Nutrient-Rich Beef and Burdock Stir-Fry
The Perfect Pairing: Beef and Burdock! A Delicious and Nutritious Beef and Burdock Stir-Fry Recipe
Beef, a treasure trove of protein with a warming nature, and burdock root, rich in fiber and minerals with a cooling nature, are said to create a synergistic effect when cooked together, enhancing each other’s benefits. Thanks to this excellent food pairing, beef and burdock stir-fry is a dish that excels in both taste and nutrition. Enjoy the fantastic harmony of chewy burdock and tender beef right in your own kitchen!
Main Ingredients
- Beef (for stir-fry) 400g
- Burdock root 1 piece (approx. 200g)
- Onion 1 (medium)
- Green onion 1 stalk
Beef Marinade
- Cooking wine (Mirin or Sake) 1 Tbsp
- Rice syrup (or honey) 1 Tbsp
- Sesame oil (a little)
- Toasted sesame seeds (a little)
- Cooking wine (Mirin or Sake) 1 Tbsp
- Rice syrup (or honey) 1 Tbsp
- Sesame oil (a little)
- Toasted sesame seeds (a little)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
The secret to delicious stir-fry marinade! Making the fruit puree: Core the apple and pear and cut them into appropriate sizes. Place the prepared apple, pear, plum extract, and apple juice in a blender and blend until smooth. (Tip: Apples pair better with pork than beef; using pear with beef enhances the flavor. You can also use only pear instead of apple.)
Step 2
Marinating the beef: To remove any gaminess and ensure a clean flavor, press the beef for stir-frying firmly with paper towels to remove any excess blood. Once the blood is removed, gently toss the beef with cooking wine and rice syrup and let it marinate for a bit. Then, pour in the pre-made fruit puree marinade and mix well to coat. (Tip: For a cleaner marinade, you can strain the fruit puree and use only the juice. However, to maximize the tenderizing effect on the meat, it’s better to blend and add the whole fruit.)
Step 3
Preparing and boiling the burdock root: Peel the burdock root thoroughly and then julienne it thinly. Add a pinch of salt to boiling water, add the julienned burdock, and boil for 5-7 minutes. After boiling, rinse the burdock in cold water and drain. (Tip: Since the burdock will be stir-fried with the meat in the same marinade, it’s good to cook it until sufficiently tender at this stage. If you plan to marinate and stir-fry the burdock separately before combining with the meat, you can just blanch it briefly.)
Step 4
Completing the marinade: Prepare the marinade for the beef. Typically, 1 Tbsp of soy sauce per 100g of beef is standard, but considering the burdock will also be added, add about 2 Tbsp more soy sauce, for a total of 6-7 Tbsp. Add the minced garlic and mix well.
Step 5
Mixing and marinating ingredients: Add the marinated beef, drained boiled burdock strips, and thinly julienned onion to the marinade and mix evenly. Finally, add the coarsely chopped green onion and mix slightly. Marinating the ingredients like this and refrigerating for at least 30 minutes will deepen the flavors.
Step 6
Resting and additional prep: (Tip: If you plan to stir-fry the bulgogi early the next morning, you can chop the green onions now but store them separately from the other ingredients. Add them just before stir-frying to maintain their freshness.)
Step 7
Begin stir-frying: Heat a pan and add the marinated beef, burdock, and onion. Stir-fry over high heat quickly. It’s important to keep stirring with a spatula to prevent the meat from burning. (Tip: Taste the mixture while stir-frying. If it’s a bit bland, add another tablespoon of soy sauce to adjust the seasoning.)
Step 8
Finishing the stir-fry: Once the meat is almost cooked and the sauce is slightly reduced, add the prepared green onions and quickly stir-fry once more. Turn off the heat as soon as the green onions wilt. This helps retain the crispness of the green onions.
Step 9
Flavor Boost! Completion: After turning off the heat, drizzle a little sesame oil using the residual heat of the pan and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds for an added nutty aroma. Your delicious beef and burdock stir-fry is now complete! Enjoy it with a warm bowl of rice!
