The Hirshon Hunan Crispy Orange Beef

Ingredients

• To Marinate And Cook Beef:
• 8 ounces flank steak, cut into slivers 1-inch long by ½ inch wide by ¼-inch thin.
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 3 tbsp vermouth
• ½ tsp Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
• Pinch freshly ground pepper
• 1 tbsp peanut oil
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/3 cup of fresh orange rind that has been julienned into 1-inch lengths
• 3 ½ cups peanut oil
• 1 tbsp egg white, lightly beaten
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• For Sauce:
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1 Tablespoon sweetened Chinese black vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon Chinkiang vinegar (or use one additional black, if you can't find it)
• 1 Tablespoon shaoxing wine (or substitute dry sherry)
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• For Aromatics:
• ½ cup scallions, sliced diagonally into ½ inch pieces, white part only
• ¼ cup finely julienned ginger and sliced garlic - i.e. 1/8 cup of each
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 Tablespoon Grand Marnier
• 1 ½ teaspoons Szechuan chili paste
• 1 fresh Thai chili, minced

Instructions

1. In a bowl, mix the steak, baking soda and vermouth, and marinate in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours or preferably overnight.
2. After marinating, wash thoroughly, twice, with cold water. Drain and dry with paper towels. Place the beef in a bowl, add the egg white, and mix well until the beef is coated. Add the shaoxing, white pepper, 1 tbsp peanut oil and cornstarch, mixing with your hand each time an ingredient is added. Allow to rest for 1 hour, refrigerated. There should be no residue.
3. In a hot wok, add the peanut oil and heat to 400 deg F. Place the beef strips, one at a time, in the oil and cook for 1 ½ minutes, loosening the beef with a spatula. Remove with a strainer and drain. Heat the oil again to 425 deg F. Place the beef strips back in the oil and cook for 2 minutes, until the beef becomes crisp. Remove and allow to drain.
4. In a bowl, mix sugar, vinegars, shaoxing, soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon of cornstarch.
5. Drain off all but 1 tablespoon oil from the wok and heat over high heat for 20 seconds.
6. Add scallions, ginger, garlic, beef, minced Thai chili, sesame oil, shaoxing-soy sauce blend, orange rind, Grand Marnier and chili paste. Stir-fry for 30 seconds. Remove from heat and serve immediately.