Pepper Steak with Onions

Thin-sliced sirloin gets a quick soy sauce marinade, then hits a screaming hot pan with sliced green peppers, onions, celery, and fresh tomato wedges. This is the Chinese-American pepper steak that’s been a takeout favorite for decades, and making it at home means better beef and a sauce you control.

The marinade is fast but functional. Two teaspoons of cornstarch mixed with soy sauce, sugar, salt, and pepper coat the sirloin slices for just 10 to 15 minutes. That thin layer of cornstarch does two things: it creates a silky coating on the beef that gives you a velvety texture after searing, and it prevents the meat from releasing moisture and steaming instead of browning.

Fry the marinated beef over high heat until it just loses its red color, then push it to the outer edges of the pan. The vegetables cook in the center in fresh oil for five minutes, staying crisp-tender. The second cornstarch slurry (2 tablespoons mixed with cold water) goes in last and thickens everything into a glossy, clingy sauce in about a minute. You’ll know it’s ready when the sauce goes from cloudy to clear.

Tomato wedges and green onion strips go in off the heat so they warm through without breaking down.

Pro Tips

• Slice the sirloin ⅛ inch thick against the grain; partially freezing it for 20 minutes makes thin slicing easier
• Keep the heat high when searing the beef; low heat steams the meat gray instead of browning it
• Stir the cornstarch slurry right before adding; it separates fast
• Add tomatoes last and off-heat so they hold their shape

Variations

• Spicy: Add sliced fresh chili peppers or a tablespoon of chili garlic sauce
• Multi-color: Use a mix of red, yellow, and green bell peppers
• Rice plate: Serve over steamed jasmine rice for a complete meal