Stir-Fried Red Curry Beef and Eggplant for Two
By America's Test KitchenPublished on June 1, 2011
Time
55 minutes
Yield
Serves 2 as a main dish with rice
Ingredients
1 tablespoon soy sauce 2 teaspoons light brown sugar 6 ounces flank steak, cut into 2-inch wide strips with grain, then sliced across grain into ⅛-inch-thick slices1 ½ teaspoons fresh lime juice from 1 lime¼ cup low-sodium chicken broth 1 tablespoon coconut milk plus an additional 1 ½ teaspoons1 ½ teaspoons fish sauce ½ teaspoon cornstarch 1 medium clove garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 teaspoon)¾ teaspoon red curry paste 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 small eggplant (about ½ pound), peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes (about 3 cups)1 cup packed fresh basil leaves Lime wedge, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Combine soy sauce and 1/2 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 sugar, lime juice, chicken broth, coconut milk, fish sauce, and cornstarch in medium bowl. Combine garlic, curry paste, and 1/2 teaspoon oil in small bowl.
- Drain beef and discard liquid. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in 10-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add beef to skillet in single layer, breaking up any clumps. Cook, without stirring, for 1 minute, then stir and continue to cook until beef is browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer beef to clean bowl. Rinse skillet clean and dry with paper towels.
- Add remaining oil to now-empty skillet and heat until just smoking. Add eggplant and cook, stirring frequently, until browned and no longer spongy, 4 to 6 minutes. Push eggplant to sides of skillet to clear center; add garlic-curry mixture to clearing and cook, mashing with spatula, until fragrant, 15 to 20 seconds. Stir to combine garlic-curry mixture with eggplant. Return beef and any accumulated juices to skillet and stir to combine. Whisk sauce to recombine, then add to skillet along with basil leaves; cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened and evenly distributed, about 30 seconds. Transfer to serving platter and serve, passing lime wedges separately if using.
Time
55 minutesYield
Serves 2 as a main dish with riceIngredients
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons light brown sugar
6 ounces flank steak, cut into 2-inch wide strips with grain, then sliced across grain into ⅛-inch-thick slices
1 ½ teaspoons fresh lime juice from 1 lime
¼ cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon coconut milk plus an additional 1 ½ teaspoons
1 ½ teaspoons fish sauce
½ teaspoon cornstarch
1 medium clove garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 teaspoon)
¾ teaspoon red curry paste
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 small eggplant (about ½ pound), peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
Lime wedge, for serving (optional)
Ingredients
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons light brown sugar
6 ounces flank steak, cut into 2-inch wide strips with grain, then sliced across grain into ⅛-inch-thick slices
1 ½ teaspoons fresh lime juice from 1 lime
¼ cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon coconut milk plus an additional 1 ½ teaspoons
1 ½ teaspoons fish sauce
½ teaspoon cornstarch
1 medium clove garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 teaspoon)
¾ teaspoon red curry paste
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 small eggplant (about ½ pound), peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
Lime wedge, for serving (optional)
Ingredients
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons light brown sugar
6 ounces flank steak, cut into 2-inch wide strips with grain, then sliced across grain into ⅛-inch-thick slices
1 ½ teaspoons fresh lime juice from 1 lime
¼ cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon coconut milk plus an additional 1 ½ teaspoons
1 ½ teaspoons fish sauce
½ teaspoon cornstarch
1 medium clove garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 teaspoon)
¾ teaspoon red curry paste
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 small eggplant (about ½ pound), peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
Lime wedge, for serving (optional)
Why This Recipe Works
For a stir-fry with well-browned, tender, and savory beef, just follow these guidelines. Start with full-flavored flank steak. Marinate the beef in soy sauce to ensure that each slice is well seasoned. Cook in batches to get the best browning. Add aromatics such as garlic and red curry paste at the last minute to prevent them from scorching.
Instructions
- Combine soy sauce and 1/2 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 sugar, lime juice, chicken broth, coconut milk, fish sauce, and cornstarch in medium bowl. Combine garlic, curry paste, and 1/2 teaspoon oil in small bowl.
- Drain beef and discard liquid. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in 10-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add beef to skillet in single layer, breaking up any clumps. Cook, without stirring, for 1 minute, then stir and continue to cook until beef is browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer beef to clean bowl. Rinse skillet clean and dry with paper towels.
- Add remaining oil to now-empty skillet and heat until just smoking. Add eggplant and cook, stirring frequently, until browned and no longer spongy, 4 to 6 minutes. Push eggplant to sides of skillet to clear center; add garlic-curry mixture to clearing and cook, mashing with spatula, until fragrant, 15 to 20 seconds. Stir to combine garlic-curry mixture with eggplant. Return beef and any accumulated juices to skillet and stir to combine. Whisk sauce to recombine, then add to skillet along with basil leaves; cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened and evenly distributed, about 30 seconds. Transfer to serving platter and serve, passing lime wedges separately if using.
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