Cooking with Emily: Ginger Beef Sti-Fry

We are slowly moving toward back to school and the steady routine of school days.  I think we are both longing for the return to normalcy, whatever normal looks like, and yet will miss these long lazy days too.  Monday night was girl's night out with one of my circles of girlfriends, so Emily's cooking night was pushed back a couple of days.  I decided to let her stay home alone while I went out, since our evening out was only going to be a few blocks away.  It  was a test of sorts, since she has been asking me for over a year if she could come home alone after school.  She called at the times I requested, had her chores done and had showered & combed her hair.  I was pleased, and needless to say she passed the test.
We decided Wednesday was the only day this week she had to make dinner, and Tuesday afternoon she asked if I had a recipe for Ginger Beef, one of her favourite dishes at the Chinese buffet.  I told her it wouldn't be like the restaurant version and pointed her toward a couple of recipes i had in a folder full of recipes I wanted to try.  She chose one, and a quick scan confirmed it was something she could handle.
Emily spent Wednesday afternoon at the pool, and by quarter to five I was debating starting supper myself.  She did get home shortly after that, and while she changed I sliced a couple of small sirloin tip steaks into strips and sliced a couple of carrots for her.  She insisted I leave the kitchen then, and so I retreated.
She coated the strips of steak in a batter of cornstarch and water before placing them in hot oil.  Before long I was called to the rescue, the spattering oil had her hesitating.  I can't blame her, cooking with oil that spits and spatters isn't much fun.  I helped her brown the meat and set it aside while she sauteed the carrots, made her sauce and started a pot of rice.  Once the sauce of broth, soy sauce, ginger and orange peel was poured over the carrots she returned the steak to the pan.  The sauce thickened quickly so I advised her to shut it off while the rice finished cooking.  Emily had tasted a piece of meat while the carrots were cooking and was not impressed with the flavour, although there were no seasonings on it apart from a little salt in the batter.  As a whole though dinner was very tasty, although I suspect she mismeasured the water for the rice as it was slightly under cooked.  The sauce could have used a touch more ginger as it lacked a certain kick as well.  Then again we used chicken stock instead of beef, as there was a carton open in the refrigerator.  Beef broth may have had more body.  A pinch of red pepper flakes may have helped a little too.

Ginger Beef Stir-Fry

3 Tablespoons corn starch, divided               3/4 cup thinly sliced carrots

2 tablespoons water                                       3/4 cup beef broth

1/4 teaspoon salt                                            2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 1/2 lbs top sirloin steak, thinly sliced in 3' strips

2 teaspoons orange peel                                 1 teaspoon ground ginger

In a large bowl combine 2 tablespoons cornstarch with water & salt until smooth.  Add beef, toss to coat.

In a large skillet stir fry beef in small batches in 1 tablespoon vegetable oil until meat reaches desired doneness; remove and keep warm.

Stir fry carrots in another tablespoon of oil for 5-6 minutes.  Place remaining cornstarch in a bowl, stir in broth until smooth.  Add ginger, soy sauce and orange peel.  Return beef to skillet, stir in broth mixture.  Bring to a boil.  Cook and stir 2 minutes, until thickened.  Serve over rice, egg noodles or mashed potatoes.