Cashew Beef

This cashew beef dish features punchy flavors and textures to lift you from your normal meal routine. If you don’t own a wok already, it’s a great pan to add to your culinary toolkit. Because of its conical shape, it’s great for mixing, pan-frying and whipping up quick meals.

That said, a good stainless steel pan will work well for this recipe too. Just avoid anything with a thin bottom, as that will increase the risk of burning your food.

Ingredients for Cashew Beef

Sauce:

• Cornstarch: This ingredient is great for thickening sauces and is nearly flavorless.
• Soy sauce: Originally made from fermented soy beans, soy sauce is delightfully savory and salty. Today, there’s a wide range in quality, so you may want to check out our favorite brands of soy sauce for guidance.
• Sesame oil: This type of oil is light in flavor and is especially common in Asian dishes.
• Oyster sauce: Made with oyster extracts, sugar and salt and thickened with cornstarch, oyster sauce adds great flavor and complexity to cashew beef.
• Ginger: Freshly ground ginger helps to brighten the flavors in this dish and adds a lovely aroma.
• Cayenne pepper: This variety of pepper is medium-hot, so if you prefer extra spicy, opt for habanero or scotch bonnet.

Stir-fry:

• Beef: This recipe calls for top sirloin steak, which is a tender cut of meat that responds well to a quick sear in the pan. Feel free to try other types of steak, but be sure they’re on the tender side.
• Canola oil: This oil has a high smoke point, so it’s a great option for high-heat cooking methods. Because canola is a neutral cooking oil, it won’t affect the flavor of the beef.
• Green onion: Mild and sweet, green onions are great as a garnish. What’s more, they add a pop of delightful color.
• Cashews: This recipe calls for lightly salted cashews, but you can use unsalted too. Just be aware that you’ll likely need to add more salt, later on.
• Garlic: The garlic in this cashew beef is only cooked for a few minutes, so it will maintain its pungent, savory flavor.
• Rice: We suggest choosing a long grain rice like basmati or jasmine for this dish. Use a rice cooker for perfectly cooked rice, every time.

Directions

Step 1: Make the sauce

In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch, soy sauce, sesame oil, oyster sauce, ground ginger, cayenne pepper and cold water. Whisk until the sauce is smooth, then set it aside.

Step 2: Make the stir-fry

In a large skillet or wok, stir-fry the beef in 1 tablespoon of the canola oil. Remove it from the pan and keep it warm. In the meantime, stir-fry the green onion, cashews and garlic in the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil for one minute.

Step 3: Finish the stir-fry and serve

Give the sauce a quick stir and add it to the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cook and stir for an additional two minutes or until thickened. Toss in the beef and heat through. Serve over rice.

Cashew Beef Variations

• Use coconut oil: Feel free to replace either the canola oil or both the sesame and canola oil in this recipe with coconut oil. This ingredient will transform the whole dish, replicating the flavors of Thai food.
• Try it with chicken: The flavors of this recipe are equally compatible with chicken, so why not try it? In fact, cashew chicken is a very popular dish already.

How to Store Cashew Beef

To keep any leftovers, first allow the cashew beef to come to room temperature. Transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to four days. Leftover rice can also be safely stored in the fridge for up to four days, but we suggest keeping it in a separate container from the beef. This way, the rice won’t take on too much moisture from the sauce in the stir-fry.

Can I freeze beef and cashew nuts?

To freeze beef cashew, let it come to room temperature and transfer it to an airtight food storage container. Store it in the freezer for up to three months. The rice can safely be kept in an airtight container in the freezer for up to six months. To thaw this dish, place it in the fridge overnight, then reheat it and enjoy it the next day.

Cashew Beef Tips

Is sirloin a good cut of steak?

Sirloin is one of the most tender cuts of steak, making it one of the most popular. It’s located near the low back of the cow and is naturally lean.

How do you make stir-fry beef more tender?

Many Chinese dishes coat thin strips of meat in baking soda to tenderize it, often referred to as “velveting” the meat. Before implementing this technique, learn how to use baking soda to tenderize steak, as it’s useful to know a few tips and tricks.

What’s the secret to a good stir-fry?

Because stir-fry recipes use high heat, it’s important to stir the ingredients often. It’s also useful to avoid overcrowding the wok or pan so the ingredients can cook evenly and develop a better texture.