Steak Teriyaki with Sugar Snap Peas

Teriyaki is a Japanese cooking technique for broiling or grilling meats which are marinated or basted in a soy sauce.  It is derived from teri- meaning glaze and -yaki meaning broil. Traditional teriyaki is actually not overly sweet;  it is made from equal parts sake, mirin (a rice wine), and dark soy sauce with a small quantity of sugar added. 

However most premade bottles of teriyaki sauce are overly sugary and artificial tasting.  Please don't use them.  I know that they are convenient and a real time saver for weekday meals, but bottled sauces are not good, maybe hinging on gross in some cases.  I have no personal vandetta against the manufacturer's of those sauces--they must make a living too.  However, making your own teriyaki sauce is not difficult and takes only a few steps.  Steps I feel are well worth your time.

This recipe for Steak Teriyaki with Sugar Snap Peas originally called recipe for 1/2 cup sugar, which I have already reduced and changed into a combination of brown sugar and honey.  This recipe makes a very good sauce, one that complements the steak and sugar snap peas.  Everyone in my family, especially our recovered picky eater and my 11-month old, loved this meal.  In fact, my son asked me to put this on our "make again" list...and we didn't have a make-again list before this meal.:-) 

I encourage you to make this sauce for other meats as well.  Chicken, burgers, and salmon would taste great smothered in this sauce too.



Steak Teriyaki with Sugar Snap Peas
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INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1-2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoons vinegar (apple cider or rice)
1 teaspoon sesame oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
2 teaspoons corn starch
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

3 strip steaks (10-12 ounces each), sliced thin across the grain
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 scallions, sliced thin
1 pound sugar snap peas
2 teaspoons sesame seeds
Salt
Freshly ground pepper

DIRECTIONS:
1.  Whisk soy sauce, sugar, honey, vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, cornstarch, and pepper flakes in large bowl.  Add sliced steak and marinade for 30 minutes.

2.  Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking.  Add 1/2 of the steak, spread evenly in skillet, and cook until well-browned, 3-5 minutes.  Remove steak from skillet with slotted spoon, keeping as much sauce as possible in skillet, and transfer to plate and tent with foil.  Repeat with the remaining steak.

3.  Add sugar snap peas to skillet, stir to coat with remaining sauce, and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.  Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons water, cover and cook until peas are bright green and beginning to soften, about 2 minutes.  Uncover and allow liquid to evaporate.  Toss with 2 teaspoons sesame seeds and 1/8 teaspoon sesame oil.  Season with additional salt and freshly ground pepper, as desired.  (Note:  I added my sesame seeds to the meat instead.  Either is fine.)

Recipe adapted from The Best Simple Recipes

Other teriyaki recipes you may enjoy:
Teriyaki Burger with Homemade Teriyaki Sauce by White on Rice Couple
Baked Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs by Tracey's Culinary Adventures
Oven Baked Teriyaki Chicken Thighs by Dine and Dish
Teriyaki Mushroom, Spinach, and Chicken Salad by Kitchen Trial and Error
Salmon Teriyaki by Rasa Malaysia