Crispy Orange Beef

By NicoleS

Ingredients

• SAUCE:
• 8 ounces flank steak, cut into pieces 1 inch long, ½ inch wide, and ¼ inch thick
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• 1 orange, zested
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon rice wine or dry sherry
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• Vegetable oil, for passing through
• 1 cup cornstarch
• 1 large egg white, lightly beaten
• 3 scallions, white part only, trimmed and sliced diagonally into ½-inch pieces (1/2 cup)
• 1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon orange liqueur, such as Grand Marnier (or 1 teaspoon orange extract)
• ¼ teaspoon hot chili paste

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

1. Mix the flank steak, baking soda, and 3 tablespoons of water in a medium bowl. Cover, and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. (The baking soda will tenderize the steak.)
2. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the colored zest from the orange. Cut the zest into thin strips about 1 inch long, and set them aside. Save the orange flesh for another use.
3. To begin the sauce, mix the sugar, vinegar, rice wine, soy sauce, and cornstarch in a small bowl. Set it aside.
4. Heat a large wok over high heat. Add enough vegetable oil to come about 1 ½ inches up the sides of the wok, and heat it to 375°F. Meanwhile, add the cornstarch and egg white to the steak, and mix well to coat the steak with the batter.
5. Add the flank steak to the oil, one piece at a time so it doesn’t splash or stick together, and stir gently until it begins to look crispy, about 1 minute. Using a wide wire-mesh strainer, transfer the steak to a colander to drain. Using a fine-mesh wire strainer, remove any bits of fried batter from the wok.
6. Reheat the oil to 375°F, return the flank steak to the wok, and fry again until the beef is crispy all over, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a strainer to drain. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of the oil from the wok.
7. Return the wok with the oil to high heat. Add the scallions, flank steak, sugar-vinegar mixture, orange zest, sesame oil, Grand Marnier, and hot chili paste. Stir-fry until all of the ingredients are well-blended, about 30 seconds. Serve immediately.