Pepper Steak with a Kick

Pepper steak is a mainstay of American Chinese restaurants. This version gets a boost in flavor and spiciness that raises the bar.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. top sirloin steak, sliced into strips across the grain

• 2 Tbsp. Xiaoxing wine or dry sherry

• 1 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar

• 1/4 cup soy sauce

• 1 cup beef stock

• 2 whole star anise pods

• 2 Tbsp. cornstarch

• 1 Tbsp. oyster sauce

• Peanut or other high smoke point oil

• 1 green and 1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped

• 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

• 1 small hot pepper (sichuan peppers are perfect, a Thai red pepper is a good substitute), thinly sliced

• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced

• 1-inch peiece of fresh ginger, minced

Directions

Toss the sliced steak with 2 Tbsp. of soy sauce, vinegar and the wine or sherry in a glass or plastic bowl and set aside to marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour at room temperature.

Heat the beef stock to near boiling and add the star anise pods. Let them steep while the steak marinates

Combine cornstarch, remaining soy sauce, and oyster sauce until smooth. Set aside.

Heat up a wok or a large saute pan with cruved sides and when the pan is hot add just enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan well. When the oil begins to smoke, add the steak and marinade to the pan and stir fry until the meat is just barely browned. Remove the steak to a warm plate or push it to the outside of the wok.

Add the onions, bell peppers and hot pepper to the pan and cook until onions are soft and just starting to brown. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for another minute.

Add the steak back to the pan or push it back to the hot part of the wok, then remove the star anise from the beef stock and add the stock to the pan and stir well.

Add the cornstarch mixture to the pan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until sauce is thick and coats all the steak and vegetables. Tase and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Serve over your favorite rice.

Full printable recipe at http://ift.tt/1FRYwus

bon appetit