Lindsey Nair

Features staff writer Lindsey writes about food, restaurants and recipes.

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• Recipe archive

Ingredients:

(Serves 4)

1 lb. New York rump steak
1 Tbsp. light soy sauce
4 tsp. dark sesame oil
2 Tbsp. Shaoxing rice wine (find at specialty store)
2 tsp. cornstarch
1/4 cup peanut oil
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
3 scallions, finely chopped
2 tsp. chile bean sauce (find at specialty store)
tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. roasted and ground Sichuan peppercorns (find at specialty store; see below for roasting instructions)

Directions:

1. Cut beef into 2-by-1/4-inch slices and place in a bowl. Add soy sauce, 2 tsp. of the sesame oil, 1 Tbsp. of the rice wine and the cornstarch. Let the mixture marinate for 20 minutes.

2. Heat a wok or frying pan over high heat until it is hot. Add 3 Tbsp. of the peanut oil. When the oil is slightly smoking, add the beef slices and stir-fry for 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Drain them well in a colander resting in a bowl. Discard the oil.

3. Wipe the wok or pan clean and reheat it over high heat until it is hot. Add remaining 1 Tbsp. of peanut oil, then add the garlic and scallions and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the remaining 1 Tbsp. of the rice wine and the bean sauce and stir-fry for another 15 seconds. Add drained beef, salt, pepper, sugar, remaining 2 tsp. of sesame oil and peppercorns and toss thoroughly. Turn the mixture onto a serving platter and serve at once with rice.

Toasting Sichuan peppercorns

Sichuan peppercorns are the dried berries of the fagara tree. They are reddish-brown and look like a tiny flower bud that has opened. Their flavor is very different from black peppercorns - they are not spicy. Toasting brings out the woody, lemon-like taste and fragrance.

1. Heat a wok or frying pan over medium heat. Add peppercorns and toast, stirring, for about 3 minutes or until they brown slightly and begin to smoke. Remove from heat and let cool.

2. Grind in a pepper mill, a clean coffee grinder or with a mortar and pestle. Sift through a fine mesh and discard any hard hulls. Store in a screw top jar.

Source: "Ken Hom's Asian Ingredients" by Ken Hom.