Chinese Orange Beef

This is what I did for my second orange beef experiment. Hope you enjoy it.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup LOW SODIUM chicken broth* (I used Swanson's now that it has become readily available here)
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon ginger, FINELY minced
• 1 teaspoon garlic, FINELY minced
• 2 teaspoons dry sherry
• 3/4 teaspoon sesame oil (approximation-did not measure)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons orange rind**
• 1 dried Chinese red pepper pod (optional)
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with equal amount water (approximation)
• 1 tablespoon or so of hot oil
• Marinade for 1 1/2 pounds tender beef strips (pencil-thin and approximately 1-inch long)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  

*If you cannot find low sodium chicken broth, you will have to dilute sauce mixture with water to taste. Probably anywhere from 2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup would suffice.

** Peel orange and slice rind into strips between 1/4 and 1/2 inch long. Then slice strips crosswise like you would a loaf of bread. Final product should be thin and crescent shaped (hope I explained this clearly).

Instructions

1. At least 5 to 6 hours before cooking beef, sprinkle it with salt and white pepper, making sure it is evenly mixed in meat. Next, sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of water over beef and mix it in. Follow this with the cornstarch and gently massage it evenly into meat. Lastly, mix in oil. I found that mixing in oil actually makes the meat very tender - even more than by just using cornstarch by itself (I now do this for both Chinese beef and pork dishes. Don't ask me why this is so. Set meat in refrigerator to marinate.
2. About an hour before cooking beef, mix all ingredients in top column together EXCEPT dried red pepper pod, orange rind, sesame oil, cornstarch and hot oil. Set aside to allow flavors to marry. When ready to cook beef, heat wok and about 2 tablespoon oil. Toss in clove of minced garlic when oil is hot and sauté for about 15 seconds before placing meat in wok. Cook meat for about 2 minutes being careful to not overcook it (doing so will make it tough). About halfway through the two minute cooking cycle, splash meat with about 1 tablespoon white wine or sherry. You should remove meat from wok just after all the red has disappeared. After you have removed meat and cleaned wok, reheat wok and about 1 tablespoon oil. After oil is hot, toss orange rind and red pepper pod in wok and sauté very briefly being careful not to burn rind. After sauté ing for about 15 seconds or so, add sauce. When edge of sauce starts to bubble, add cornstarch and water mixture. When sauce starts to thicken add hot oil and stir. Follow this with the beef and mix with sauce well. Lastly, turn off fire and drizzle sesame oil over beef mixture.
3. Mix briefly and serve over white rice.

If you want you can also add 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped green onions (green part only) to sauce mixture just before you add hot oil. I didn't do this, but some people do. This will impart a slightly different flavor. Also feel free to add extra red pepper pods if you like a hotter dish. You can also omit them altogether if you want. I only used one because my daughter does not like the extra heat.

Posted by liz at Recipe Goldmine May 26, 2001.

Source: Cookin' Dad - 03-25-2001 10:49 am