Name: Beef Stir-Fry with Bell Peppers and Black Pepper Sauce for Two
Total time: 1 h
Cuisine: ChineseAsia
Ingredients: 2 teaspoons plus 2 tablespoons water; 1/8 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 pound flank steak, trimmed, cut into 2- to 2 1/2 inch strips with grain, each strip cut crosswise against grain into 1/4-inch thick slices; 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce; 1 1/2 tablespoons dry sherry or Chinese rice wine; 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch; 1 1/4 teaspoons packed light brown sugar; 1/2 tablespoon oyster sauce; 1 teaspoon rice vinegar; 3/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil; 1 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper; 4 teaspoons vegetable oil; 1/2 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips; 1/2 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips; 3 scallions, white parts sliced thin on bias, green parts cut into 2-inch pieces; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

Beef Stir-Fry with Bell Peppers and Black Pepper Sauce for Two

By Steve Dunn

Published on January 26, 2016

Time

1 hour

Yield

Serves 2

Beef Stir-Fry with Bell Peppers and Black Pepper Sauce for Two

Ingredients

2 teaspoons plus 2 tablespoons water ⅛ teaspoon baking soda ½ pound flank steak, trimmed, cut into 2- to 2 ½ inch strips with grain, each strip cut crosswise against grain into ¼-inch thick slices1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce 1 ½ tablespoons dry sherry or Chinese rice wine1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch 1 ¼ teaspoons packed light brown sugar ½ tablespoon oyster sauce 1 teaspoon rice vinegar ¾ teaspoon toasted sesame oil 1 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper 4 teaspoons vegetable oil ½ red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into ¼-inch-wide strips½ green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into ¼-inch-wide strips3 scallions, white parts sliced thin on bias, green parts cut into 2-inch pieces2 garlic cloves, minced2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

Before You Begin

The vegetables and aromatics can be prepared while the beef is marinating. Serve with steamed white rice.

Instructions

Combine 2 teaspoons water and baking soda in medium bowl. Add beef and toss to coat. Let sit at room temperature for 5 minutes.

Whisk ½ tablespoon soy sauce, ½ tablespoon sherry, ¾ teaspoon cornstarch, and ¼ teaspoon sugar together in small bowl. Add soy sauce mixture to beef, stir to coat, and let sit at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes.

Whisk remaining 2 tablespoons water, remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce, remaining 1 tablespoon sherry, remaining ¾ teaspoon cornstarch, remaining 1 teaspoon sugar, oyster sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, and pepper together in second bowl.

Heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add beef in single layer. Cook without stirring for 1 minute. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until spotty brown on both sides, about 1 minute longer. Transfer to bowl.

Return skillet to high heat, add 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, and heat until beginning to smoke. Add bell peppers and scallion greens and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are spotty brown and crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer vegetables to bowl with beef.

Return now-empty skillet to medium-high heat and add remaining 2 teaspoons vegetable oil, scallion whites, garlic, and ginger. Cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Return beef and vegetables to skillet and stir to combine.

Whisk sauce to recombine. Add to skillet and cook, stirring constantly, until sauce has thickened, about 30 seconds. Serve immediately.