Name: Teriyaki Flank Steak with Scallions
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: JapaneseAsianAsia
Ingredients: 1/2 cup soy sauce; 1/3 cup sugar; 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar; 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger; 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes; 1 teaspoon cornstarch; 1 flank steak (about 1 1/2 pounds); 2 tablespoons vegetable oil; 12 scallions , cut into 1-inch lengths; 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds (see note)

Why This Recipe Works

The salty, sweet, spicy, and acidic flavors of soy sauce, sugar, red pepper flakes, ginger, and rice vinegar gave the sauce for our Teriyaki Flank Steak with Scallions a kick while a little cornstarch produced a smooth, velvety texture. Grating ginger allowed its flavor to disperse through the sauce better than mincing it. Drying the steak, seasoning it liberally with salt and pepper, and searing it to the desired doneness in a smoking-hot skillet ensured the meat didn’t steam and turn rubbery. It was important to thinly slice the steak against the grain; otherwise the fibrous meat was very tough. Cooking the scallions and sauce in the same pan as the steak lent some of the meat’s flavor to the sauce and saved on dishes.

Before You Begin

Here we treat the scallions more like a green vegetable than an herb, cutting them into 1-inch lengths and sautéing them until lightly browned and tender. Toast the sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until lightly browned and fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Instructions

Whisk soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, ginger, pepper flakes, and cornstarch  in medium bowl.

Pat steak dry with paper towels. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook steak until well browned and cooked to desired doneness, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer to cutting board and tent with foil.

Add remaining oil and scallions to empty skillet and cook until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes; transfer to bowl. Stir soy sauce mixture and any accumulated beef juices into skillet and simmer, scraping up any browned bits, until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Slice beef thin on bias against grain. Transfer to platter and top with sauce, scallions, and sesame seeds. Serve with rice.