Spicy Beef & Vegetables

Fill a small pot 3/4 of the way up with salted water; cover and heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, add the rice and cook, uncovered, 17 to 19 minutes, or until tender. Turn off the heat. Drain thoroughly and return to the pot.

Meanwhile, wash and dry the fresh produce. Peel the carrots; thinly slice on an angle. Halve, peel, and thinly slice the onion. Cut out and discard the core of the cabbage; thinly slice the leaves. Peel and roughly chop 2 cloves of garlic. Cut off and discard the stem of the poblano pepper. Halve lengthwise; remove the ribs and seeds, then thinly slice crosswise. Cut off and discard the stem of the chile pepper; thinly slice crosswise (for a milder dish, remove and discard the ribs and seeds). Thoroughly wash your hands immediately after handling the peppers. 

In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the sliced carrots in an even layer; season with salt and pepper. Cook, without stirring, 3 to 4 minutes, or until slightly softened. Add the sliced onion, sliced cabbage, and sliced poblano pepper; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes, or until softened. Transfer to a bowl. Wipe out the pan. 

Separate the beef; pat dry with paper towels. Place in a bowl; season with salt and pepper. Add the cornstarch and toss to coat. In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high. Once the oil is hot enough that a pinch of cornstarch sizzles immediately when added, add the coated beef in an even layer (discarding any excess cornstarch). Cook, without stirring, 2 to 3 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the chopped garlic and as much of the sliced chile pepper as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be. Cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until the beef is browned and just cooked through. 

To the pan of cooked beef, add the cooked vegetables, coconut aminos, and mirin. Cook, stirring frequently, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until combined. Turn off the heat. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Serve the finished beef and vegetables over the cooked rice. Garnish with the sesame seeds. Enjoy!