Black Pepper Beef

Ingredients

• 500 g sirloin or rump, sliced thin against the grain
• 1 tbsp cornflour
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp black peppercorns, coarsely cracked
• 1 onion, cut into petals
• 1 green pepper, in squares
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 20 g ginger, chopped
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 2 tsp dark soy sauce
• 4 tsp Shaoxing wine
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil

Method

1. Slice and velvet

   Slice the beef thinly against the grain and toss with the cornflour and light soy. Against the grain matters more than the cut does — cut the wrong way, even good steak is chewy in a stir-fry.

2. Crack the pepper coarsely

   Crush the peppercorns roughly in a mortar rather than using pre-ground. This dish is named after the pepper, and pre-ground powder gives dusty heat instead of the aromatic bite you want.

3. Sear and remove

   Heat the oil until it smokes, spread the beef out in one layer and leave it 45 seconds before tossing. Cook barely a minute, then take it out — it goes back at the end.

   2 min

4. Vegetables and aromatics

   Add the onion and pepper and stir-fry for a minute, then the garlic, ginger and cracked pepper for 30 seconds. The pepper needs a moment in hot oil to bloom.

   2 min

5. Sauce and return

   Pour the oyster sauce, dark soy and wine down the hot side of the wok, return the beef, and toss for 30 seconds until everything is glossy. Any longer and the beef tightens.

   1 min