broccoli bits and beef ribbons stir-fry

We don't eat red meat too often due to the cost and health "un-benefits", but I found the most interesting one pound package of it at Trader Joe's this week called, "shaved beef steak." As thin as wet newspaper, it gave me a visceral reaction - a vision almost - of how glorious it might be in a stir-fry. Especially with the bouquets of broccoli I've had in the crisper for a while :/

I loosely based it on this recipe since it makes me more comfortable to have a template to interpret. It was a wonderful, quick, healthy-ish dinner that was full of flavor. That's my only requirement usually! (All pictures are from my iPhone)

Here is what happened next:

1. Gather beef into bowl and soak for 20 minutes in a mixture of 2 tbs cornstarch and 1/3 cup soy sauce. 

  I also added sesame seeds for some "drama and interest" to the meat mixture. 

 2. While beef marinates, slice up broccoli INCLUDING THE STEM, IT'S ALSO GOOD FOR YOU. I peeled the stems first to get any woody bits off. 

3. Toss meat [gently] into 2 tbs of heating sesame oil and stir around until almost done. Remove onto plate and cover.

 4. Mix up 2 tbs chopped garlic and 1 tbs ginger powder. Mine is watery since I had to use some to get the last of the garlic out. But you'll need water later anyway. 

(By this point your stove should be very greasy from frying the meat, as shown). 

Toss in broccoli into empty meat pan with 3 tbs water and steam 2 minutes. Toss in garlic ginger mixture and stir. Steam 1 minute. Toss in beef and a dramatic dash of sesame seeds if you want to. 

5. Eat with steamed rice. Apologies for not having a beautiful "after" picture of beef and broccoli. I slightly overcooked the broccoli (so it lost it's nice green) and was embarrassed to show them here :)