1 quick-cooking brown rice
1 tbsp plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 lb beef strips for stir-fry (such as b, eef round steak
3 tsp cornstarch, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 sweet onion, halved and sliced
1 bag (8 oz.) fresh broccoli florets
1/2 cup stir-fry sauce (recipe follows)
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 bunch (3 cups) watercress
STIR FRY SAUCE
1 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup dry sherry
4 tsp grated fresh ginger
2 tsp sugar
Directions
1. Prepare brown rice according to package directions for 4 servings.
2. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in large, deep skillet or wok
over high heat until shimmering. Toss beef with 2 teaspoons
cornstarch in medium bowl. Add to skillet and cook, stirring, until
no longer pink, 1 to 2 minutes. With slotted spoon, transfer to clean
bowl.
3. Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil to skillet. Add garlic, red pepper
flakes and onion; cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Stir in broccoli and
Stir-Fry Sauce. Dissolve remaining 1 teaspoon cornstarch in chicken
broth; add to skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until broccoli
is tender, 5 minutes.
4. Return beef to skillet with watercress and cook, stirring, 1 minute
more. Serve with brown rice. Makes 4 servings.
STIR-FRY SAUCE: Combine all ingredients in jar with tight-fitting
lid. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Refrigerate up to 2 weeks. Shake
before using. Makes
1 1/2 cups.
PER SERVING: Calories 440, Total Fat 21 g, Saturated Fat 6 g,
Cholesterol 71 mg, Sodium 1,052 mg, Carbohydrates 35 g, Protein 30 g
Servings: 4 servings
Beef & Broccoli Stir-Fry Recipe brought to you by Recipe Ideas
Categories: Asian; Beef; Chinese; Meat; Vegetable
The History of Recipes
We can track the history of written recipes back into ancient history, in fact as far back into recorded history as pharonic Egypt, and maybe further still. In practice though, generally, these old cook books were just basic pictorial, hieroglyphic or cunieform instructions for preparing food.
In fact, the most ancient recipe discovered, according to experts are some tablets in the Sumerian language describing the preparation of bread which is then used to make a drink, quite possibly a form of beer as it is recorded as making people feel wonderful. Progressing into Roman times around 25BC a man called Apicius created some documents showing how to cook the recipes enjoyed by wealthy Romans. In his scrolls, Apicius recounts how the meals were separated into starters, main meal and afters, a very modern way of dining. Aspicius recounts how the ancient chefs were skilled in the use of a wide range of aromatic flavours, including a few that are still present in modern kitchens like thyme, rue and asafoetida. Later on, we have a couple of books which were published in the 14th Century - a recipe book titled `Forme of Cury`, and another, similary named `Curye on Inglish`. The titles are a little misleading though, they have no connection with the spicy food that we all know today, but instead recipes for the types of meals on the tables of the rich and powerful of the time. Later on in the 1400s, knights returning from the crusades brought back a variety of foods and spices from the holy lands, including coriander, parsley, and rosemary. These new culinary innovations was responsible for an explosion in manuscripts on cookery, the majority of which are now in private libraries. For the next few years, the rich families of the West strove to serve the most extravagent meals, and consequentially the best cooks and their recipes became highly prized. Notwithstanding that, it was during the 19th century that cooking and cookery books rose to prominence. The Famous Mrs Beeton in the UK, and the equally famous Fannie Merritt Farmer in the USA, spent years to assembling, trying out, and recording recipes to help cooks of their time. By the advent of the twentieth century, cooking publications were greatly in demand as a result of better eduction, people having more leisure time and disposable income. The introduction of the TV brings us TV chefs and the demand for the accompanying recipe books. And that brings us to the present day and the internet revolution, permitting us all to access thousands of recipes just like those on sites such as the one you are reading now. |
We hope you enjoy this Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry recipe.
