Black Pepper Beef With Green Beans

A Cantonese favorite that uses freshly ground black pepper for spiciness, this dish is not so much hot and spicy as deeply flavorful. Use more or less pepper to suit your taste,” Helen Chen says. Easy Chinese Stir-Fries, by Helen Chen

• Ready In: 27 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1  lb green beans, ends snapped off and strings removed
• 3⁄4 lb  flank steak, trimmed
• 2  tablespoons dark soy sauce or 2  tablespoons soy sauce
• 1  tablespoon cornstarch
• 1  tablespoon  chinese rice wine or 1  tablespoon dry sherry
• 1  teaspoon sugar
• 2  teaspoons fresh coarse ground black pepper
• 3  tablespoons canola oil
• 1⁄4 cup water
• 2  slices  unpeeled fresh ginger
• 1  medium onion, sliced

Directions

1. 1 Snap green beans into halves or thirds to make pieces about 21/2 inches long.
2. 2. Slice steak with the grain into 2-inch-wide strips. Then slice the strips across the grain into 1/8-inch-thick . slices.
3. 3. Whisk together soy sauce, cornstarch, wine, sugar and black pepper in a medium bowl. Add beef and mix well.
4. 4. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok or stir-fry pan over high heat until oil is hot but not smoking. Test by dipping a spatula in the beef mixture and then into the oil; it should sizzle. Add green beans and stir about 1 minute. Add water and reduce heat to medium. Cover and cook until tender-crisp, 6 to 9 minutes. Transfer beans and liquid to a shallow dish.
5. 5. Add remaining oil to pan and increase heat to high. Add ginger and stir until oil is hot and ginger sizzles. Add onion and stir constantly 1 minute. Stir beef mixture and add to pan. Cook, stirring, until beef is no longer pink, about 2 minutes.
6. 6. Return beans and liquid to pan and stir until mixed well and heated thoroughly, about 30 seconds. Discard ginger. Serves 4.