How do you keep your beef tender when stir-frying? Read on, my friends! My secret ingredient will supercharge your stir-fry and keep that steak juicy and succulent. Combined with a sticky, glossy sauce and pepper notes, this is one quick weeknight dinner you’ll want to try, quicksmart.
2 x 250g (9 oz) striploin steaks (sirloin, rib-eye, scotch fillet or rump steaks are also fine to use)
2 tbsp vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 onion, sliced
2 capsicums (bell peppers), deseeded and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 spring onions (scallions), finely chopped
Marinade:
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Chinese Shaoxing wine*
½ tsp baking soda
3 tsp cornflour (cornstarch)
Stir-fry sauce:
3 tbsp oyster sauce
3 tbsp Chinese Shaoxing wine*
2 tbsp soy sauce
½ tsp dark soy sauce
2 tsp sugar
1½ tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp white vinegar
Slice the steaks against the grain and at a diagonal to form wide strips that are no more than 0.5 cm (0.2 inches) thick.
Whisk together the marinade ingredients in a large bowl. Add the beef and mix well with your hands to make sure each piece of beef is coated. Set aside to marinate for 10 minutes.
To make the stir-fry sauce, mix the ingredients in a small bowl.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large non-stick frying pan over high heat. Add the garlic and then the onion and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Push the onion and garlic to the sides of the pan and add the beef strips into the centre. Spread the beef out as much as possible and allow to sear for about 2 minutes. Then stir-fry and combine all the ingredients. Before the beef is cooked through, add the capsicum. Stir-fry for another 30 seconds or until the beef is just cooked. Add the stir-fry sauce and stir-fry for another 10 seconds or until everything is well coated. Turn the heat off and toss through the spring onions.
Notes:
– Chinese Shaoxing wine is a type of cooking rice wine. It’s available in the Asian aisle of some major supermarkets or from an Asian grocery store. If you’d rather leave it out, simply replace with beef stock.
