I've got a soft spot for stir-fried beef or steak, a comfort staple for me as it reminds me of my childhood and the few special occasions Mom & I would have this dish for dinner. We didn't always have the luxury to purchase our protein of choice, but when we do, beef gets a slight edge here for its intrinsic juiciness, ease of preparation, and sweet onion & crispy green beans companions. The way the meat's flavor mingle with the sauce and the crisp-tender green beans get me every time. Speaking of the sauce, it is a simple blend of fish sauce, soy sauce & ground pepper which lend the remarkable, slightly earthy flavor makes it taste like it's composed of many ingredients instead of just three.





If you want to make some for dinner tonight, you'll need:1 - 1.5lbs flank steak, slice against the grain & cut into 1/4-inch thick slices*Tip: leaving the beef in the freeze for 10 - 15 minutes beforehand will make slicing much easier3 TBS soy sauce (or liquid amino - healthy version)1 TBS dry sherry or Chinese rice wine2 tsp cornstarch1 TBS vegetable or peanut oil4 cloves garlic, minced1/2 med-large sweet onion, sliced1 red bell pepper, sliced (optional)1/2 pound green beans, cut into 3-inch lengths1/2 cup water2 TBS fish sauceground pepperIn a medium bowl, stir together the cornstarch, 1 TBS of the soy sauce/liquid amino, and the dry sherry until the cornstarch is dissolved. Add the beef and toss to coat. Let stand & marinate the beef for 15 minutes.Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat. Once heated, hot & sizzle, add the oil & swirl to coat the bottom. Add the beef and spread it out in a single layer. Allow it to sear untouched for 1 minute, then stir-fry until the pink is mostly gone (1 -2 minutes). Transfer to a plate and set aside.In the same wok, add the garlic and stir-fry briefly just until fragrant & aromatic (~20 seconds). Add the onion and stir-fry for another 1 minute. Add the bell pepper and stir-fry for another 1 minute. Transfer to a plate & set aside.And in the same wok, add the green beans and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes. Add the water and immediately cover with a lid. Allow the green beans to steam until they are crisp-tender and the water has evaporated (4-5 minutes).Return the beef, onion & bell pepper to the wok and add the fish sauce, the remaining 2 TBS of soy sauce/liquid amino, and ground pepper. Stir everything until well coated, then turn off the heat.Transfer to a plate and serve hot.It tastes stupendous served simply over a bowl of steamed jasmine rice.Go on, give it a whirl. I know you want to.