Stir-Fried Beef with Black Pepper is an easy stir-fry made with coarsely cracked black pepper, onions, and oyster sauce. Serve with rice and cucumber salad with garlic for wonderful authentic Chinese meal!
Scroll to the end of the post for a chance to win a copy of Phoenix Claws and Jade Trees: Essential Techniques for Authentic Chinese Cooking.
Mid-Autumn Festival is the second most important celebration after Chinese New Year in the Chinese holiday calendar. This year the holiday falls on September 15 and I am celebrating by sharing two recipes from the book Phoenix Claws and Jade Trees: Essential Techniques for Authentic Chinese Cooking by Kian Lam Kho.
Mid-Autumn Festival celebrates the fundamental concepts of gathering, giving thanks, and praying. Another important part of the celebration is moon worship. The ancient Chinese believed in rejuvenation being associated with the moon and water and today’s celebrations often include food offerings in honor of the moon, known as a symbol of harmony and unity. The Mid-Autumn Festival is an occasion for outdoor gatherings among friends and relatives to watch the moon and eat mooncakes.
This year, to celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival, I’m cooking from Phoenix Claws and Jade Trees, the award-winning book from Kian Lam Kho. The cookbook teaches authentic Chinese cooking by breaking it down into fundamental techniques. It is a fabulous book that will get you our of your cooking comfort zone and introduce you to some amazing Chinese dishes along the way. I’m giving away two copies of the book and you can enter by commenting on this post and liking my profile on Instagram. Scroll to the bottom of this post for more information.
I recommend serving the stir-fried beef with black pepper with steamed white rice and Kian’s cucumber salad with garlic. The beef is rich and flavorful and the rice is a perfect accompaniment to soak up some of the extra sauce. The cucumber salad with garlic is light and refreshing and also healthy!
Stir-Fried Beef with Black Pepper Recipe
Kian Lam Kho - Phoenix Claws and Jade Trees
Yields 2
In Chinese cooking, black pepper is commonly used as spice, not a seasoning. In this recipe, the black pepper is the star, not a bit player. It should be coarsely cracked, not ground. This dish has a European accent as the onions, black pepper, oyster sauce create a savory steak sauce.
Save RecipeIngredients
1 tablespoon Shaoxing cooking wine
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon tapioca starch
12 ounces beef tenderloin, cut against the grain into 1/8-inch-thick slices
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons Shaoxing cooking wine
1 teaspoon sugar
1/3 cup beef stock or water
2 teaspoons tapioca starch
1/2 cup vegetable oil
6 thin slices fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices
1 tablespoon black peppercorns, coarsley cracked
Cilantro sprigs
Instructions
In a bowl, combine all the ingredients for the velveting mixture and mix well. Add the beef and mix well. Let marinate for 20 minutes.
Mix the sauce ingredients in another bowl.
Heat the vegetable oil in a wok over high heat until it begins to shimmer, about 350 degrees F. Add the beef to the wok and quickly fry for about 1 minute, until the meat is about three-quarters done or the exterior has turned brown. Remove the beef from the wok and place it in a skimmer set over a bowl to drain off the excess oil. Pour the oil out of the wok, reserving 2 tablespoons, and quickly rinse the bottom of the wok with water, scraping off any residue that's stuck there.
Dry the wok and return it to the heat. Return the reserved 2 tablespoons vegetable oil to the wok. Stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Return the beef to the wok and add the black peppercorns. Stir-fry for about 15 seconds, then add the sauce mixture. Cook until the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Serve garnished with cilantro sprigs.
Phoenix Claws and Jade Trees Cookbook Giveaway
We are giving away 2 copies of Phoenix Claws and Jade Trees. To enter, simply comment on this blog post and tell us your favorite Chinese dish. Then, follow @JordanHamons on Instagram.
A winner will be picked on October 10th. The deadline for entering is October 9, 2016, at 11:59PM. Entries accepted from the USA only.
Writing: Jordan Hamons
Recipe: Kian Lam Kho // Phoenix Claws and Jade Trees
Photos: Becca Russo // RLR Photography
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