Mother-in-Law's Chinese Tomato Beef Stir Fry

My mother-in-law (whom I call Aunty Jenny) is not one to have written recipes, so I had to do primary research and watch her make it. I was delighted to able to recreate a dish that Craig said tastes exactly as he remembers it!

Beef Marinade

• Flank steak. Flank steak sliced into thin strips is what my MIL has always used, but she has also made it with pre-sliced hot pot beef (you can see her cook with this beef in the intro of the video). You can use another cut of beef that is not too tough, so anything you'd grill on a BBQ wouldwork. Ground beef is another common variation that is even easier since you don't have to slice it!
• Oyster sauce, see my guide to choosing a good oyster sauce.
• Soy sauce, see my guide to different types of soy sauce.
• Garlic powder, or substitute grated garlic
• Ginger powder, or substitute grated fresh ginger
• Ground black pepper or white pepper 
• Baking soda. Adding baking soda to beef is the Chinese restaurants' secret to tender beef in stir fries. The high pH of baking soda prevents the beef from tightening up completely when cooked, which means less liquid is squeezed out and the muscle fibers remain more loose. This means tender and juicy beef without having to splurge on premium cuts.

Tip: My mother-in-law made this dish as a very busy cook who had to feed a crowd every night, so she kept it simple. But to make it a little more complex you can also add Chinese shaoxing wine and/or toasted sesame oil if you like these flavours. You can add them either to the sauce or to the beef marinade.

The Stir Fry

• Garlic, chopped
• Shallots or onion, chopped
• Fresh ginger, julienned
• Fresh tomatoes, roma tomatoes are preferred because they are the least watery and are not too acidic. 
• Green onions, white and green part separated and chopped
• Jasmine rice for serving 
• Fried eggs for serving, optional. Aunty Jenny always paired this dish with fried eggs. She liked scrambled eggs but everyone else loved them fried with the yolk still runny.

1. Divide the flank steak ALONG the grain lines into pieces about 2-3 inches wide. Slice each piece AGAINST the grain into thin slices, about ⅛-inch thick. A partially frozen steak will make this job easier.
2. Dissolve the baking soda in water until fully dissolved.
3. Add the baking soda solution to the beef and mix well to ensure all the pieces are coated.
4. Add the oyster sauce, soy sauce, garlic powder, ginger powder and black pepper to the beef and mix well. Let sit for at least 5 minutes. 

5. Make the sauce: In a small bowl combine the cornstarch and the water and stir until there are no more lumps. Combine the slurry with the ketchup, sugar and salt.
6. Stir the sauce until well combined. Note: Typically, cornstarch slurry is added at the end, a little at a time just until the sauce is thickened to the right consistency. But if you measure your ingredients, the amount of starch needed will be pretty consistent, so you can simplify by adding it directly to the sauce.
7. If serving with fried eggs, cook them to whatever doneness you prefer.
   Tip: If you’re frying eggs in the same wok as the stir fry, fry them first so you don’t have to clean the wok in between. If you’re frying them in a separate pan, you can do them at the end so they’re still hot for serving.
8. Heat a wok or a large nonstick skillet on high heat until hot (or as hot as your nonstick can handle). Add just enough oil to coat the bottom, then add the beef and spread it out into a single layer as much as possible. Let it cook without moving it until browned and about halfway cooked.

9. Once browned, toss until the beef is about 90% done. Remove from the pan.
10. In the same pan on medium-high heat, add a little more oil, then add the garlic, shallots and ginger and saute until aromatic and the garlic starts to turn golden.
11. Add the tomatoes and toss just until the exterior starts to soften; about 30 seconds. If using especially ripe tomatoes, this will take a shorter time, so pay attention!
12. Turn the heat up to high, then add the beef, the white part of green onions, and all the sauce and toss just until the sauce is bubbling; another 30 seconds or so.  

13. Once the sauce is bubbling and the tomatoes are soft but still holding shape, turn off the heat and add in most of the green onions.
14. Plate and top with the rest of the green onions. Cook the eggs now if you haven’t done so. Serve with jasmine rice and enjoy!

Other Chinese Recipes You Might Like

A great side dish to the tomato beef stir fry is this simple gai lan oyster sauce stir fry.

If you love tomatoey dishes, you must also check out this Chinese tomato egg stir fry. It's even simpler and easier than the beef version.

Aunty Jenny also makes these amazing braised chicken wings with lots of soft sweet onions. But her signature dish might actually be these dim sum turnip cakes (lo bak go) which are the best I've ever had anywhere.