leek wrote:This is the recipe from the restaurant in NYC that popularized the dish - I have had it there and it is AMAZING. I can't say you'll do as well at home, but at least you will have tried.
https://www.starchefs.com/features/chinese_new_year/2005/html/crispy_orange_beef_m_tong.shtml
Binko wrote:leek wrote:This is the recipe from the restaurant in NYC that popularized the dish - I have had it there and it is AMAZING. I can't say you'll do as well at home, but at least you will have tried.
https://www.starchefs.com/features/chinese_new_year/2005/html/crispy_orange_beef_m_tong.shtml
Ooo! That one looks good. I'm a little bit surprised by the long marinade of the thin strips in the baking soda, and no instructions to wash it good afterwards. I do that trick for stir fry, as well, but it's usually a sprinkle of baking soda, and maybe an hour, at most, and then a good rinse in a colander to get all of the baking soda off.
I'll have to try this recipe one of these days as-is to see if I've been overly cautious about the baking soda.
chicagojim wrote:Binko wrote:leek wrote:This is the recipe from the restaurant in NYC that popularized the dish - I have had it there and it is AMAZING. I can't say you'll do as well at home, but at least you will have tried.
https://www.starchefs.com/features/chinese_new_year/2005/html/crispy_orange_beef_m_tong.shtml
Ooo! That one looks good. I'm a little bit surprised by the long marinade of the thin strips in the baking soda, and no instructions to wash it good afterwards. I do that trick for stir fry, as well, but it's usually a sprinkle of baking soda, and maybe an hour, at most, and then a good rinse in a colander to get all of the baking soda off.
I'll have to try this recipe one of these days as-is to see if I've been overly cautious about the baking soda.
I'm guessing that the baking soda interacts in some way with the coating ingredients, making it puff up and maybe making the coating crispier? It's only the the wok for a very short period of time.
Prepping the protein. This is another key element in a proper stir-fry! Most home cooks are surprised to realize that the proteins of Chinese-restaurant stir-fries are often pre-cooked, in another way, before they go into the stir-fry! The most important form of pre-cooking proteins is: frying in deep oil! Proteins are usually marinated and/or coated as well. Believe me: it changes everything! No more grey, listless meat in your stir-fries!
FOR THE BEEF: This step takes the most time and trouble in this dish. First, you want to slice the beef fairly thinly, about 1/8 of an inch. Placing the beef in the freezer for 30 minutes or so helps you slice more easily.
London broil from the shoulder, frozen briefly and thinly sliced.
FOR THE BEEF: Next, the crucial beef step: sprinkling your slices with a little baking soda — about a teaspoon for half a pound of beef — toss, and allow to rest for 30 minutes in the fridge. The baking soda gives the meat a lush, velvety texture.
Beef slices with baking soda, just before tossing and holding in fridge.
FOR THE BEEF: After the beef and baking soda have sat for 30 minutes, wash off the baking soda with water. Then toss the wet beef in a bowl with a few teaspoons of cornstarch, to make a crispy coating. Add just enough water to distribute the cornstarch.
The beef with cornstarch coating, just before frying.
FOR THE BEEF: Heat a deep pan of frying oil to about 375 degrees. Add the beef, slice by slice, working quickly. Stir while frying. Cook for about a minute.
Coated beef frying in hot oil.
FOR THE BEEF: Remove the beef quickly, and place on paper towels. Salt. Reserve.
Crispy beef resting after frying.