Connie’s notes
Where do all those flavors comes from?
Soy sauce is salty; sake and mirin are sweet. So the flavor base is salty and sweet. Miso paste adds nuttiness, a layer of saltiness and a rich complex flavor — yes, what is known as umami. Grated ginger gives off a subtle heat. That is the combination of flavors that you end up with.
Tip #1:
Asparagus spears need to be trimmed so that the fibrous woody portions are left out (well, unless you have baby asparagus). Don’t know where the good part ends and the tough part begins?
Just bend the asparagus. It will naturally break in the exact spot where the tender and tough parts meet. Discard the tough woody ends. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the outer skin of the edible portion of the asparagus.
Tip #2: In Asian meat markets, you can get pre-sliced beef. The names vary but try looking for yakiniku, sukiyaki, samgyeop or shabu-shabu.
Tip #3: White miso soup is not really white. It’s pale yellow to light beige. It’s lighter in color and milder in flavor than red miso paste.
Tip #4: Cornstarch may be substituted for potato starch, but please don’t use all-purpose (wheat) flour.
Just bend the asparagus. It will naturally break in the exact spot where the tender and tough parts meet. Discard the tough woody ends. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the outer skin of the edible portion of the asparagus.
Tip #2: In Asian meat markets, you can get pre-sliced beef. The names vary but try looking for yakiniku, sukiyaki, samgyeop or shabu-shabu.
Tip #3: White miso soup is not really white. It’s pale yellow to light beige. It’s lighter in color and milder in flavor than red miso paste.
Tip #4: Cornstarch may be substituted for potato starch, but please don’t use all-purpose (wheat) flour.Ingredients
Meat
- 250 grams thinly sliced fatty beef
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sake
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 1 teaspoon white miso paste
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 tablespooon potato starch
Stir fry
- 1½ tablespoons sesame seed oil
- 250 grams asparagus cut into two-inch lengths
- 2 pinches salt
- 1 pinch ground black pepper
- 1 red onion peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon honey (optional)
Instructions
- Cut the beef into pieces about an inch and a half wide. Add all the ingredients under “meat” and mix well. Set aside.
- Heat half a teaspoon of sesame seed oil in a wok or frying pan.
- Dump in the asparagus, sprinkle in salt and pepper, and stir fry for half a minute.
- Add the onion slices and pour in two tablespoons of water. With the heat still on HIGH, cover the pan and leave the vegetables to cook in the steam for about a minute. Scoop out the vegetables and move to a plate.
- Wipe the wok or frying pan, and heat the remaining sesame seed oil.
- With the heat on HIGH, spread the beef on the hot oil and leave for a minute or two to allow the underside to brown. Stir to break up clumps and stir fry until the meat is a uniform light brown.
- If using honey, drizzle it in now and continue stir frying for another minute.
- Add the asparagus and onion slices to the beef. Stir fry for a minute or until the vegetables are heated through.
- Taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed, before serving. Best with rice.
Beef stew with miso and ginger
