Quick Fix | Spicy beef dish a mix of Pacific flavors

This dinner is a tasty mixture of Pacific rim flavors. Lemon grass is the secret to the flavors in Hot and Spicy Beef. It adds a tang like that of lemon or lime and is one of the most important spices used in Thai cooking. It looks a little like a scallion with long, thin, green-gray leaves and a lighter bulb at the tip. Grated lemon rind can be used instead.

Sesame noodles with peas complete the meal.

Fred Tasker's wine suggestion: Spicy stir-fry beef? A spicy red zin.

Helpful hints

Remove woody, outer leaves of lemon grass before slicing. Cut pale inner leaves and bulb into thin slices.

Prepare all ingredients for beef and noodle dishes before starting to stir-fry.

If using ground ginger instead of fresh, mix it in with sauce.

Two crushed garlic cloves can be used instead of bottle minced garlic.

A quick way to add fresh ginger is to grate it over the food.

HOT AND SPICY STIR-FRY BEEF

1/4 cup tomato paste

1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

1/2 cup water

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 cup sliced onion

1 teaspoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger or 2 teaspoons ground ginger

3 stalks lemon grass, sliced, or grated lemon rind from 1 lemon

1/2 pound steak, cut into 1/2-inch by 2-inch strips (sirloin, flank, skirt, strip)

2 tablespoons unsalted, roasted peanuts

Mix tomato paste, hot pepper sauce and water together and set aside. Heat the oil in a wok or skillet over high heat. Add the onion, garlic, chopped ginger and lemon grass or lemon rind and stir-fry 2 minutes. Add meat and stir-fry 4 to 5 minutes. Add sauce and toss with the ingredients a few seconds. Remove to a plate and sprinkle with peanuts.

Per serving: 297 calories (31 percent from fat), 10.3 g fat (2.2 g saturated, 4.3 g monounsaturated), 64 mg cholesterol,31.3 g protein, 24.0 g carbohydrates, 3.3 g fiber, 120 mg sodium.

Yield 2 servings.

SESAME NOODLES

1/4 pound Chinese noodles

1 cup frozen peas

1 teaspoon sesame oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add noodles and cook 1 minute add peas and continue to cook 1 minute. Drain. Toss with sesame oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove to dinner plates and sprinkle sesame seeds on top.

Per serving: 321 calories (27 percent from fat), 9.5 g fat (1.7 g saturated, 3.3 g monounsaturated), 48 mg cholesterol, 11.7 g protein, 47.9 g carbohydrates, 5.3 g fiber, 16 mg sodium.

Yield 2 servings.

This story was originally published April 19, 2016 at 7:09 PM with the headline "Quick Fix | Spicy beef dish a mix of Pacific flavors ."