Easy, spicy, and delicious. You can easily adjust the amount of spice according to your taste. But that combination of garlic, ginger, sesame, and soy is irresistible. Make it even easier by using garlic paste and ginger paste, found in your grocer’s produce section. In a pinch, ground ginger will work, but avoid garlic powder. Good quality soy sauce makes a difference, and the toasted sesame oil is essential. (I’ll bet the Co-op carries it.)

Slightly adapted from Allrecipes!

Ingredients

 1 pound lean ground beef

5 cloves garlic, crushed (or garlic paste)       

1 Tablespoon freshly grated ginger (or ginger paste)

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil (maybe a little more if you like sesame)

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup light brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (or more if you like it spicy)

6 green onions, chopped, divided

4 cups hot cooked rice

1 Tablespoon toasted sesame seeds (optional)

 Instructions

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef and cook, stirring and crumbling into small pieces until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain excess grease.

Stir in garlic, ginger, and sesame oil, and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Stir in soy sauce, brown sugar, and red pepper flakes. Cook until beef absorbs some sauce, about 7 minutes.

Add 1/2 of chopped green onions.

Serve over hot cooked rice; garnish with sesame seeds and remaining green onions.