Slice the flank steak into thin
pieces, cutting against the grain of the meat, and combine in a bowl
with the soy sauce.
Leave to marinate for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small cup, mix the
cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water and set aside.
Pass the garlic through a garlic
press, and chop the green part of the scallions.
Heat the oil in a wok over high heat,
until it just starts to smoke (you can also cook this in a nonstick
skillet but keep the heat a little lower for the good of the pan).
Add the beef (it will have absorbed
most of the soy sauce) and garlic and stir-fry until the beef is
just starting to brown, about 3 minutes.
Add the snow peas and scallions and
stir-dry for 1 to 2 minutes.
Pour in the water and add the half
stock cube and the sesame oil.
Bring to a boil and pour in the
cornstarch water mixture.
Stir well until the mixture thickens,
which will be right away.
Serve immediately over white rice,
with extra soy sauce on the side if desired.
Serves 4
Flank steak is an underrated cut of beef,
perhaps because some cooks treat it like a T-bone, and then it's tough
and chewy. It needs to be quickly cooked and served right away to be
tender, and a stir-fry is ideal.
This one is particularly fast because you
don't have to prep and blanch a vegetable. Snow peas require very little
handling and no precooking for a stir-fry, unlike broccoli. If you buy
them from a salad bar, they'll already be topped and tailed and washed.
This dish cooks very quickly, so make sure you start the rice before you
even slice up the meat.