Spicy Beef with Shrimp and Bok Choy


Ingredients

1/4 cup Shao Hsing rice wine (see Ingredient note)
1 1/2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch
4 teaspoons canola oil, divided
3/4 pound sirloin steak, trimmed of fat, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
10 raw shrimp (21-25 per pound), peeled, deveined and chopped
1 pound bok choy, preferably baby bok choy, trimmed and sliced into 1-inch pieces


Cooking Directions

1. Whisk rice wine, oyster sauce and cornstarch in a small bowl until the cornstarch is dissolved.

2. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add beef and crushed red pepper to taste; cook, stirring, until the beef begins to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add shrimp and continue to cook, stirring, until the shrimp is opaque and pink, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the beef, shrimp and any juices to a plate.

3. Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil over medium-high heat in the same pan. Add bok choy and cook, stirring, until it begins to wilt, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in the cornstarch mixture. Return the beef-shrimp mixture to the pan and cook, stirring, until heated through and the sauce has thickened slightly, about 1 minute.

Yield: 4 servings


Oyster sauce and rice wine give this speedy stir-fry a rich flavor that balances the clean, sweet crunch of bok choy. Make It a Meal: Rice noodles or brown basmati rice and a Tsing Tao beer will make you feel like you're eating in your favorite Chinese restaurant.

Notes:

Ingredient Note

Shao Hsing (or Shaoxing) is a seasoned rice wine. It is available in most Asian specialty markets and some larger supermarkets in the Asian section. If unavailable, dry sherry is an acceptable substitute.