Black Pepper Beef — Cantonese Style

Tender sliced beef and peppers in a glossy oyster sauce, fired up with cracked black pepper.

TIME BREAKDOWN
Prep: 25 min
Cook: 10 min
Total: 35 minutes
Vegetarian
❌
Nuts
❌
Serves
4 people
Difficulty
Easy

Ingredients

  • 450g beef sirloin or rump steak, sliced thinly across the grain
  • For the marinade: 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
  • 1 tbsp cornflour
  • 1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • For the sauce: 2 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 tsp caster sugar
  • 1 tsp cornflour
  • 4 tbsp water
  • To stir-fry: 3 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tbsp coarsely cracked black pepper
  • 1 onion, cut into wedges
  • 1 red pepper, cut into chunks
  • 1 green pepper, cut into chunks
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 2cm piece fresh ginger, finely shredded

Method

  1. Mix the beef with the marinade ingredients, using your hand to work in the bicarbonate of soda. Leave for 20 minutes.

  2. Stir the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl.

  3. Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a wok over the highest heat until smoking. Sear the beef in 2 batches for 1 minute each, until browned but not cooked through. Remove to a plate.

  4. Add the remaining oil and the black pepper and stir for 10 seconds. Add the onion and peppers and stir-fry for 2 minutes until tender-crisp.

  5. Add the garlic and ginger and stir for 20 seconds.

  6. Return the beef, stir the sauce and pour it in. Toss for 1 minute until the sauce is glossy and the beef is cooked to your liking. Serve with steamed rice.