Pepper steak
Encyclopedia
Pepper steak is a stir-fried
Chinese American dish consisting of sliced beef steak
(often flank
, sirloin
, or round
) cooked with sliced green and/or red bell pepper
s and other seasonings such as soy sauce
and ginger
, and usually thickened with cornstarch
. Sliced onion
s and bean sprouts are also frequent additions to the recipe.
Evidence for the dish's existence in the United States dates from at least 1948.http://books.google.com/books?as_brr=0&id=l75GAAAAMAAJ&dq=chinese+%22pepper+steak%22+date%3A1900-1960&q=%22pepper+steak%22&pgis=1#search The dish originated from Fujian cuisine
, where it was known as qīngjiāo ròusī (青椒炒肉絲). In the original dish the meat that was used was pork
and the seasonings were relatively light compared to pepper steak.
A similar dish, called chin-jao rōsu (青椒牛肉) is found in Japanese Chinese cuisine
.
Stir frying
Stir frying is an umbrella term used to describe two Chinese cooking techniques for preparing food in a wok: chǎo and bào . The term stir-fry was introduced into the English language by Buwei Yang Chao, in her book How to Cook and Eat in Chinese, to describe the chǎo technique...
Chinese American dish consisting of sliced beef steak
Steak
A steak is a cut of meat . Most are cut perpendicular to the muscle fibers, improving the perceived tenderness of the meat. In North America, steaks are typically served grilled, pan-fried, or broiled. The more tender cuts from the loin and rib are cooked quickly, using dry heat, and served whole...
(often flank
Flank steak
The flank steak, also known as bavette, is a beef steak cut from the abdominal muscles of the cow. A relatively long and flat cut of meat, flank steak is used in a variety of dishes including London broil and fajitas...
, sirloin
Sirloin steak
The sirloin steak is a steak cut from the rear back portion of the animal, continuing off the short loin from which T-bone, porterhouse, and club steaks are cut....
, or round
Round steak
A round steak is a steak from the round primal cut of beef. Specifically, a round steak is the eye round, bottom round, and top round still connected, with or without the "round" bone , and may include the knuckle , depending on how the round is separated from the loin. This is a lean cut and it...
) cooked with sliced green and/or red bell pepper
Bell pepper
Bell pepper, also known as sweet pepper or a pepper and capsicum , is a cultivar group of the species Capsicum annuum . Cultivars of the plant produce fruits in different colors, including red, yellow, orange and green. Bell peppers are sometimes grouped with less pungent pepper varieties as...
s and other seasonings such as soy sauce
Soy sauce
Soy sauce is a condiment produced by fermenting soybeans with Aspergillus oryzae or Aspergillus sojae molds, along with water and salt...
and ginger
Ginger
Ginger is the rhizome of the plant Zingiber officinale, consumed as a delicacy, medicine, or spice. It lends its name to its genus and family . Other notable members of this plant family are turmeric, cardamom, and galangal....
, and usually thickened with cornstarch
Cornstarch
Corn starch, cornstarch, cornflour or maize starch is the starch of the corn grain obtained from the endosperm of the corn kernel.-History:...
. Sliced onion
Onion
The onion , also known as the bulb onion, common onion and garden onion, is the most widely cultivated species of the genus Allium. The genus Allium also contains a number of other species variously referred to as onions and cultivated for food, such as the Japanese bunching onion The onion...
s and bean sprouts are also frequent additions to the recipe.
Evidence for the dish's existence in the United States dates from at least 1948.http://books.google.com/books?as_brr=0&id=l75GAAAAMAAJ&dq=chinese+%22pepper+steak%22+date%3A1900-1960&q=%22pepper+steak%22&pgis=1#search The dish originated from Fujian cuisine
Fujian cuisine
Fujian cuisine is one of the native Chinese cuisines derived from the native cooking style of the province of Fujian, China. Fujian style cuisine is known to be light but flavourful, soft, and tender, with particular emphasis on umami taste, known in Chinese cooking as "xiānwèi" , as well as...
, where it was known as qīngjiāo ròusī (青椒炒肉絲). In the original dish the meat that was used was pork
Pork
Pork is the culinary name for meat from the domestic pig , which is eaten in many countries. It is one of the most commonly consumed meats worldwide, with evidence of pig husbandry dating back to 5000 BC....
and the seasonings were relatively light compared to pepper steak.
A similar dish, called chin-jao rōsu (青椒牛肉) is found in Japanese Chinese cuisine
Japanese Chinese cuisine
Japanese Chinese cuisine is a unique style of Chinese cuisine served by Chinese restaurants in Japan. Many of these restaurants are Japanese-owned, though there are some which are operated by overseas Chinese...
.