Ginger Beef Stir Fry

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar
• 5 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1 Tbsp peeled, grated fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon chile pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 lb top sirloin steak
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil, preferably peanut
• 1 Tbsp dark toasted sesame oil, optional
• 3-4 green onions, cut on a diagonal, 1/2-inch apart, including the greens
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2-3 hot chilis, preferably red serranos, seeded, sliced
• 1-inch nob of ginger, peeled, cut lengthwise into matchstick shapes
• 1/2 cup loosely packed, chopped cilantro

Directions

1. Pop the steak into the freezer for 30 minutes before cutting it; a little chill makes thin slicing much easier. Cut the steak crosswise into 1/2-inch thick pieces, then cut each piece lengthwise into strips.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, grated ginger, honey, red chile flakes, and cumin. Add the beef and turn it through the marinade until coated, then refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.
3. In a small bowl, stir the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water until smooth.
4. Set a wok or a large sauté pan over high heat and add the oil, using the vegetable oil and the dark sesame oil if you’re including it. Heat until the oil is almost smoking. While it heats, blot the beef dry and divide it into small handful-sized batches. Sauté the beef in batches just until the outside browns while the center stays rare, no more than 1 minute, then move the beef to a bowl.
5. Once all the beef has been browned, add the chiles and garlic to the pan and stir-fry for 30-45 seconds. Add the matchstick-cut ginger and cook for another 30-45 seconds.
6. Return the beef to the pan, then pour in the cornstarch slurry. Add the scallions and toss everything together. Cook for 1 minute.
7. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the cilantro. Serve right away with steamed white rice.