Tomato beef is one of those meals I make when I’m in a rush. The beef needs to marinate in rice wine, soy sauce and ginger for a few minutes. Once you’re ready to cook, sprinkle on a little tapioca starch and sauté the beef with ketchup-hoisin mixture and fresh tomatoes.
The sweetness and tanginess from the fresh tomatoes and ketchup make the dish absolutely delicious. I added sugar snap peas for crunch and served with steamed jasmine rice. It’s a great weekday meal when you’re pressed for time.
1. Info for Sweet Tomato Beef Recipe
- Cook Time: unavailable
- Total Time: unavailable
- Servings: 4
- Calories: unavailable
2. Ingredients for Sweet Tomato Beef Recipe
- 1 pound flank steak, very cold
- 3 tablespoons canola oil (or any neutral oil)
- 1 yellow onion, cut into thin wedges
- 8 ounces sugar snap peas
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1-½ tablespoons rice wine
- 2 teaspoons palm sugar, freshly grated
- 1 (1-inch) chunk fresh ginger
- ½ teaspoon cayenne powder
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons tapioca starch
- 3 ripe tomatoes, cored, seeded and cut into chunks
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- ¼ cup beef stock (or canned chicken broth)
- 3 tablespoons green onions, cut into 1-½”-pieces
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil (optional)
- 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
3. Directions:
- Wash the sugar snap peas. To trim them, snap the ends between your fingers and pull out the fibrous strings on each side of the vegetable.
- In a non-stick wok, heat 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the onions and cook until fragrant. Add the sugar snap peas and sauté until they turn into a glossy, bright green color. Season with salt. Transfer to a platter. It’s okay if the vegetables are not fully cooked, as they will finish cooking later.
- Freshly grated ginger: Clean the ginger root and remove any dirt. Peel the ginger root with a paring knife (or the edge of a spoon). Grate the ginger with a fine mesh Microplane. Gather about 1 teaspoon of grated ginger root.
- Make sure the beef is very cold so it’s easier to slice the meat. Thinly slice the flank steak into 2-inch pieces using a sharp Chef’s knife. Make sure to cut the meat perpendicular to the grain so the slices remain tender.
- In a bowl, combine the beef, palm sugar, rice wine, cayenne pepper, soy sauce and grated ginger. Drizzle with a little oil. Allow to marinate for about 30 minutes.
- Assembly time: In a large bowl, combine wine, sugar, soy sauce, ginger, pepper and oil. Add the meat strips and toss to coat. Let marinate for 30 minutes.
- Pat the meat dry using paper towels. Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of tapioca starch using a fine mesh strainer and coat all sides of the beef pieces. Shake off the excess tapioca starch.
- In the same wok, add more oil if necessary. Once the oil is hot, add the green onions. Cook until they’re wilted. Add the meat and pan-sear each side of the pieces until the meat changes color. Season with salt. Quickly transfer the beef to a platter.
- In a small bowl, combine the beef stock, remaining tapioca starch, ketchup and hoisin sauce. Set aside.
- Place wok over high heat, add the tomatoes and the ketchup-beef broth mixture, stirring constantly. Cook until it thickens slightly. Add the beef mixture, sugar snap peas and cilantro. Mix well. Drizzle with sesame oil.
- Bon appétit!
