PREP: 1 hour. 20 minutes

COOK: 10 minutes

TOTAL: 1 hour 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

For Velveting the Beef:

1 pound beef flank steak or beef chuck, thinly sliced against the grain

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup water

2 teaspoons cornstarch

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

2 teaspoons oyster sauce

1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine

For the Rest of the Dish:

1 1/2 cups low-sodium beef or chicken stock

2 tablespoons black bean and garlic sauce

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon dark soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper, or to taste

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2/3 cup onion, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 cup red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine

1 cup snow peas, trimmed

1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch, mixed into a slurry with 2 tablespoons water

INSTRUCTIONS

For the Beef:

Part 1:

In a medium bowl, add the beef, baking soda, and water. Massage the beef with your hands until most of the liquid is absorbed. Let stand for 1 to 2 hours (less time for more tender beef, or longer for a tougher cut like chuck). 

Then rinse the beef thoroughly under running water until the water runs clear. Drain.

Part 2:

Then add the cornstarch, vegetable oil, oyster sauce, and Shaoxing wine. Mix well, and marinate the beef for at least 30 minutes, or overnight if you’d like to make this ahead.

For the Sauce:

In a bowl, mix together the stock, black bean garlic sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and white pepper, and set aside.

To cook the Dish:

Heat your wok over high heat until it starts to smoke lightly. Add 1 tablespoon of oil around the perimeter of the wok. Add the beef in a single layer and sear until browned, without stirring. Flip and sear the other side until brown (this should only take 2-3 minutes). Turn off the heat, remove the beef from the wok, and set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium-high, and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, onions, and bell peppers. Stir-fry for 30 seconds, until the onions and peppers have a very light sear. 

Next, add Shaoxing wine around the perimeter of the wok to deglaze it.

Stir in the sauce mixture you made earlier. Bring to a simmer. Add the beef (along with any juices) back to the wok. Stir in the snow peas and cook until just crisp-tender. 

Stir the cornstarch and water until incorporated into a slurry. Bring the sauce back to a simmer. Gradually add the slurry to the sauce, stirring constantly until it is thickened to your liking. 

Serve immediately with steamed rice and enjoy!

This recipe is from: https://thewoksoflife.com/beef-black-bean-sauce/#recipe