Sally's Stew

1 lb. large stew beef chunks
2 teaspoon olive oil
1 large onion, thickly sliced into wedges
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
2 teaspoon sesame oil
3 Tablespoons Water
Heaping Tablespoon Cornstarch
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips and then cut in half
Fresh Broccoli florets
1 3/4 cup Chicken Broth
1 Tablespoon Butter
3/4 teaspoon Salt
1 cup Jasmin Rice
A few tablespoons toasted sesame seeds for garnish (optional)

Pound beef chunks flat with meat hammer/tenderizer or bottom of flat heavy object. Place in bottom of crockpot

Combine oil, onion, garlic, soy sauce, water, brown sugar, ginger, hoisin sauce, and sesame oil in a small bowl.

Pour over beef and stir to evenly distribute.

Cook on high for 1 hour and on low for 4 hours.

Remove as much of the liquid and place in saucepan.

Make a slurry of water and cornstarch.

Add to liquid and cook until it thickens. (add a little more cornstarch/water mixture if not thick enough. 3:1 ratio water to cornstarch). It should be like a nice thick gravy or sauce.

Return thickened liquid back to crockpot and stir.

Place red bell pepper and broccoli florets on top of beef and sauce and stir a little to get moist. Cover. (20 minutes is just right about the amount of time for cooking the rice.)

Start making your rice by bringing broth, butter, and salt to a boil until butter is melted. Stir in rice.

Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes.

Remove from heat, uncover, and fluff with a fork.

Serve stew over rice and add sesame seeds to garnish.