Asian-style Chili with Garlic Fried Rice
I had the urge tonight to make a proper dinner, rather than serve everyone whatever I had been testing that day. And it occurs to me that there have been a great many non-dinners here. Isn’t that what it was supposed to be all about?
There was a small pot of leftover rice in the fridge, so I thought I’d make fried rice. Which triggered a memory of a recipe for garlic fried rice, which I decided to seek out, most likely at a moment I was struggling with writers’ block or some such. (I’m easily distracted to food sites, and like to tell myself it’s all in the name of research, even when I should really be working on something else and reading up on recipes I want to try isn’t really that pressing.)
The recipe, for Asian-style chili with garlic fried rice, was at Kitchen Play, and – behold and lo! – it was a contest! With a deadline of today! A clear sign if ever I saw one.
I thought at first the combo of ground sirloin and sliced steak was odd, and could probably be streamlined, and then I started second guessing the ingredient list, my brain automatically offering up my usual substitutions, until I decided to get over myself and just do what I was told. (More or less.) I’m glad I did. I love the combination of ground sirloin and strips of steak – together they have a great texture. And it means I can use more Canadian beef! (Alberta, even!)
Mike said: “write this one down”. And so here I go:
Asian-style Chili with Garlic Fried Rice
canola oil, for cooking
1 onion, chopped
4-5 garlic cloves, sliced or chopped
1/2 lb. sirloin steak, cut into thin strips
1/2 cup beef broth
1/2 lb. ground sirloin
1 tsp. salt, or to taste
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. ground chipotle chili pepper or chipotle hot sauce (I used a few glugs)
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup tomato sauce
1/4-1/2 can coconut milk, plus extra for serving
1 tsp. sriracha sauce
2-4 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro (optional)lime wedges, for serving
Garlic Fried Rice:
canola oil, for cooking
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 cups cooked long-grain rice
salt, to tasteIn a large, heavy skillet, heat a drizzle of oil over medium-high heat and sauté the onion for 2 minutes, until starting to soften. Add garlic and cook for 5 minutes, then add the beef strips. Sauté until the redness of the meat is almost gone, about 4 minutes. Add the beef broth, cover and boil for 10 minutes, letting the steam out and mixing once halfway through.
Add the ground sirloin and spices, and mix thoroughly. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, or until the meat is cooked through and the sauce thickened.
Stir in the tomato sauce, coconut milk and sriracha, reduce heat and simmer until thickened. Stir in the cilantro and serve over garlic fried rice, topped with a drizzle of coconut milk. Serves 4.
For Garlic Fried Rice: heat a generous glug of oil in a heavy skillet (cast iron works great) set over medium-high heat. Cook garlic for a minute or so until the edges get a faint shade of gold. Add rice and a couple of pinches of salt. Stir for about 5 minutes, until it begins to faintly brown and toast. Best eaten warm.
February 28 2011 | beef and one dish | 11 Comments »
