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Sour Cherry Ginger Beef

Sour Cherry Ginger Beef created for Pucker Up 2014 was inspired by Calgary, Alberta's Crispy Ginger Beef recipe, but with a sour cherry sauce which creates a dynamic dish! Finger lickin' and lip smackin'!
Course Main
Cuisine Canadian Asian
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 4 -6
Author Valerie Lugonja

Ingredients

Ingredients for Crispy Fried Beef:

  • 1 pound "know-your-farmer" flank steak , sliced thinly against the grain
  • oil for deep frying

Ingredients for the batter:

  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup corn starch
  • 1/4 cup rice flour
  • 3 tablespoons wheat flour
  • ½ tablespoon white pepper
  • 2-3 cups oil for frying beef

Ingredients for Sour Cherry Sauce:

  • 1 1/2 cups frozen or fresh sour cherries , pitted
  • 6-8 large cloves garlic , finely julienned
  • hefty chunk of ginger , size of two thumbs, (same amount as garlic), finely julienned
  • ¼ cup light soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons mushroom soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine
  • ½ cup water
  • ¼ cup sugar (or ½ cup if you like it sweet)
  • ½ tablespoon or more crushed chilies , if you like heat

Instructions

Instructions for Crispy Beef Batter:

  1. Combine all ingredients, toss beef in batter, a strip at a time
  2. Deep-fry strips of beef, a few at a time, until crispy; set aside

Instructions for Sour Cherry Ginger Sauce:

  1. Stir fry ginger and garlic in a little oil for 30 seconds, until aromatic; add liquids, then sugar, then sour cherries
  2. Bring to boil for 2 minutes; remove from heat
  3. Add beef; stir to coat completely with sauce
  4. Serve immediately over fragrant rice with extra sauce

Recipe Notes

For the a darker complexity to the sauce and presentation, keep warm for 1-2 hours until the dark deep flavour and colour has permeated the entire dish; the sauce will thicken during this time and the beef will no longer be crispy, but be prepared for a serious addition, here!