What tastes better made in a wok? Better to ask what doesn't, says Rosa Ross, expert on Asian cuisine and one of the nation's most respected cooking teachers. From steamed and braised dishes to aromatic soups and even desserts, New Wok Cooking demonstrates that this multipurpose pan is ideal for creating easy and healthful meals full of vibrant flavors. Drawing on the tempting tastes of the Chinese, Malaysian, Vietnamese, Japanese, and Thai pantries
Deservedly popular on restaurant menus everywhere for its combination of rich meaty flavor and a mellow citrus edge, orange beef, when authentically cooked, should be deep-fried first to give the meat its characteristic chewy texture. Here is a recipe for the real thing.
Yield: 4 servings
1 pound beef filet mignon tails or flank steak
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups vegetable oil
For the Sauce:
2 pieces dried tangerine peel (about 2 inches long) soaked in warm water and slivered, and 1/4 cup of the soaking water reserved
4 slices peeled fresh ginger (each about the size of a quarter), slivered
1 tablespoon slivered orange zest
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1/2 cup orange juice
2 teaspoons thin soy sauce
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil
Slice the meat into thin strips about 2 inches long and 1/4 inch thick. In a small bowl, combine the dark soy sauce, cornstarch, and pepper. Add the beef, toss to coat well, and let stand for 10 minutes.
In a carbon-steel wok, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat until just smoking. Deep-fry the beef slices, in batches, for about 5 minutes, until crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain. Pour off the oil from the wok, and reserve for another use or discard. Do not clean the wok.
Prepare the sauce: Set the wok over a high flame and add the tangerine peel, ginger, and orange zest. Stir-fry for about 30 seconds, until aromatic. Add the sherry, orange juice, thin soy sauce, hoisin sauce, and reserved tangerine water. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 2 minutes, until slightly reduced.
Add the beef to the sauce, and toss to mix and coat well. Drizzle with the sesame oil and serve immediately.
