Some of the earliest dishes I learned how to cook were stir fries. You could never go really wrong and what is not to like about them. Chop a few vegetables and quickly fry them with a protein and you have an instant healthy meal.
Sometimes, even chopping a selection of vegetables can be a hassle especially if you try to time which goes in first so they all end up with similar textures once they are cooked.
So here is a pared-down stir fry with only two main ingredients – addictive black pepper encrusted strips of beef and shredded cabbage.
You can use sirloin for the beef but I prefer to go the whole way and use strips of rib eye that take a minute to cook.
The shredded cabbage (which nowadays comes shredded and pre-packed) is dry wilted like you would spinach. This cooks the cabbage in its own natural juices and you end up with a sweet tasting and slightly crunchy and satisfying result.
This delicious dish takes 25 minutes to prep and cook and that includes a bowl of steamed rice on the side.
Ingredients
Ingredient Checklist
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
½ pound ground beef
½ small head cabbage, shredded
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch
½ cup cold water
1 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
1 pinch salt, to taste
Directions
Instructions Checklist
Step 1 Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat, and add oil. Saute garlic for about 5 seconds, then add ground beef. Stir-fry until beef is evenly brown, 5 to 7 minutes; drain excess fat.
Step 2 Stir in cabbage and pepper, and cook until vegetables are tender and beef is fully cooked. Stir in soy sauce. Mix together cornstarch and water, and stir in. Season with pepper; add salt to taste. Cook, stirring, until sauce has thickened.
Nutrition Facts
Per Serving:
280 calories; protein 11.6g; carbohydrates 9.5g; fat 22.1g; cholesterol 48.2mg; sodium 547.3mg.