I have found that turning to stir-fries is a practical and delicious way to cut some unwanted carbohydrates. I made this Spicy Orange Beef Stir-Fry from rare left over grilled flank steak. Grilled Flank Steak is another delicious low carbohydrate option. The orange in this Spicy Orange and Beef Stir-Fry adds a bit of a flavor boost, making it different than most beef stir-fry recipes. Add chilis if you like heat!
Tip : I used some Asian chili sauce and added more cracked black pepper to get the zip for this dish. If you like it hot, substitute the red and green chilis for the bell peppers. You can also microwave the orange zest for a couple of minutes on high, then drain, instead of cooking.
Ingredients
Marinade
- 1/2 lb flank steak cut into strips against the grain
- 1 orange juiced
- 1 tbsp rice wine or mirin
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp corn or potato starch
For the Sauce
- juice of 1/2 of the orange
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp corn or potato starch
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seed oil
- 1/2 tsp Asian chili sauce
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- 1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
For Stir-Frying
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seed oil
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- zest of one orange
- 1 tbsp white sugar
- 2-3 tbsp water
- 1/2 red bell pepper cut into thin strips
- 1/2 green bell pepper cut into thin strips
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 1 clove garlic
Instructions
- Gather all ingredients before starting recipe.
- Peel oranges, reserving the rind, trim white pith and slice into thin strips and squeeze juice into a small bowl.
Orange Rind
- Combine orange rind with a tablespoon of white sugar and 2-3 tablespoons of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer for about 10 minutes. Drain water from orange rind and reserve.
Marinade
- Mix 2 tablespoons of orange juice, 1 teaspoon each of rice wine or mirin, soy sauce and corn starch and stir until the corn starch is completely dissolved. Pour marinade over sliced beef, toss to combine and set aside for 10-15 minutes before cooking.
Sauce
- Combine remaining orange juice, 2 teaspoons of soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of each of sesame oil, corn starch, 1 tablespoon of fresh ground black pepper and the Asian chili sauce. Stir to combine, set aside until ready to use.
Stir-Fry
- Heat a tablespoon of sesame oil in a skillet or a wok until the oil is hot, about 1 minute on medium high heat.
- Add sliced, marinated beef strips and fry for 2-3 minutes, or until the meat looses its red color, remove to a bowl.
- Add a tablespoon of vegetable oil and heat for another minute then add grated ginger and garlic. Stir to combine for 1 minute, then add sliced peppers and orange zest. Cook for 1-2 minutes,
- Add reserved beef slices and the reserved sauce and stir fry for another 2-3 minutes, or until the sauce thickens
- Serve over plain white rice.
