Stir-fried Beef
Ingredients
- 350g beef
- 1 tsp (about 1.5g) baking soda
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorn oil
- 1.5 tbsp chili seasoning powder
- 0.5 tbsp cumin powder
- to taste toasted sesame seeds
- to taste minced garlic and scallions
- 3 tbsp cooking oil
Instructions
- Rinse the beef and set aside.
- Slice beef against the grain. Find the direction of the muscle fibers and cut across them — this severs the connective tissue and ensures tender meat after stir-frying.
- Slice as shown in the reference photo.
- Cut the beef slices as thin as possible so they cook quickly. Place the sliced beef in a bowl.
- Add all seasonings except the cooking oil and sesame seeds (use a soup spoon for measuring). Important: do not add any extra salt! The sauces already provide enough saltiness, and not adding salt during marination is key to preventing the beef from releasing water during stir-frying.
- Mix thoroughly by hand, making sure all seasonings are evenly distributed throughout the beef.
- Pour in the cooking oil to coat the beef and seal in moisture. Marinate for at least 30 minutes (can be refrigerated overnight — beef marinated for about a day before stir-frying yields the best texture!).
- To stir-fry: heat the wok until hot, add oil, and sauté the minced garlic until fragrant. Turn the heat to high, add the beef, and stir-fry rapidly for 1–2 minutes (thin and small batches need only 1 minute; larger or thicker batches need about 2 minutes). Do not overcook or the beef will become tough. Keep the heat on high!
- If the beef releases water during stir-frying, remember three key tips: 1) Do not add salt during marination — even if the marinade seems under-salted, it’s better to add salt just before serving; 2) Use more oil — generous oil helps seal in the juices; 3) Stir-fry over high heat and work fast. Follow these three rules and you’ll get delicious beef every time!
- Turn off the heat and sprinkle with sesame seeds and scallions.
