Beef A La Sichuan (Low Carb & Gluten-Free)

May 2, 2014

Beef A La Sichuan (Low Carb & Gluten-Free)


Apparently all of the food blogosphere is going Cinco de Mayo.
Tacos, burritos, nachos, enchiladas, tostadas, pico de gallo, margaritas, horchatas, you name it.
I mean, take a look at my lad Chris over at Shared Appetite; he’s going berserk over it (in a good way, of course!)
He’s been posting the most amazing Mexican-themed food ever lately. Head over there and be ready to salivate!
But I - being the rebel that I am - refuse to participate in this charade because....well, just because I haven’t cooked any Mexican food in the past few weeks. That’s pretty much it.
I actually CAN’T be part of this Cinco de Mayo bonanza, because I wasn’t smart and organized enough to plan around it. My loss.
So, no Mexican for me.
But I made some tasty Chinese-inspired food though if you’re interested.


Beef A La Sichuan (Low Carb & Gluten-Free)


We’re talking Szechuan beef here.
This is a dish with bold flavors (please note the use of the word bold, it’s on purpose.)
Thin strips of sirloin steak and veggies cut into matchsticks that cook up quickly and deliciously for a deliciously complete weeknight meal.
Pungent and spicy, resulting from the liberal use of garlic and chili. Just like at P.F. Chang's, no, definitely better and healthier (low carb and gluten-free).
So very delicious but definitely not for food-wussies.

Beef A La Sichuan (Low Carb & Gluten-Free)


So now it’s your turn to be bold, and serve this awesome Beef A La Sichuan at your Cinco de Mayo party. And if somebody dares to confront you about it, just go all guns blazing on how you don’t give a damn about it!
No, no, no, I’m just kidding.
You must celebrate Cinco de Mayo properly, with real good tasting Mexican food. You can save this recipe for May 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th...

Beef A La Sichuan (Low Carb & Gluten-Free)

Beef A La Sichuan (Low Carb & Gluten-Free)                                                Print this recipe! 
Adapted from RasaMalaysia

This recipe makes for two generous servings, double the batch if you need to feed a larger crowd.
Also watch out for the heat, Sriracha + chili oil can get thermonuclear hot, so be careful.

Ingredients
Serves 2

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
8 oz / 226 gr flank steak, cut into thin strips
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 celery rib, cut into matchsticks
1 small carrot, cut into matchstick
2 stalks scallions, cut into 2-inch matchstick
½ teaspoon chili oil (optional)

Marinade

1 teaspoon arrowroot powder*
1 teaspoon wheat-free soy sauce (or coconut aminos)
½ teaspoon rice wine (optional - however it makes the dish better as it adds a subtle aroma)

Sauce

½ tablespoon oyster sauce (I use Ty Ling as it’s wheat-free)
½ tablespoon Sriracha (make your own paleo Sriracha with this recipe)
1 ½ teaspoons soy wheat-free soy sauce (or coconut aminos)
2 teaspoons honey
2 tablespoons water
½ teaspoon olive oil
½ teaspoon chili oil (optional)

Directions

In a small bowl whisk marinade ingredients until combined.
In a shallow sealable container or in a large Ziploc bag, combine beef strips and marinade. Cover or seal and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes.
In a bowl combine all sauce ingredients. Set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a wok (or large skillet) over medium high-heat. When the oil is fully heated, add the beef and stir a couple of times, until slightly charred. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Clean the wok using a paper towel and add remaining tablespoon of olive oil. When the oil is fully heated add the garlic and saute’ for one minute until fragrant. Add peppers, carrots and saute’ for one minute. Add beef and sauce and stir-fry for a couple of minutes until the sauce thickens.
Finally stir in scallions and chili oil (if using) and give a good stir.
Serve immediately!

Nutrition facts

One serving yields 306 calories, 18 grams of fat, 9 grams of carbs and 26 grams of protein.

23 comments:

  1. Oh my word, that looks delicious!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Another great recipe Mike, thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'm going to make this tonight for dinner!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Mike, love Chinese inspired food, this looks fantastic, you really got these recipes down. Happy week-end!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love Cinco de Mayo and you should embrace it to Mikem it's so much fun!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm totally embracing it Meredith, for realz. I'm having an awesome Mexican-themed dinner tonight with a nice group of friends!

      Delete
  6. Every time we dine in a Chinese restaurant one of is for sure ordering a sichuan beef to share! Yours does look delicious and light :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hahahaha, you rebel!! But that's what's awesome about you Alpha. You don't just go with the crowd. You're not a follower. You're a leader... taking us to awesome lands of healthy beef a la sichuan! And thanks for the shout-out. Much appreciated!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are leader when it comes to Cinco de Mayo, so much to learn from you C!

      Delete
  8. I'm definitely not organized enough to work around a holiday (the Mexican recipe I did was totally on accident)! And, who need to be organized when you totally stand out with this great looking stir-fry!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Same here Kari, same here (and thank you for the compliments on the stir-fry!)

      Delete
  9. We made this last night: uh-mazing. Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Looks delicious, Mike! And I support your quest to rebel against the food blog world and post an Asian-inspired dish for Cinco de Mayo! :-) And your photography looks great...as always!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. United we stand David! We are so not mainstream... ;)

      Delete
  11. I enjoyed this so much last week that I am making it again tomorrow! I'm really enjoying all of your Asian inspired stir fry dishes. They are perfect for weeknights since they come together so fast and also reheat really well. I've been stopping here pretty much every week before I do my Fresh Direct order to pick a new one to try. Thanks for sharing them all, they've been fantastic!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That is fantastic Keri, you've really made my day!
      I used to shop on Fresh Direct as well but I like so much going to the Farmers' Market and WF, I stopped. It was so convenient though; no lines at the check out, no bags to carry home...

      Delete
  12. Hi Mike - is it possible to make this same dish with chicken, or will it not taste as good?

    ReplyDelete