1 lb beef boneless sirloin or flank stea, k
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
1 dash of white pepper
2 hot green chilies
2 green onions (with tops)
1 red bell pepper
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp finely chopped garlic
1 tsp finely chopped ginger root
2 tbsp brown bean sauce
1/2 cup diced canned bamboo shoots
1 tsp sugar
1/2 cup skinless raw peanuts, roasted
Directions
Trim fat from beef steak; cut beef into 3/4-inch
cubes. Toss beef, 1 tablespoon oil, the cornstarch,
salt and white pepper in glass or plastic bowl. Cover
and refrigerate 30 minutes.
Cut chilies into thin slices (remove seeds and
membrane if desired). Cut onions diagonally into
1-inch pieces. Cut bell pepper into 3/4 inch squares.
Heat 12-inch skillet or wok until very hot. Add 2
tablespoons oil; rotate skillet to coat bottom. Add
beef; stir-fry 2 minutes or until beef is brown.
Remove beef from skillet.
Heat skillet until very hot. Add 2 tablespoons oil;
rotate skillet to coat bottom. Add chilies, garlic,
ginger root, bean sauce and bamboo shoots; stir-fry 1
minute. Add beef, bell pepper and sugar; stir-fry 1
minute. Stir in onions. Sprinkle with peanuts.
Betty Crocker Creative Recipes No.54, March 1991
Servings: 5 servings
Kung Pao Beef Recipe brought to you by Recipe Ideas
Categories: Asian; Beef; Chinese; Meat
The History of Recipes
We can read the history of written recipes way back into ancient history, at least as far back as the early Egyptians, and quite possibly further than that. Interesting though that is, these, old recipes were just primitive pictorial recipes for food preparation.
In fact, the oldest recipe discovered so far, according to food historians is a series of ancient tablets in the Sumerian language which describe the preparation of bread which is then used to make a drink, quite possibly a form of beer as it is recorded as having made people feel `exhilarated, wonderful and blissful`. Later on, in Roman times around 25BC a man called Apicius created a collection of scripts detailing recipes cooked by wealthy Romans. In his works, Apicius recounts how the meals of wealthy Romans were separated into starters, main meal and afters, a very modern way of dining. He also recounts how the Romans were skilled in the use of a wide range of aromatic flavors, including some that we all recognise for example bay, fennel and asafoetida. Later on in the 1400s, knights returning from the crusades brought us many foods, spices and herbs from Arab cuisine, including coriander, parsley, and rosemary. The introduction of these new culinary ideas led to an explosion in manuscripts on cooking, the majority of which are kept safe in private collections. For the next few years, the rich families of Europe competed to serve up the most exotic banquets, and because of this the best cooks and their recipes were at a premium. However, it was during the 19th century that cooking and cookery books became popular. The Famous Mrs Isabella Beeton in the UK, and the equally well-known Fannie Farmer in the USA, devoted their lives to collecting, testing, and publishing recipes of the day. By the time we get to the 20th century, recipe books are in great demand, due to more people being able to read, people having more leisure time and disposable income. The arrival of television brought us TV cookery programs and the accompanying recipe books. And that pretty much brings us to the present day and the internet revolution, permitting everyone to access thousands of recipes such as those found on this site. |
We hope you enjoy this Kung Pao Beef recipe.
