CHINESE BEEF STIR-FRY

Today I was desperately craving some hearty, home cooked Chinese food. This is my favorite beef stir-fry recipe from America’s Test Kitchen. There’s a bit of prepping to do, but so worth it. Caroline (who’s still a vegetarian 😏) will once again have to replace the beef with tofu. 😂

Enjoy! 💗Helena

INGREDIENTS:

2 tbsp + ½ cup water

½ tsp baking soda

1 kg beef, trimmed, cut into 2-2½ inch strips  (¼-inch thick slices)

6 tbsp Kikkoman soy sauce

6 tbsp Chinese rice wine

6 tsp cornstarch 

5 tsp packed, light brown sugar

2 tbsp oyster sauce

4 tsp rice vinegar

3 tsp toasted sesame oil

1 tsp coarsely, ground black pepper

6 tbsp + 2 tsp peanut oil

2 red and 2 green bell peppers, cut into ¼-inch wide strips

12 scallions (white part sliced thin on bias, green parts cut into 2-inch pieces)

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 tbsp fresh ginger, grated

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine 2 tbsp water with ½ tsp baking soda in large bowl. Add beef and toss to coat. Let sit at room temperature for 5 minutes.
2. Whisk 2 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp rice wine, 3 tsp cornstarch and 1 tsp sugar together in small bowl. Add mixture to beef, stir to coat and let sit at room temperature for 15-30 min. 
   
   
   
3. Whisk remaining ½ cup water, 4 tbsp soy sauce, 4 tbsp rice wine, 3 tsp cornstarch and 4 tsp sugar in medium sized bowl. Then add 2 tbsp oyster sauce, 4 tsp rice vinegar, 3 tsp sesame oil and 1 tsp black pepper to the sauce mix.
4. Heat 2 tsp peanut oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add ¼ of beef in single layer. Cook without stirring for 1 minute. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until spotty brown on both sides. Transfer to large bowl. Repeat 3 times (each time a ¼) with remaining beef, each time with 2 tsp peanut oil. 
    

    

   
   
   
5. Return skillet to high heat, add 4 tsp peanut oil, and heat until beginning to smoke. Add bell peppers and the green scallions and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are spotty brown and crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Transfer vegetables to bowl with beef. 
   
   
   
6. Return now-empty skillet to medium-high heat and add remaining 8 tsp peanut oil, white scallions, garlic and ginger. Cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Return beef and vegetables to skillet and stir to combine. 
    

   

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