The Everything Chinese Cookbook (31 page)

1 pound sirloin or flank steak

3 tablespoons dark soy sauce, divided

1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon cornstarch

8 ounces rice vermicelli noodles

1 bunch leeks

2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

½ teaspoon sugar

½ teaspoon chili sauce

2 garlic cloves, minced

1½ teaspoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons water

1½ cups oil for frying

1. Slice the beef across the grain into thin slices. Add 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce, sherry, sesame oil, and cornstarch, adding the cornstarch last. Marinate the beef for 30 minutes. Soak the rice vermicelli in hot water for 15–20 minutes to soften. Drain thoroughly.
   
2. Wash the leek bunch, and cut into slices about 1½ inches long. Mix together the hoisin sauce, sugar, chili sauce, and 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce. Set aside.
   
3. Heat 1½ cups oil to 350°F in a preheated wok. When the oil is hot, add the rice vermicelli. Deep-fry until they puff up and turn crispy. Remove and drain on paper towels.
   
4. Remove all but 2 tablespoons oil. When oil is hot, add the garlic and stir-fry until aromatic. Add the beef and stir-fry until it changes color and is nearly cooked through. Remove and drain on paper towels.
   
5. Add more oil, if necessary. Add the leeks to the wok. Stir-fry for about 1 minute. Add the sauce to the middle of the wok. Mix the cornstarch and water and add to the sauce, stirring to thicken. Bring to a boil. Add the beef back into the wok and mix all the ingredients together. Serve over the rice noodles.
   

1½ pounds beef, such as eye of round

2 tablespoons dark soy sauce

2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry, divided

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon cornstarch

½ red bell pepper

½ green bell pepper

½ cup canned bamboo shoots

¼ cup water

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons sugar

4½ tablespoons oil

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 slices ginger, chopped

1. Cut the beef in thin slices, across the grain. Mix in the dark soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice wine, sesame oil, and cornstarch, adding the cornstarch last. Marinate the beef for 30 minutes.
   
2. Remove the seeds from the peppers and cut into thin strips, about 2½ inches in length. Wash the bamboo shoots.
   
3. Mix together the water, 1 tablespoon rice wine, soy sauce, and sugar.
   
4. Add 3 tablespoons oil to a preheated wok or skillet. Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry briefly until aromatic. Add the beef and stir-fry in batches until it changes color. Remove and set aside.
   
5. Wipe the wok with a paper towel. Add 1½ tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the red and green peppers. Stir-fry briefly and add the bamboo shoots. Add the sauce and bring to a boil. Add the beef. Mix everything through and serve hot.
   

Why Cut Meat Across the Grain?

The “grains” running across a piece of flank steak are muscle fibers. Since the muscle is the part of the body that does all the work, these fibers are tough. Cutting the meat across — instead of along with — the grain shortens the muscle fibers, giving the meat a more tender texture. This technique is not as important with pork and chicken, as the meat is more tender to begin with.

1 pound beef steak, round or flank

2 tablespoons dark soy sauce

½ teaspoon salt

teaspoon pepper or to taste

2 teaspoons cornstarch

½ teaspoon baking soda

4 large tomatoes

3–4 tablespoons oil for stir-frying

3 slices ginger, minced

½ cup beef broth

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

4 tablespoons water

¼ teaspoon sesame oil

1. Cut the beef across the grain into slices that are approximately 1½ –2 inches long. Add the dark soy sauce, salt, pepper, cornstarch, and baking soda to the beef. Marinate the beef for 20 minutes.
   
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Blanch the tomatoes. Peel off the skin and cut each into 6 equal pieces. (Be sure to remove the tomatoes from the boiling water before they soften.)
   
3. Add 2 tablespoons oil to a preheated wok or skillet. Add the beef. Fry until it changes color and it is nearly cooked through, turning it over once. Fry in batches if necessary. Remove the beef from the wok.
   
4. Wipe the wok if necessary and add 1–2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the ginger and stir-fry briefly until aromatic. Add the tomatoes and stir-fry briefly, making sure they don't soften too much.
   
5. Add the beef broth, oyster sauce, and sugar, and bring to a boil. Add the cornstarch mixed with water to the middle of the wok, stirring to thicken. Add the beef back into the wok. Cover and simmer until everything is cooked through. Drizzle with the sesame oil.
   

Baking Soda — The Secret Tenderizer

A general rule of thumb is to use ½ teaspoon of baking soda per pound of meat. When cooking with a very tough cut of meat, add the baking soda alone first. Use your fingers to rub it over the meat. Wait 20 minutes and then rinse thoroughly to remove any baking soda flavor before adding the other marinade ingredients.