Recipe#25278

Title: Asparagus With Black Bean Beef

SOURCE: Stella Chan's Secrets in the Art of Chinese
  Cooking.
  
  Posted by Cate Vanicek

Yield: 4 servings
 
    1/2 lb Beef, sliced, marinated
      1 lb Asparagus
    1/4 ts Baking soda, dissolved in
           2 teaspoons water
      1 tb Chinese fermented black
           Beans, minced with:
      4    Garlic cloves
      1 ts Rice wine
      2 ts Soy sauce
           Peanut oil
---------------------MARINADE FOR BEEF---------------------
      1 ts Cornstarch
      1 ts Soy sauce
    1/2 ts Rice wine
    1/2 ts Sugar
    1/4 ts MSG (optional)
    1/2 ts Salt
-----------------------GRAVY MIXTURE-----------------------
      1 ts Cornstarch
    1/3 c  Water
 
  Cut the beef when it is partially frozen, and cut it
  across the grain into thin slices.
  
  Stir baking soda solution into the beef (to help
  tenderize it).  Stir in the marinade.  Then stir in 1
  tsp peanut oil and marinate the beef for one hour or
  more in the refrigerator.
  
  Heat 1 tablespoon peanut oil over high heat, add 1/2
  teaspoon salt.  Stir in asparagus.  Add 1/4 cup water.
  Cover pan for 2 minutes, and do not lift lid.  When
  done, remove to a platter.
  
  Over high heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil.  Stir-fry the
  RINSED black beans and garlic mixture.  Stir for a few
  seconds.  Add the beef.  Stir-fry quickly until
  barely.  Do not overcook or the beef will become
  tough. Sizzle in 1 tablespoon of rice wine and 2
  teaspoons of soy sauce.  Stir in asparagus.
  
  Add gravy mixture.  Stir until thickened.  Serve hot.