This is an ancient Chinese recipe updated and upgraded. I use prime filet instead of flank steak – less oil, less salt.
Flank steak is good, the filet is great. Because the filet is so tender there is no need to marinate more than a few minutes. I cut the filet into thick slices so that in the final dish the meat is medium to medium rare.
If you choose to use flank steak, cut the steak first into two pieces the long way then cut into thin slices against the grain and marinate for 12 to 24 hours in the refrigerator.
Karen Lee Secret: When choosing steak always look for lots of marbling. Marbling is the white threads going through the meat. The more marbling the more tender and juicer the meat will be. The final dish resulting in that big luxurious mouth feel.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. filet of beef completely trimmed of fat and silver skin
- 2 to 3 tablespoons pure olive oil or peanut oil
- 2 Tablespoons finely shredded ginger
- A full ½ cup shredded scallion (white and green parts included) 2 ½ inch thin strips
- 1 tablespoon light soy
- 1 ½ teaspoons sugar
- 1 level teaspoon water chestnut powder or arrowroot
- 1 teaspoon water chestnut powder or arrowroot dissolved in
- 2 Tablespoons sherry
- 1 ½ tablespoons Chinese dark soy
- 10 or more V-cut snow peas (blanch and shock)
- or snow pea shoots ( do not blanch, just wash)
- or scallion brushes
- or steamed broccoli flowerets
Instructions
- Slice steak 3/8-inch thick.
- Place beef and ingredients for marinade in a bowl and stir with chopsticks.
- Refrigerate meat while preparing the rest of the recipe.
- Combine ingredients for the seasoning sauce.
- Place wok over high heat for 2-3 minutes or until it smokes.
- Add 1½ tablespoons oil, swirl to coat wok, then immediately add half the beef slices in a single layer.
- Sauté about 30 seconds or until nicely seared. Working quickly, turn each piece of meat and sear another 10 seconds.
- Remove the beef from the wok allowing the fat to drain back into the wok. Place beef on serving dish.
- Repeat the frying procedure with the remaining beef; remove from the wok.
- Add ½ tablespoon oil to the wok and over low heat stir-fry the ginger for two minutes and then add the scallions and continue to sauté for 1 more minute.
- While the ginger and the scallions are sautéing, re-stir the seasoning sauce.
- Turn the heat to high, and add it to the wok all at once along with the beef; stir-fry for about 5 seconds. During that 5 seconds coat the meat evenly with the seasoning sauce. Empty contents of wok into heated serving dish and serve immediately.
- Garnish with blanched snow peas around the beef or a few shredded scallions on top or show pea shoots on the side or steamed broccoli flowerets.