HOISIN BEEF BOWL
This chinese-style hoisin beef bowl is flavourful and comforting. The carrot and cucumber salad, is crisp and fresh, offsetting the slight sweetness of the beef perfectly.
Equipment
Ingredients
FOR THE SALAD
- ½ large cucumber
- 2 carrots peeled
- 2 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon vegetable / sunflower oil
- ½ teaspoon white sugar ideally caster / superfine sugar
FOR THE BEEF
- 1 tablespoon groundnut / vegetable / sunflower oil
- 500 g extra lean beef mince 5% fat
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped / crushed
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice
- 100 g hoisin sauce
- 100 ml beef stock
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- Bunch spring onions thinly sliced, to garnish
- Sesame seeds to garnish, optional
FOR THE RICE
Instructions
FOR THE SALAD
- Top and tail the carrots and chop off the end of the cucumber. Then cut the cucumber and carrots in half horizontally. You’ll need a mandolin to slice them, you can either choose the thinnest slicing insert (3mm) to slice the carrots and cucumber into very thin slices, use the julienne attachment to slice into matchsticks, ribbon cut attachment for ribbons or spiral attachment for spirals. You could also use a spiralizer. One at a time, attach the pieces of carrot and cucumber to the handle spokes and work them back and forth on the mandolin (see video for help).
- Then tip the carrot and cucumber into a medium bowl. Add the vinegar, oil and sugar and toss well.
FOR THE BEEF
- Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the beef and fry, stirring often for 5 minutes, or until browned. Use your spoon to break up chunks. Drain off the excess fat if any, then put the pan back on the hob.
- Add in the garlic and spices and fry for a further minute.
- Add in the stock, hoisin and soy sauce stirring well and allow to bubble. Then turn down the heat to low for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- To serve, garnish adult and older child portions with the spring onions and sesame seeds if you like.
Notes
I haven’t included any salt and pepper in this recipe as we just don’t think it needs it, but you can add a little if you prefer.
Of course you can skip the salad and serve with a different side like broccoli or stir fried vegetables.
Baby & Toddler
For the beef, switch up the stock and soy sauce to a low-salt versions.
BABY-LED WEANING
Serve the beef on top of the rice, or mixed in. For the carrot and cucumber, serve prepared age appropriately:
6 - 8 MONTHS while you are cooking, steam either a whole carrot or half a carrot (sliced lengthways) for little one. For the cucumber, they can have it with skin on, cut into finger size strips.
9 MONTHS + the carrot and cucumber can be served as prepared using the mandolin as thin (3mm) ribbons.
SPOON FEEDING
6 MONTHS put their beef into your stick blender or food chopper if it purées. Add a little rice and undressed carrot and cucumber (set some aside once prepared). Add a little warm boiled water to loosen as needed and whizz into a purée.
7-9 MONTHS put some beef in the mini food chopper along with a little rice and some of the undressed, prepared carrot and cucumber. Carefully pulse until the beef mince is fine. Add some warm water or low salt stock to loosen as needed. Then add to their bowl and stir through a little rice.
10-12 MONTHS pulse their beef, some prepared carrot and cucumber in your mini food chopper breifly. Transfer to their bowl and mix through some rice.
1 YEAR + serve their beef as is, either top their rice with it or mix it in. Serve their salad undressed alongside.
YOUNGER CHILDREN & FUSSY EATERS
Leave spring onions and sesame seeds off their serving. Encourage them to help themselves to them instead.
Nutrition
Calories: 341kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 33gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 81mgSodium: 7244mgPotassium: 659mgFiber: 1gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 57IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 50mgIron: 4mg
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