Oriental Beef and Broccoli

This dish is prepared in a microwave oven. Turn on your rice cooker now. Pretty simple, eh? Who wants to cook? 

Oriental Beef and Broccoli:

¾ lb. (340 g) boneless round or blade steak, uncooked

2 tbsp. (30 mL) soy sauce

2 tsp. (10 mL) sherry

½ tsp. (2.5 mL) granulated sugar

Dash salt

1 clove garlic, minced

1 large or 2 small stalks broccoli, trimmed as flowerets

2 stalks celery, angle-sliced

1 medium onion, sliced lengthwise

½ green bell pepper (“capsicum”), cut into strips

1 tbsp. (15 mL) cornstarch or tapioca starch dissolved in 1 tbsp. (15 mL) cold water

1 firm medium tomato, cut into wedges

Sliver steak across grain as 4-in. strips. In a 1 qt. (1 L) microwave-safe casserole, combine soy sauce, sherry, sugar, salt, and garlic. Add bean strips, tossing to coat evenly. Cover with cello wrap, marinating at room temperature at least 30 min.

Prepare vegetables, placing all except tomatoes into a 2 qt. (2 L) microwave-safe casserole. Cover with cello wrap, turning back a small corner to vent steam. Cook 3-to-4 min. on full power, stirring partway through until vegetables are crisp and broccoli is bright green. Set aside, covered.

Turn back a small corner of cello over marinated beef strips. Cook 3-to-4 min. on full power, stirring partway through, just until beef loses its red color. Combine some of the hot beef juice with the dissolved starch and water paste. Stir beef strips and dissolved starch mixture into vegetables. Cook 1-to-2 min. on full power, until sauce is smooth. Add uncooked tomato wedges. Cover and let stand 5 min. before serving. If necessary, reheat 2 min. on full power. Serve over or with hot rice. Yields 4-to-6 servings.

Note: If you need to, see the Index for How to Cook Rice.