How to make stir-fried beef with black pepper sauce

This recipe serves about 4 to 5 people, takes approximately 40 minutes to prepare, and provides around 1,196 calories in total.

Ingredients:

- 300 grams beef tenderloin

- 20 grams black pepper

- 1 bulb of garlic

- 1 onion

- Spices: oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, stock powder

- Scallions, chilli, coriander (optional)

- Butter, cooking oil, tapioca starch

- Pre-cooked bao buns

Instructions

1. Preparation

- Trim the beef by removing any tendons and slice it across the grain into thin pieces.

- Tenderize the meat with a meat tenderizer. Then, cut it into bite-sized pieces.

Fresh cuts of beef will have a vibrant red color. Photo by VnExpress/Bui Thuy

- Crush the garlic with a garlic press or a food processor.

- Transfer the garlic puree or mash into a fine mesh strainer.

- Use a rubber spatula, firmly press down on the garlic to extract its juice. Remember to reserve the remaining pulp for future use.

- Roast the black pepper until fragrant, then grind it.

- Prepare the black pepper sauce by combining 2 tablespoons of oyster sauce, 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and 1 teaspoon of stock powder. Stir until the sugar is fully dissolved.

The garlic juice appears slightly yellowish, while roasted black pepper adopts a dark brown hue. Photo by VnExpress/Bui Thuy

- Thinly slice the onion.

- Wash and finely chop the green onions and coriander (if using).

Chilies can be sliced into flower shapes for decorative purposes later. Photo by VnExpress/Bui Thuy

- Marinate the beef with 1 teaspoon each of oyster sauce, soy sauce, cooking oil, and a teaspoon of tapioca starch, along with 1/2 teaspoon each of sugar and stock powder.

- Avoid salting, as it can toughen the meat during cooking.

- Incorporate the garlic juice and mix well. Let it marinate for 15-20 minutes.

After marinating, the beef loses its redness and takes on more of a pink color. Photo by VnExpress/Bui Thuy

2. Cooking process

- Heat cooking oil and fry the pre-cooked bao buns until they turn golden brown. Transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate to absorb excess oil.

Fried bao buns become crispy on the outside. Photo by VnExpress/Bui Thuy

- Increase the heat and fry the beef in small batches until it's 70% cooked. Remove promptly to maintain its tenderness.

Lightly fried beef with slightly brown edges. Photo by VnExpress/Bui Thuy

- Melt butter in the pan, then add half of the crushed garlic and pepper, frying until fragrant.

- Pour in 1 cup of water, followed by the prepared black pepper sauce. Stir thoroughly.

- Mix tapioca starch with water and add it to the pan. Stir until the sauce slightly thickens.

- Add the cooked beef, ensuring it's evenly coated with the sauce.

The thickened tapioca sauce will brown from the marinated beef. Photo by VnExpress/Bui Thuy

- In the same pan, sauté the remaining garlic, then add the sliced onion and stir-fry until lightly browned. Transfer to a plate.

- Pour the beef with black pepper sauce over the onion, garnish with coriander if desired, and serve hot alongside the fried bao buns.

3. Final product

The stir-fried meat should be fully coated by the thick sauce. Photo by VnExpress/Bui Thuy

- The beef should be tender with a slightly viscous sauce, featuring a dark brown color and a sweet and salty flavor profile with a hint of black pepper spiciness.