Beef in Black Bean Sauce
Adding oil to the marinade in this recipe helps tenderize the beef. For extra-tough cuts of beef, you can add a small amount of baking soda.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 2 to 4
- ¾ pound flank steak
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry, divided
- 3 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil, divided
- 1½ teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 small fresh chili pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- ½ green bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
- ½ red bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
- 1 tablespoon black bean sauce
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
Cut the flank steak across the grain into thin strips about 1½ inches long. Place the beef strips in a bowl and add the dark soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice wine or sherry, 1½ teaspoons oil, and cornstarch. Marinate the beef for 15 minutes.
Heat a wok or skillet over medium-high heat until it is nearly smoking. Add 1½ tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the ginger. Stir-fry for 10 seconds, then add the beef. Let sear (brown) briefly, then stir-fry the beef, stirring and moving it around the pan, until it is nearly cooked. Remove and drain in a colander or on paper towels.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in the wok or skillet. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and the chopped chili. Stir-fry for 10 seconds, then add the green bell pepper. Stir-fry for a minute, then add the red bell pepper. Stir in 1 tablespoon rice wine or sherry while the peppers are stir-frying. Stir in the black bean sauce.
Add the beef back into the pan. Stir in the sugar. Stir-fry for 1 to 2 more minutes to blend all the flavors. Serve hot.
