Friday, December 23, 2011

Filipino Beefsteak with Onions aka Bistek

It's Christmas Eve Eve here in San Diego and I finally got the chance to sneak away and upload this blog. It has been a crazy few weeks for me. I love to cook, mainly because I like to eat. But nonetheless, I still love to cook and love when people love what I've made. Usually, it's just my hubby's compliments but its always nice to hear when people eat my cooking and give it praise. I sooooo want to go to culinary school but am deathly afraid of not doing well. I heard those teachers are hard core and are not very patient. Anyway, I would only be taking it to perfect my cooking and not to go into the field. My career will stay in the medical/science/sales arena for now.

Moving on, I love when I am able to put together a home cooked meal that seems like it took forever even though it didn't. I love things fast and easy (THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID). Bistek which is basically "beef steak" prepared with onions is so easy, my 18 month son who only says cat, could probably whip this up....not saying he's stupid because he's not, just saying he's a toddler and if a toddler could cook then I'd have a shipment of them for slave labor so I don't have to do it...*note, I am not in favor of child labor, I am merely joking and if you are taking me serious on this then you've got more problems than I do...

Again, moving on. The ingredients for this recipe is probably already in your kitchen so if you're ever being lazy one day and realize you have these ingredients feel free to give it a try. The dish, much like other Filipino recipes is best served with white rice.

Filipino dishes are usually one of three flavors: salty, sweet, or sour and often a combo of all 3 or 2 of the 3. Bistek is a combo of salty and sour. Sounds weird but when you taste it, it's awesome.

This is the recipe as follows:

Ingredients:
1 lb of top sirloin, thinly sliced and cut into strips
1 med yellow onion cut into rings
2 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoon lemon juice squeezed from a lemon or from a bottle (fresh lemon is better, I didn't have any so I went for the bottle)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2-3 cloves of garlic minced
1/2 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
*1/4 cup of water mixed with 2 tablespoons cornstarch (to thicken sauce...this is optional)
You can use any cut of beef really. It all depends on how tender you want the meat. I was lazy and thinly sliced top sirloin was all they had. I really wanted to use a rib cut because that would be the best to use because of the marbling of fat found in that cut however I deal with what's in front of me. You can usually ask the butcher to thinly slice the cut for you and then at home you can cut them into strips.
When I'm not prepped for time, I'll put a tenderizer on it and let it tenderize so that when I cook it, its soft but I didn't so oh well...I'm not a professional chef and you don't have to try this...so deal with it.

Next combine the meat, garlic, pepper, salt, sugar, soy sauce, and lemon juice in the bowl and mix. Set in refrigerator for at least half an hour or overnight if tenderizing.
After you've set it aside. Slice onion into rings. After marinading the meat for a half hour is done, heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat.  Add onion rings into pan and saute for about 2 mins or until a bit translucent but still holding their shape.
While sauteing, break up into individual rings.
Once onions are done, take out of pan and set aside on a plate.
In same pan, take beef from bowl, leaving marinade still in bowl (use tongs to take meat out), and stir fry over medium high heat browning all sides for about 5-7 mins (this will keep beef tender). Toss in marinade when beef is browned, let cook in marinade for 1 minute, you can add cornstarch/water mixture if thickening sauce (this is optional)
Toss in onions, turn heat down to medium, cook for 2 mins.

And there you have it...beef steak with onions. Best served with rice. Happy eating!

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