Rainbow Beef

Rainbow Beef

Martha Rose ShulmanTime 20 minutes Yield 4 servings

Ingredients

• ½ pound lean flank steak
• 1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon rice wine or dry sherry
• 1 teaspoon low sodium soy sauce
• 2 fat garlic cloves, minced
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil, rice bran oil or canola oil
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps quartered
• 4 bell peppers of varying colors
• 1 tsp cold water
• 1 anaheim pepper
• Salt to taste

Preparation

• Step 1

  Slice the steak first with the grain into 2-inch wide strips. Then cut each strip across the grain into 1/4-inch thick slices. Place in a medium bowl and toss with the cornstarch, 1 teaspoon of the rice wine or sherry, the soy sauce, one of the minced garlic cloves, salt and pepper to taste, 1 teaspoon cold water, and the sesame oil.
• Step 2

  Combine the remaining rice wine or sherry and the hoisin sauce in a small bowl and set aside.
• Step 3

  Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok over high heat until a drop of water evaporates within a second or two when added to the pan. Swirl in 1 tablespoon of the oil and add the beef in a single layer. Let sit in the pan for about 1 minute, until it begins to sear, then stir fry for 1 minute. Transfer to a plate or bowl.
• Step 4

  Swirl in the remaining oil, then add the garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes and stir-fry for no more than 10 seconds. Add the mushrooms and peppers, sprinkle with salt to taste and stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes. Return the beef and any juices that have accumulated on the plate or bowl to the wok, add the hoisin sauce mixture and stir-fry for another 30 seconds to a minute, until the beef is cooked through. Remove from the heat and serve with rice, grains or noodles.