Teriyaki Stir-Fried Beef with Green Beans and Shiitakes

I love stir fried food at a resturant but have not made any stir fry at home that I was in love with until this one. All of my boys ate this and asked for more. They still ask if I'll make it again. There are some other variations to this that I'll post later. We served it with steamed brown rice.


From December 2007 issue of Cook's illustrated:

4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sugar plus an additional 1 teaspoon
12 ounces flank steak , cut into 2-inch wide strips with grain, then sliced across grain into 1/8-inch-thick slices
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon mirin
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon cornstarch
3 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
8 ounces shiitake mushrooms , wiped clean, stemmed, and cut into 1-inch pieces
12 ounces green beans, ends trimmed and halved
1/4 cup water
3 scallions , cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces, white and light green pieces quartered lengthwise


1. Combine 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 1 teaspoon sugar in medium bowl. Add beef, toss well, and marinate for at least 10 minutes or up to 1 hour, stirring once. Meanwhile, whisk remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, broth, mirin, pepper flakes, and cornstarch in medium bowl. Combine garlic, ginger, and 1 teaspoon oil in small bowl.
2. Drain beef and discard liquid. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add half of beef in single layer, breaking up clumps. Cook, without stirring, for 1 minute, then stir and cook until browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer beef to clean bowl. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in skillet and repeat with remaining beef. Rinse skillet and dry with paper towels.
3. Add remaining tablespoon oil to now-empty skillet and heat until just smoking. Add mushrooms and cook until beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add green beans and cook, stirring frequently, until spotty brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add water and cover pan; continue to cook until green beans are crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Uncover skillet and push vegetables to sides to clear center; add garlic-ginger mixture to clearing and cook, mashing with spatula, until fragrant, 15 to 20 seconds. Combine garlic-ginger mixture with vegetables. Return beef and any juices to skillet, add scallions, and stir to combine. Whisk sauce to recombine, then add to skillet; cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 30 seconds. Serve.