One of the things I miss the most about NYC is the food, especially the Chinese food.  Lately I’ve found myself cooking a lot of Asian inspired dishes.   I tried to recreate the fried chicken  that I used to buy from the Guyanese Chinese restaurant when I lived in NYC and came pretty damn close.  I have to tweak it a bit, but will post as soon as I think I’ve perfected the recipe.  I’m currently trying to convince my sister to bring me some Chinese food when she comes to visit in 2 weeks.


One of the dishes I prepared was a great Beef with Mandarin recipe I came across at 4 am during one of my bouts of insomnia.   I was reading one of my Asian cookbooks and stumbled upon this dish…I immediately began to salivate.    Luckily I had most of the ingredients in my pantry and decided to make it for lunch that day.  Its a very simple and quick dish that’s bursting with orange flavor, but not too overpowering.   I  rarely stick to a recipe so I added my own touch.


Beef with Mandarin

adapted from The Essential Asian Cookbook


1 1/2 lb thinly sliced sirloin steak

4 tsp soy sauce

2 tsp rice wine vinegar

1 tsp crushed fresh ginger

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tbsp canola oil

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

2 tsp finely grated orange or tangerine peel

2 tbsp orange juice

2 tsp sugar

1 1/2 tsp cornstarch

1/3 cup beef stock

chopped scallion


Place beef in a bowl.  Add 2 tsp soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ginger and sesame oil.  Stir and set aside for 15 minutes.  Heat canola oil in a wok or large frying pan over a high fire.  Add beef and stir-fry for 2 minutes.

Remove beef from pan.  Add pepper, orange zest, remaining 2 tsp soy sauce, orange juice and sugar.  Stir briefly.   Dissolve cornstarch in beef stock and add to the wok.   Stir until the sauce comes to a boil and begins to thicken.  Add beef back to the wok and stir to coat with sauce.  Cook for an additional minute.  Remove from heat and serve over rice.  Garnish with chopped scallion.