Ginger Beef Stir Fry

I have been working hard while I have been getting chemotherapy and recovering from my abdominal surgery to keep enough protein in my diet to avoid losing muscle mass and enough red meat to avoid needing a blood transfusion, neither of which endeavors has been an unmitigated success, mind you, but those are my food related goals.  I am also trying to enjoy what I am eating, by and large, and every one in my immediate circle of fellow diners has been working towards these goals with me.  My eldest son came over to assemble this wonderful dish, which has the added bonus of having lots of ginger to combat nausea.

Marinade

• 2 Tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar
• 5 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1 Tbsp grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon chile pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

Beef and stir-fry

• 1 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 lb top sirloin steak
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil (preferably peanut)
• 1 Tbsp sesame oil (optional)
• 3-4 green onions, cut on a diagonal, 1/2-inch apart, including the greens
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2-3 hot chiles, preferably red serranos, seeded, sliced
• 1-inch nob of ginger, cut into matchstick shapes
• 1/2 cup loosely packed, chopped cilantro

1 Chill the steak in the freezer for 30 minutes before you slice it, this will make it easier to cut in thin slices. Slice the steak first crosswise in 1/2-inch thick slices. The cut each slice lengthwise into strips.
2 In a medium bowl, whisk together the marinade ingredients; the soy sauce, vinegar, grated ginger, honey, red chile flakes, and cumin. Mix the beef in with the marinade to coat and let it sit for at least 30 minutes, and up to 4 hours, in the fridge.
3 In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water to make a slurry.
4 Heat the oil in a wok, or a large sauté pan, over high heat until it is nearly smoking. As the oil is heating up, pat the beef dry and separate it into small batches no larger than what can fit into the palm of your hand. Working in batches, sauté beef until just brown outside but rare inside, no more than 1 minute. Transfer beef to a bowl.
5 When all of the beef is cooked, put the chiles and garlic into the pan and stir-fry 30-45 seconds. Add the julienned ginger and cook for 30-45 seconds more. Add the beef back to the pan. Add the cornstarch slurry. Add the scallions and mix everything together. Cook for 1 minute.
Turn the heat off and mix in the cilantro. Serve at once with steamed white rice.