Four on a journey

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Blackberry in a beef dish? Really? That sounds quite questionable. It seems like a gimmick, to be honest. I highly doubt that such a combination would work well together. Moreover, it appears to be more of a marketing ploy than a genuine culinary innovation. I must say, I am rather skeptical about this concept.

I guess I can tell you a story… It supposedly all started when I was telling the kids about my “strawberry chicken” recipe (which, let’s be honest, sounds a bit bizarre). So, being in Ireland during blackberry season (if that’s even a thing), the kids suddenly got this brilliant idea to cook with blackberries. As skeptical as I was, I indulged them and played along. And what happened next? Well, that’s a whole different story.

After a bit of furious gathering of blackberries (which more than half of them went into the teen and the toddler’s stomach), we decided to head back to our AirBnB.

A dish is born

After finally reaching the comfort of our humble abode, the Great Culinary Conundrum commenced. We found ourselves in the direst of predicaments – a glaring emptiness in our pantry, juxtaposed with a desperate longing for sustenance. Truly, a battle of epic proportions ensued as we brainstormed ways to concoct a masterpiece out of meager ingredients. Alas, amidst the laughter, tears, and occasional bickering, we stumbled upon a trove of ideas that didn’t quite meet our standards of gastronomic excellence:

• Blackberry pepperoni pizza ❌
• Blackberry gyros ❌
• Blackberry bok choi ❌
• Blackberry fried rice ❌
• Blackberry omlette ❌ 🤢 🤢 🤢 🤢 🤢 🤢 🤢 🤢

There was one dish which did not sound totally insane. The kids and I quickly went to work.

Blackberry Ginger Beef

Ginger beef is a stir-fry dish which is one of our household favourites. The flavour profile (ooo look at me using the term “flavour profile) is well known, it is quick and tasty and the ingredients needed are all readily available.

Oh no, we’ve got a culinary conundrum on our hands! Picture this: a measly kilo of the infamous “housekeeper’s cut” lurking in the depths of our fridge. This cut of meat can be as dry as the Sahara and has more sinew and fat than we’d like to admit. It’s like the underdog of the beef world, only suitable for stews and long, slow cooking. But hey, at least it didn’t break the bank! So let’s roll up our sleeves, trim away the excess, and turn this budget beast into a delicious masterpiece. Game on!

Let’s gather the ingredients before we continue.

Ingredients

For vegetable sides, I had 8 pieces of pak choi between the 4 of us.

Let’s get cooking!

To begin, I slice the beef against the grain. This is an important step to ensure tender and flavourful meat in our stir-fry. Make the slices as thin as you can and we made sure to remove any excess fat or sinew.

Next, we prepared the marinade by combining half of the flour, soy sauce and baking powder/soda in a bowl. We added the beef to the marinade, making sure each slice was well-coated, and set it aside to marinate for about 20 minutes.

So, here’s the deal. We let the beef chill in its marinade, giving it all the flavour love. Then, we diced up the onion and ginger into thin slices and put them aside, ready for action. Oh, and the pak choi? We gave it a little chop-chop, because we like things fancy. While all that was happening, we cranked up the stove and got a pot of water simmering, like a boss. Then, in our super-hot wok (or a pan) that’s hotter than the sun, we poured some oil and let it sizzle like there’s no tomorrow. And guess what? We tossed in the sliced onion and ginger, cooking them until they reached caramelised perfection.

Once upon a sizzling hot pan, the onions and ginger danced their way to crispy perfection. They took a break on the sidelines inside the pan, while a touch more oil joined the party. With the finesse of a cooking ninja, we artfully dropped the marinated beef slices onto the stage. But hold your utensils, folks! No stirring allowed just yet. We waited patiently, resisting the temptation to shake things up prematurely. It’s all about that caramelised magic, after all!

Extracting blackberry juice

Do you like munching on those blackberries as they are? ‘Cause if you’re anything like me and can’t stand those pesky seeds in berries (like blackberries, raspberries, you name it), then I suggest juicing them while you wait for that beef to brown. 🍇

Once the beef was almost cooked (some would be browned and some might still be pink), we added the blackberries (or blackberry juice) to the pan, along with the sugar and a splash of water. We gently tossed everything together, allowing the blackberries to soften slightly and release their juices. This added a delightful sweetness and a burst of fruity flavour to the dish.

Now, it was time to add the thickening agent to create a luscious sauce for the beef and blackberries. We mixed the remaining flour with a bit of water to create a slurry and poured it into the pan. We stirred everything together, allowing the sauce to thicken and coat the beef and blackberries evenly.

Oh no! We’ve forgotten about our pak choi. In the simmering pot, add a pinch of salt and blanch the chopped vegetable. Do not cover the lid or you’ll lose the greenness of the vegetable which makes it pop.

To serve, we placed a generous portion of the blackberry ginger beef onto each plate, accompanied by a side of blanched pak choi. The tender beef, combined with the tangy sweetness of the blackberries and the subtle heat from the ginger, created a mouthwatering flavour combination that surprised and delighted the entire family.

As we enjoyed our meal, we couldn’t help but marvel at how a seemingly strange combination of ingredients had come together to create such a delicious and memorable dish.

Notes

Sure, let me give it a funny twist!

If you think you’re a master chef because you can whip up a Chinese dish, well, here’s some food for thought.

• I’ve used flour instead of cornflour as thickening agent
• Again, flour is used to coat the beef instead of cornflour
• Chinese cooking wine seem to be missing
• Only one type of soy sauce is mentioned
• The dish needs some spring onions!

Absolutely! So, here’s the deal. If you haven’t stumbled upon @danielaberlin’s About us page yet, you’re in for a ride (of some sort). Imagine this: we’re gallivanting around the globe, living life to the fullest, and guess what? We’ve got the bare essentials with us. We’re like MacGyver on steroids, making things happen with whatever we’ve got. It’s a rollercoaster of improvisation, adventure, and probably a couple of questionable fashion choices. Buckle up and join us for a laughter-filled journey!

Variations

Ah, the magnificent ginger beef dish! It’s like a culinary chameleon, ready to transform and tantalise your taste buds. Want to keep it classic? Go for the “original” ginger beef and savour its deliciousness on its own. Feeling adventurous? Let’s throw in some green or red peppers to give it a colourful kick. Need an extra spicy punch? Add some fiery chilli and watch your taste buds dance!

But wait, we can’t stop there! Let’s think outside the box – or should I say wok? Swap out blackberry with a jam of your choice, like strawberry or even zesty orange marmalade. And let’s add a little crunch, shall we? Sprinkle in some mysterious munge tute for that oh-so-satisfying texture.

Do you dare go beyond the beef? How about adding chunks of potatoes? Yes, you heard me right! We’re talking starch-on-starch action here. Just fry those spuds with the onions and ginger to perfection before tossing the beef in. But don’t forget, if you add potatoes, it might be wise to cut back on the rice. Balance is key, my friend!

Now, I must know – what’s your favourite vegetable? Do you have any crazy ideas for stir-fry beef dishes? Find us on Instagram (The Kitchen Hopper and FourOnAJourney) and share a laugh and some foodie wisdom in the comments below!