Tri-Color Pepper Beef Stir-Fry

Why people make this dish

Fresh beef keeps getting pricier, but Bro Niu would rather eat a little less of the fresh stuff than switch to chilled or frozen — the flavor is just better. The trick here is marinating the beef in a fruit wine (he likes bayberry or lychee wine), which leaves it remarkably tender and silky. Tossed with three-color peppers, it is colorful, fragrant and tasty: a simple home dish traditionally said to warm the middle, support the stomach and dispel cold, well suited to those with a weak spleen and stomach.

Who it suits / who should be cautious

• People with a weak appetite or who feel the cold and want a warming, appetizing meal.
• A straightforward everyday dish with no special cautions; season to your own taste.

Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)

• Beef (niu rou): traditionally regarded as a warming, strengthening meat that supports the spleen and stomach.
• Bell peppers (san se jiao): add color, aroma and a fresh sweetness that brightens the appetite.
• Scallion white and garlic (cong bai, suan tou): aromatic and warming, traditionally used to dispel cold.

Ingredients (2 servings)

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Bell peppers, three colors	half of each	Cut into chunks
Beef tenderloin	~110–150 g (3–4 liang)	Sliced
Scallion whites	3 stalks
Garlic	1 clove
Light soy, cornstarch, fruit wine	to taste	For marinade

Method

1. Wash and chunk the peppers. Slice the beef and marinate briefly with light soy, cornstarch and bayberry or lychee wine.
2. Blanch the beef quickly in boiling water, then lift out and drain.
3. Heat a little oil in a wok, sauté the garlic until fragrant, add the peppers and stir-fry until aromatic.
4. Return the beef, splash in a little wine, season, toss a few times, finish with a thin starch glaze, and plate.

Bro Niu’s tips

You can also marinate the beef with kiwi, pineapple or pear juice — the natural enzymes in the fruit tenderize the meat beautifully. Quickly passing the sliced beef through warm oil or a fast blanch (“locking” the juices) keeps it from turning tough.

Community questions answered (selected)

• Q (Kiki): If using kiwi, pear or pineapple, is one enough? How much, and how long to marinate? What does “passing through oil” or “blanching” mean? Bro Niu: Any one fruit’s flesh and juice will tenderize beef — kiwi especially. Use a small slice and marinate about half an hour. “Passing through oil” means dropping the beef into hot oil for a minute or two then lifting it out; “blanching” means dropping it into rolling water until it just changes color (about 60–70% done), then lifting out — both lock the juices inside for tender, tasty slices.

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Published August 22, 2011 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 2 min read.