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Jamaican pepper steak
Chinese-Jamaican stir-fried beef strips with peppers, onion and soy
Pepper steak came to Jamaica with the Hakka Chinese families who opened groceries and restaurants in Kingston, and it is now a takeaway favourite and a fast weeknight dinner across the island, eaten over white rice or rice and peas. Thin strips of beef are seared hard, then tossed with bell peppers and onion in a glossy soy, ginger and garlic sauce, with a little Scotch bonnet for warmth. The common mistake is crowding the pan, which steams the beef grey and tough; sear it in two batches over a high heat. Chef's tip: slice the beef across the grain while it is very cold or half-frozen; you'll get thin, even strips that stay tender.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the beef
- 1 ⅛ lb beef sirloin or rump steaksliced across the grain into thin strips
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp cornflour
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
For the stir-fry
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 garlic cloveschopped
- ¾ in fresh gingergrated
- 1 onioncut into wedges
- 2 bell peppersmixed colours, cut into strips
- ¼ Scotch bonnet chilliseeded and finely chopped, or to taste
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tbsp tomato ketchup
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- ½ cup water
- 2 spring onionssliced, to finish
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Toss 1 ⅛ lb beef sirloin or rump steak with half of 1 ½ tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp cornflour and 1 tsp ground black pepper. Leave for 10 minutes in the fridge while you prepare the vegetables.
10 minStep 2: Mix the rest of 1 ½ tbsp soy sauce with 1 tbsp tomato ketchup, 1 tsp brown sugar and ½ cup water in a cup.
1 minStep 3: Heat 1 tablespoon of 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a wok or large frying pan over a high heat until it shimmers. Add half the beef in a single layer and leave it for 1 minute to brown, then stir-fry until browned outside but still a little pink in the middle, about 2 minutes. Lift out and repeat with another tablespoon of 1 tbsp vegetable oil and the rest of the beef.
5 minStep 4: Add the remaining 1 tbsp vegetable oil, then 3 garlic cloves, ¾ in fresh ginger, 1 onion, 2 bell peppers, ¼ Scotch bonnet chilli and 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves. Stir-fry until the peppers are bright and just tender at the edges but still crunchy, 3–4 minutes.
4 minStep 5: Return the beef with its juices, pour in the sauce and toss until it bubbles and turns glossy, coating everything, about 1 minute. Scatter with 2 spring onions and serve hot over rice.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 31 g
- Carbs
- 14 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does jamaican pepper steak take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 12 minutes to prepare and 13 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of soy sauce?
- Tamari, same amount (gluten free).
- What can I use instead of cornflour?
- Arrowroot or potato starch, same amount.
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