Dragon Lady Kitchen

Dragon Lady Kitchen

Family Chinese recipes, cooked the way my mother taught me.

My mother learned to cook from her own family, relying on memory, instinct, and taste rather than written recipes. Like many home cooks, she never measured — she just knew.

When I started cooking these dishes myself, I realized how easy it would be for them to disappear. Dragon Lady Kitchen began as a way for me to write them down, test them, and make sure they could be cooked again — by me, and by anyone else who grew up with similar food.

These are not restaurant versions. They’re home cooking. Some dishes are simple, some take time, and many use techniques that aren’t always explained elsewhere. I cook them the way my family always did.

Featured Recipe

Table of Contents

Stories

Stir-Fry Tomato Beef

Mom's best friend, my "Aunt Suzanne" (she's not really my aunt, but in our Chinese world, every close family friend is called "Aunt-something" or "Uncle-something") taught her how to make this dish.  And then my mom taught me.  This recipe is a family favorite in both our Chinese households.  Aunt Suzanne's son (who I guess is my "cousin", but not really), makes it at least once a week.  I especially love it because the natural juices from the tomatoes create a luscious, rich sauce with the marinated flank steak.  I'd put this one in the "comfort food" category, for sure.  Once again, fire up loads of steamed rice  because the gravy is to die for!
Wedges of red, ripe beefsteak tomatoes give this dish a flavorful and saucy personality!


















Stir-fry some baby bok choy or make Chinese broccoli with oyster sauce (both previously posted) to complete this meal.

Serves 4
1 lb. flank steak
¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
½ teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 beefsteak tomatoes
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 /2 teaspoon salt

Cut flank steak into three equal sections by slicing into thirds lengthwise.  Take each 1/3 section and cut at a 45 degree angle, against the grain, into 1/4 inch slices.  Put the slices of flank steak into a shallow dish. Whisk together soy sauce and sugar; add to flank steak and turn pieces to coat evenly.  Sprinkle cornstarch on flank steak; turn pieces to coat evenly.  Drizzle sesame oil on flank steak and continue to turn pieces to coat evenly; set aside.  (Flank steak can be prepared up to this point, covered and refrigerated several hours. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking.)

Core and slice tomatoes into wedges, about ½” each (or 16 wedges per tomato).  Heat vegetable oil in a large wok or large sauté pan over high heat.  Add the flank steak to the wok and stir-fry until the meat is cooked halfway (the meat will look half brown-half red), about 2 minutes; remove meat from wok.

Add tomatoes and stir-fry until soft and tender, about 3 minutes.  Return the flank steak and all its juices back to the wok; add salt; stir-fry until meat is cooked through and sauce starts to thicken, about 2-3 minutes.  Serve with steamed white rice or brown rice.  


Comments

Post a Comment