (seriously though, how great is broccoli?), a handful of grated carrot, and some shredded green cabbage. I placed the lid back on for about two minutes so the veggies could steam then added the meat back in, gave it a few Martin Yan-Can-Cook tosses and just that quickly, my dinner (and lunch for the next day) was completed. I could barely wait long enough to spoon some rice into a bowl, garnish the plate with a few extra scallions, and snap a picture before ravenously diving in.

This little number is better than take-out. And you know how I know that? Because the previous Sunday I spent $20 (it still makes me cringe) on a pathetic ginger chicken and oyster mushroom dish and an order of duck-basil spring rolls with a pineapple dipping sauce. Yes, I know how good that sounds. I mean, obviously I know how good that sounds. C'mon, that's why I ordered it. But as I sat there, regretfully watching Carrie push away the sweet, sweet Aiden, trying to find the good in my $20 Thai take-out, I felt taken advantage of. Cheated. Wronged. Mediocrity has no place in this life of mine. Just as Aiden had no place in Carrie's.

And that's why now, I stir fry.

Korean BBQ Stir Fry

1 lb. rib eye steak, thinly sliced against the grain

2 cloves of garlic, grated

1 tbsp. fresh ginger, grated

sprinkle of chili flakes

sprinkle of sugar (about 1-1/2 tsp.)

2 scallions, finely chopped (whites and greens separated)

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 tbsp. sesame oil

1/2 yellow onion, sliced

1 cup of broccoli florets

1/3 cup grated carrot (small handful)

3/4 cup shredded cabbage (large handful)

Combine the garlic, ginger, chili flakes, sugar, the whites of the scallions, soy sauce, and sesame oil in a ziplock bag. Add in the sliced rib eye and allow to marinate in the refrigerator for at least an hour.

After it's marinated, heat a non-stick pan over high heat and add in a drizzle of a neutral oil. Add in the steak with all of the marinade and allow to cook, quickly, on both sides. About 3 minutes total. Remove the steak from the pan and then add in the onion, broccoli, carrot, and cabbage. Give it a toss then place a lid on the pan and allow to steam for about 2 minutes.

Add the steak back in, toss again, and turn off the heat.

Serve over white or brown rice with a sprinkle of the greens of the scallions.