BEIJING SWEET AND TANGY BEEF

Ingredients :

1 ½ lbs beef, cut ½ inch thick (try to use pork or chicken if you prefer them better)
egg, lightly beaten
cornstarch
cooking oil for deep frying

Marinade:
3 tbsps Chinese wine or dry sherry
2 ½ tbsps soy sauce
1 tbsp cornstarch
Sauce:
1/4 cup ketchup
3 tbsps Chinese black vinegar or balsamic vinegar
2 tbsps hoisin sauce
2 tbsps Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsps soy sauce
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp chili garlic sauce

Method :

Cut beef into 2-inch squares. Combine marinade ingredients in a bowl. Add meat and stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Combine sauce ingredients in a small pan and set aside. Place egg and cornstarch in separate bowls. Dip beef in egg, drain briefly, then dip in cornstarch; shake off excess. In a wok or 2-quart saucepan, heat oil for deep-frying to 360 F. Deep-fry beef, a few pieces at a time, turning occasionally, until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes.Remove with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. Cook sauce over medium heat. Stirring, until heated through. Add beef in the sauce. Stir fry and serve

MONGOLIAN BEEF

Ingredients :

3/4 lb flank steak, think sliced across the grain

2 ½ tbsps cooking oil

2 tbsps minced garlic

10 small dried red chillies

10 green onions, cut into 3 -inch pieces

2 tbsps hoisin sauce

1 tbsp soy sauce

Marinade:

2 tbsps dark soy sauce

2 tbsps Chinese wine or dry sherry

1 tsp cornstarch

Method :

Combine marinade ingredients in a bowl. Add beef and stir to coat. Let stand for 10 minutes. Place wok over high heat until hot. Add 2 tbsp oil, swirling to coat sides. Add beef and stir-fry until no longer pink, 1 ½ to 2 minutes. Remove meat from pan. Add remaining ½ tbsp oil to wok, swirling to coat sides. Add garlic and chilies; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add green onions and stir-fry for 1 minute. Return meat to wok and add hoisin sauce and soy sauce; cook until heated through.

MANDARIN PANCAKES

Ingredients :

2 cups flour
3/4 cup boiling water
2 tbsps sesame oil

Method :

Place flour in bowl. Add boiling water, stirring with chopsticks or a fork until dough is evenly moistened. On a lightly floured board, roll dough into a cylinder; cut into 16 equal pieces. Roll each into a ball, then flatten slightly into a pancake. Brush top of each pancake with a light coating of sesame oil. Place 1 pancake on top of a second pancake, oiled sides together. With a rolling pin, roll to make a circle 6 inches in diameter. Stack and roll remaining pairs of pancakes the same way. Cover with a damp cloth to prevent drying. Place a nonstick frying pan over heat until hot. Add 1 pair of pancakes and cook, turning once, until lightly browned and bubbles appear on the surface, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove from pan and separate into 2 pancakes on a plate while cooking remaining pairs of pancakes. Serve pancakes hot. If making ahead, reheat pancakes in a microwave oven or wrap in a dish towel and steam in a bamboo steamer for 5 minutes.