Beef and bell peppers are cooked with a savoury black bean sauce in this Cantonese home-cooked dish. Serves 2 to 4

Prep Time: 35 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:
• 3/4 pound steak (sirloin or flank is good)

Marinade:
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, such as canola

Other:
• 2 bell peppers, 1 green and 1 orange or red
• 1 small onion
• 1 tablespoon Chinese fermented black beans or black bean sauce, or to taste
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 large slices ginger
• 4 tablespoons oil for stir-frying, or as needed
• 1/2 cup chicken stock or broth or water

Preparation:
Cut the beef into rectangular slices, about the size of a large postage stamp and ½ inch thick. Add the marinade ingredients and marinate the beef for 25 to 30 minutes.

While the beef is marinating, prepare the vegetables. Remove the stems and seeds from the bell peppers and chop. Peel the onion and chop.

Use a cleaver or knife to chop the beans into tiny pieces. Finely chop the garlic and ginger. Mix the chopped garlic with the black beans.

Heat the wok over medium-high to heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, 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 oil. When the oil is hot, add the ginger and the garlic and bean mixture. Stir-fry briefly until aromatic. Add the onion. Stir-fry for about 3 minutes, then add the green pepper. Stir-fry for another minute, then add the remaining pepper.

Pour in the chicken broth. Heat to boiling. Add the beef back into the pan. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for a few more minutes. Taste and season with salt, pepper or soy sauce if desired. Serve hot.

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