Chinese Beef and Peppers in Black Bean Sauce

Ingredients

1/2 tsp	2.5 ml	Sugar
2 tsp	10 ml	Soy sauce
2 tsp	10 ml	Chinese rice wine (or dry sherry)
1 1/2 tsp	7.5 ml	Cornstarch
1 Tbsp	15 ml	Vegetable oil (such as canola)
3/4 pound	340 g	Steak (sirloin or flank, thinly sliced across the grain)
2		Bell peppers (1 green and 1 orange or red)
1		Small onion
2		Cloves garlic
2		Large slices ginger
1 Tbsp	15 ml	Chinese fermented black beans (or black bean sauce)
4 Tbsp	60 ml	Oil (divided, for stir-frying)
1/2 cup	120 ml	Chicken stock (or broth or water)
—		Salt (optional, to taste)
—		Pepper (optional, to taste)
—		Soy sauce (optional, to taste)

Note: this dish is broken down into workable categories to help you plan for cooking.

Make the Marinade:

In a large bowl, mix together sugar, soy sauce, rice wine, cornstarch, and 1 tablespoon oil.
Add the beef and marinate for 25 to 30 minutes.

Prepare the Vegetables:

While the beef is marinating, remove the stems and seeds from the bell peppers and chop.
Peel the onion and chop.
Finely chop the garlic and ginger.
Use a cleaver or knife to chop the beans into tiny pieces.
Mix the chopped garlic and ginger with the black beans.

Stir-Fry:

Heat the wok over medium-high to high heat and add 2 tablespoons of oil.
Wait until the oil is hot, then add the beef. Brown briefly, then stir-fry until it changes color and is about 80 percent cooked.
Remove the beef from the wok. Add 2 tablespoons of oil to the wok.
When the oil is hot, add the ginger, garlic and bean mixture. Stir-fry briefly until aromatic.
Add the onion and stir-fry for about 3 minutes.
Add the peppers and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes, until crisp-tender.
Pour in the chicken broth and heat to boiling (use water if you have no broth).
Add the beef back into the wok. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for a few more minutes.
Taste and season with salt, pepper or soy sauce if desired.

Tip: Soy sauce contains sodium, so consider skipping the salt and using a low-sodium soy sauce if you suffer from hypertension.