Chinese restaurant stir-fries are beloved for their thin strips of meat in succulent sauce. But those sauces often contain thickeners like cornstarch as well as sugar, both keto no-nos. For our satisfying
keto-friendly version, we chose sumptuous shiitake mushrooms and the big meaty flavor and high fat content of boneless short ribs. Bok choy added color and fiber. Briefly marinating the meat with soy
sauce enhanced its rich taste and echoed its flavors in the simple sauce of soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and red pepper flakes without any thickener.
After quickly searing the fatty meat in a nonstick skillet, we rested it and stir-fried the mushrooms before adding the bok choy stalks. Then the bok choy leaves got a short stint in the pan just to wilt them. Finally, we stirred the browned beef and vegetables back into the sauce. Served over Cauliflower Rice (this page), our stir-fry is a satisfying meal. To make slicing the steak easier, freeze it for 15 minutes. This dish progresses quickly after step 1; it’s important that your ingredients are ready to go by then.
Instructions :
- Cut each rib crosswise with grain into 3 equal pieces. Slice each piece against grain ¼ inch thick. Toss beef with 2 tablespoons soy sauce, cover, and marinate for 10 minutes. Whisk remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, and pepper flakes together in separate bowl; set aside.
- Drain beef. Heat 1½ teaspoons coconut oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add half of beef, breaking up any clumps, and cook, without stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir beef and continue to cook until browned, about 3 minutes; transfer to clean bowl. Repeat with 1½ teaspoons coconut oil and remaining beef; transfer to bowl.
- Heat 1 tablespoon coconut oil in now-empty skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add mushrooms and cook until beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add bok choy stalks, cover, and cook for 3 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are spotty brown and crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Push vegetables to sides of skillet. Add remaining 1 tablespoon coconut oil, ginger, and garlic to center and cook, mashing mixture into skillet, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir ginger-garlic mixture into vegetables. Stir in bok choy greens and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir in beef and any accumulated juices. Off heat, add sauce and toss to coat. Sprinkle with scallions and serve.
I’m Dr. Megan Justin
With a degree in Nutrition and years of experience working in U.S. hospitals, I specialize in creating personalized meal plans and delicious recipes for weight loss. I’m here to help you achieve your health goals with sustainable, easy-to-follow nutrition. Let’s transform your health, one meal at a time!
