So, a few weeks ago, I got a little email from Foodbuzz asking if I wanted to try out a new product from Kikkoman for free. Being a huge fan of free, I naturally said yes. Now, just to be clear, I probably would not have said yes if it was for free tofu or duck liver, because we don’t really eat that stuff. But soy sauce is one of my favorite ingredients and I buy a lot of it.
So, I got my free sample in the mail the other day. It was a large bottle of Kikkoman Ponzu Lime Seasoned Dressing and Sauce. So first thing I did was crack the seal and take a whiff. Definitely soy sauce in there but it also has a healthy dose of lime in there too. It seemed an odd combo, but I was liking it.
So what do you do with soy sauce? You make stir fry ,of course, but it also had this Latin flavor going on with the lime. It was then that it hit me. Kikkoman has solved the eternal dinner question: Do I make stir fry or do I make tacos? Mexican or Chinese? ( well, it’s an eternal question in my house)
So I did a little fiddling with a recipe I had for stir fried beef and came up with this. The best damn beef and bean taco that has EVER come out of my kitchen. I really recommend you grab some of this Ponzu stuff the next time you are at the store. It will have a worthy space on your condiment shelf. ( and I’m not just saying that).
Mexican Stir Fry
3 T vegetable oil
1/2 cup Kikkoman Ponzu Lime Sauce
1 lb steak ( sirloin, skirt, strip, etc.) cut into 1/2″ strips
1 t. cumin
1t. coriander seeds, crushed
1 red onion peeled and diced
2 bell peppers, finely diced
2 garlic cloved, peeled and crushed
1/2 t. oregano
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 t. chili powder
1 can diced tomatoes
1 T tomato paste
handful cilantro, chopped
To serve:
Tortillas ( this would also be good on rice)
1 avocado peeled, pitted and sliced
juice of 1 lime
Sour cream
Mix together Ponzu sauce, cumin, and coriander. Let marinate while you get the rest of the ingredients ready.
By the way, these are coriander seeds and they are lovely. Crush them in that handy mortar and pestle back there.
Heat half your oil in a wok over high heat until it starts to smoke( yes, you can use a big skillet, but a wok is much better). Add beef and saute briefly until brown. Do Not Overcook! It should only take 3-4 minutes. Keep the marinade.
Move beef to a plate and set aside. Then add in the onion, pepper and garlic. Saute over medium heat until onions are translucent and a little soft.
Add in the oregano, beans, chili powder, tomatoes, tomato paste and the leftover marinade and stir well.
Bring to a boil and let simmer for 15 minutes. Add beef back in along with juices.
Simmer for a couple more minutes and sprinkle with cilantro.
Serve the mixture up on some warm tortillas and top with avocado, sour cream and a squeeze of lime!
interesting. I have a Ponzu here that I've been trying to figure out how to use. Thanks for the help!
Soy sauce is definitely one of very important ingredients in my house. 🙂 I would've never thought of adding soy sauce to a Mexican dish. Sounds wonderful!