Description
A flavorful and quick black pepper beef stir-fry featuring tender sirloin steak cooked with vibrant bell peppers and onions in a savory black pepper sauce. Perfectly paired with boiled rice for a delicious weeknight meal ready in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef and Seasoning
- 450 g (1 lb) thin steak sliced thinly, against the grain (sirloin recommended)
- 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided
- ¼ tsp salt
Oils
- 4 tbsp sunflower oil, divided
- 1 tsp sesame oil
Vegetables
- 2 medium-sized onions peeled and chopped into thick slices
- 1 green bell pepper deseeded and sliced
- 1 red bell pepper deseeded and sliced
Sauce
- 2 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp Chinese rice wine (or dry sherry)
- 120 ml (½ cup) beef stock
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 1 tsp minced ginger
Serving
- Boiled rice
Instructions
- Prepare the steak: Toss the sliced sirloin steak with 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper and ¼ teaspoon of salt until evenly coated. This will season the meat and enhance its flavor during cooking.
- Heat the oils: In a wok or large frying pan, heat 3 tablespoons of sunflower oil along with 1 teaspoon of sesame oil over high heat until the oils are nearly smoking. This ensures a hot cooking environment for a good sear on the beef.
- Cook the steak: Add the seasoned steak slices to the hot oils and fry for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent sticking. Cook until browned on all sides. Then remove the steak from the wok and set aside to rest.
- Cook the vegetables: Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of sunflower oil to the wok. Stir-fry the thickly sliced onions and the sliced green and red bell peppers for 3 to 4 minutes until they begin to soften but still retain some crunch.
- Mix the sauce: In a small jug, combine 2 tablespoons cornflour, 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce, 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine (or dry sherry), 120 ml (½ cup) beef stock, and the remaining 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper. Stir well to make a smooth sauce mixture and set aside.
- Cook aromatics: Add the minced garlic and minced ginger to the vegetables in the wok. Stir and cook together for about 1 minute until fragrant, taking care not to burn the garlic.
- Add the sauce: Pour the prepared sauce mixture into the wok containing the vegetables and aromatics. Bring it to a gentle simmer, cooking until the sauce slightly thickens. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a splash of water to loosen it.
- Combine steak and sauce: Return the cooked steak slices to the wok with the sauce and vegetables. Stir well to coat the beef evenly with the sauce and cook for an additional 2 minutes until the beef is heated through.
- Serve: Serve the black pepper beef hot over freshly boiled rice for a satisfying and balanced meal.
Notes
- To ensure tender beef, slice the steak thinly against the grain.
- If Chinese rice wine is unavailable, dry sherry is a good substitute.
- Adjust the amount of black pepper to taste for more or less heat.
- Use a wok or large frying pan to allow easy stirring and even heat distribution.
- Boiled rice is recommended to soak up the flavorful sauce, but steamed jasmine rice also works well.
