One Pot Beef, Zucchini & Cashew Stir Fry

One of the things I was disappointed with when we looked at this house was the electric stove top. No gas wok burner!

And make sure you have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go before you even think about turning on that gas burner.

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One Pot Beef, Zucchini & Cashew Stir Fry

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 2 people

Ingredients

• 4 medium zucchini (courgette) sliced into rounds
• 500 g ground (minced) beef 1lb
• 1-2 cloves garlic minced
• 3-4 tablespoons oyster sauce or 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 handfuls roast cashews
• 1 small bunch basil or coriander (cilantro) leaves, optional

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

• Heat a little oil in your wok or frying pan on a super high heat. Add zucchini and stir fry for 3-5 minutes or until zucchini is browned and starting to soften but not mushy. Remove zucchini from the wok.
• Add more oil and stir fry the beef and garlic until beef is well browned.
• Return zucchini to the pan and toss to warm. Remove wok or frying pan from the heat and stir in oyster / soy sauce. Taste and season with more sauce if needed.
• Serve topped with cashews and herbs (if using)

WINE MATCH: A cold beer or dry white like a riesling.

Variations & Substitutions

hot! – add a little chopped fresh chilli with the garlic. Or drizzle with a little of Marcos chilli oil or serve Chilli Salt at the table.

different veg – broccoli, cauliflower, capsicum (bell peppers), carrot, broccolini, asparagus – anything you like to stir fry.

vegetarian – replace beef with cooked lentils or chickpeas or crumbled tofu. And either use soy sauce or track down some vegetarian oyster sauce (it does exist!)

nut-free – just skip it or replace with crunchy veg like snow peas or bell peppers (capsicum).

different nuts – cashews are our family fave but almonds or peanuts will also work.

more substantial (low carb) – more cashews! or more veg! Or drizzle with a little chilli oil.

more substantial (carb-lovers) – serve with steamed rice or cooked noodles.

sliced meat – feel free to use sliced steak or other stir fry meat.

different meat – great with chicken or pork or lamb.

Waste Avoidance Strategy

zucchini – will keep for 2 weeks or longer in a plastic bag in the fridge. To keep it even longer, cook sliced zucchini in a little butter until just soft then store in an airtight container in the fridge.

minced (ground) beef – freeze it.

garlic – will keep for months in the pantry. I wrap in a brown paper bag to protect from light and prevent shooting.

oyster sauce – unopened bottles keep in the pantry. Once opened will keep in the fridge for months.

soy sauce / roast cashews – keep them in the pantry.

basil – make basil oil by packing washed and dried leaves in a clean jar and covering with extra virgin olive oil. Or you can freeze the leaves, they’ll wilt but will still be delicious.

coriander – best to use for another meal. Can be frozen but will wilt when defrosted.

Problem Solving Guide

bland – more oyster or soy sauce. Fresh or dried chilli peppers.

too dry – more sauce, a drizzle of olive oil. Next time use higher fat meat.

too mushy – overcooked zucchini OR zucchini too crowded. Next time use a larger pan or cook for less time. For now toss in some more cashews to give it better texture.

Prepare Ahead

You can if you like. Just cook beef and zucchini as per the recipe but keep the cashews and herbs separate. Will keep in the fridge for 2 weeks or can be frozen. To serve, heat everything in a hot wok with a little oil then serve with cashews and herbs.