September 18, 2007
Fried Potatoes With Beef Easy Chinese Recipe Made Un-Easy By A Baby
Fried potatoes with beef cubes - how difficult can it be to make this dish right? This recipe which requires approximately 45 minutes of preparation and cooking time took me overnight!! :D How can this be? Well, I can only cook when the baby is sleeping, else I feel guilty not stimulating my baby during every bit of his waking hours :O A is for Asparagus, B is for Broccoli, C is for Crazy mom…
I did the prep work the day before:
- During one of Baby J’s short afternoon naps, which ranges from 20 minutes to 45 minutes, I washed and cubed the potatoes. I had more potatoes than I needed, so I actually cubed all four white potatoes, although I needed only two. I deep fried them and put them on paper towels to drain off the excess oil, then portioned them into two bags - one to be put into the freezer for future use, and the other for the next day.
- Baby J sleeps from 7:30pm-10:30pm every evening, which gives me time to have dinner, wash up, take a shower and surf the net or prepare meals for the next day. I took this time to cube and marinate the beef and cut the onion wedges to the amount I want. This really makes the actual cooking a breeze as everything is really and I just need to throw them together for a quick stir-fry.
Ingredients (serves 2-3):
- 1/2 tsp minced garlic
- 1 lb beef, cubed (buy those that are meant for stir-frying)
- 1/4 onion, cut into thin wedges (or thick wedges if desired)
- 1 1/2 cups frozen vegetables, or more if desired. (Frozen vegetables are really handy!! I used a mix of corn, peas and carrot)
- 1 tbsp Oyster sauce
- 2 white potatoes, skinned, cubed, deep fried and seasoned with salt. (I feel that white potatoes are firmer than russet potatoes so when deep fried, they don’t mush up as easily.)
- a few sprigs of cilantro (for garnish only)
Marinate for beef:
- 1/4 pc beef stock, broken into small pieces and mixed with beef (this can be replaced with 1/2 tsp salt)
- a few dashes of black pepper (quantity is up to your own preference)
- 1 tsp sesame oil (optional)
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce (oyster sauce makes this a Chinese recipe. :p)
- 1 tbsp rice wine (optional, can also use any other type of cooking wine)
- 2 tsp corn flour (add to marinated beef last, so that the beef can be marinated with the rest of the seasoning first, before the corn flour is used to “seal in” everything.)
Cooking Method:
1. Heat up 2 tbsp oil then stir fry minced garlic until fragrant.
2. Add marinated cubed beef and stir fry until half-cooked. Set aside. If baby cries, turn off stove, and check on baby. Carry baby for a while if required and ask baby for permission for mommy to finish cooking.
3. Add onions and frozen vegetables and stir fry until the onions reach the desired softness. If baby fusses, just let him fuss a bit more or else you will never ever finish cooking.
4. Return beef to wok and mix well. Add oyster sauce to taste.
5. Add fried potatoes and mix well. Garnish with cilantro. Check on baby and oh thank goodness! He is sleeping :)
Cook’s Notes:
- Beef need not be marinated overnight. Just before cooking will do.
- Oil needs to be very hot for frying potatoes else potatoes will end up soggy.
Conclusion:
Fried potatoes with beef cubes - an easy Chinese recipe only when the baby is sleeping.
Bite This!
More recipes:
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Stir Fried Spaghetti With Black Peppered Beef
Stir Fried Beef With Ginger And Spring Onions
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September 18th, 2007 at 9:38 pm
Looks good and glad you finally have time to post something. Sometimes, it takes me 3-5 days to write a post because the kids don’t stay asleep at night.
September 19th, 2007 at 12:43 am
Wow - sounds like you’re really multi-tasking there! Glad to hear that things are going well with Baby J! Those fried potatoes look good!
September 20th, 2007 at 8:25 am
Welcome to the world of babay and hubby. Nevere forget you are a wife first then a mum,Daddy also need some tender Loveing Care.
I miss yoru post. Glad that you are posting again
September 20th, 2007 at 10:15 am
DF:
Life is much better now, compared to the first 2 months. I do have time to surf the web, just that I browse baby forums and websites more than food sites now :D
W&S:
Multi-tasking is tough. I wish I can clone myself.
Mamafess:
Daddy is baby Number 1.
September 20th, 2007 at 7:42 pm
Aww, sounds like you’ve got the hang of it. And before you know it, baby J will be big enough to help you in the kitchen. ;)
September 22nd, 2007 at 8:22 am
Sounds like how mum makes it but she also add cubed carrots. Now I’m hungry.
If you don’t have much time, you can use the exact same recipe/ingredients and put them in a crock/slow pot and make beef stew. Less prep time in the kitchen, more quality time with the baby.
September 22nd, 2007 at 10:25 am
Chopsticks:
Yeah… I’ve gotten use to sleeping in periods of 2-3 hours and letting the baby cry for a while without panicking :p
Ming:
I haven’t had beef stew for a while. You just got my tastebuds excited! Yums!
September 26th, 2007 at 2:22 am
When my daughter was very young, it’s my other half who cooked all meals while I take care of the baby. :)
January 4th, 2008 at 6:42 pm
Wow that does look beautiful…I think I will start cooking this now.
January 17th, 2008 at 12:02 am
I love the recipe, i think i will try it myself thank you
March 12th, 2008 at 11:55 am
it is possible to add some chili and cook, you sounds the dish quite tasteful, i love to try.