Recipe for General Tso’s Sirloin Kebabs

Grabbing some quick Chinese take-out typically isn’t an option for people who avoid gluten. Those delightful wontons, noodles, and dumplings are often made from wheat flour. And that flour also coats many of the tempting fried items on the menu. What about the sauces? You guessed it. Soy and other sauces in restaurants often contain wheat.

This recipe allows you to enjoy Asian foods at home, without fear of gluten or cross-contamination.

Credit: iStockphoto.com/tycoon751

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 12 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

1/4 cup gluten-free hoisin sauce

2 tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons garlic chili sauce

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 tablespoon minced ginger

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon red pepper flakes

2 pounds sirloin, cut into 2-inch cubes

Metal or bamboo skewers

Nonstick cooking spray

1. In a small glass bowl, mix together the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, garlic chili sauce, oil, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Add meat to the marinade and refrigerate for 2 hours.

2. If using bamboo skewers, soak in water for at least 30 minutes to prevent the skewers from burning on the grill. Preheat gas grill on high.

3. Remove beef from refrigerator and bring to room temperature for 30 minutes. Doing so allows meat to cook more evenly.

4. To assemble the kebabs, oil the skewers using nonstick cooking spray and place the marinated beef on skewers.

   Grill 10 to 12 minutes, rotating 90 degrees every 4 minutes to evenly cook the beef. Let kebabs rest for 4 minutes after grilling is complete.

Several good cuts of meat are good to use for kebobs. If your budget isn’t a concern, substitute beef tenderloin. For more economical cuts, try the sirloin, flank, flat iron, or skirt. Choose cuts that are about 1-1/4 inches thick.

Per serving: Calories: 478; Total fat: 29g; Saturated fat: 10g; Cholesterol: 135mg; Sodium: 789mg; Carbohydrates: 8g; Fiber: 1g; Protein: 43g.