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and pour the mixture over the leafy part of the broccoli, letting the stems protrude so that they resemble tree trunks. Serve immediately.

WITH A WELL-STOCKED PANTRY of Chinese condiments and a quick stop at the market for a handful of fresh ingredients, this simple dinner dish can be on the table very quickly. It marries toothsome flank steak with crunchy sugar snap peas in a garlicky sauce. Makes 4 servings

Beef with Sugar Snap Peas

12 ounces flank steak, cut into pieces 1 ½ inches long, 1 inch wide, and ¼ inch thick

½ large egg white (beat a whole egg white and measure out half)

2 tablespoon rice wine or dry sherry

2 tablespoons cornstarch

Pinch of salt

Pinch of ground white pepper

Vegetable oil, for passing through, plus 1 tablespoon

6 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed, or snow peas

2 ounces water chestnuts (⅓ to ½ cup), sliced ⅛ inch thick

Sauce

¼ cup Chicken Stock (page 70) or canned chicken broth

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons oyster sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon rice wine or sherry

½ teaspoon ground white pepper

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 scallions, white and green parts, trimmed and sliced diagonally into ½-inch pieces

4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

1 teaspoon dark sesame oil

1. Mix the steak, egg white, rice wine, cornstarch, salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons water in a medium bowl. Add the 1 tablespoon oil and mix again. Cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

2. Heat a large wok over high heat. Add enough vegetable oil to come about 1 inch up the sides of the wok, and heat it to 325°F. Add the steak and stir gently until the meat turns light brown, about 40 seconds. Add the sugar snap peas and water chestnuts, and stir for 15 seconds. The vegetables will be crunchy. Using a wide wire-mesh strainer, transfer the steak, sugar snap peas, and water chestnuts to a colander to drain. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the oil from the wok.

3. To begin the sauce, mix the stock, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, rice wine, and white pepper in a small bowl, and set it aside. Dissolve the cornstarch in 3 tablespoons cold water in another small bowl, and set it aside.

4. Return the wok with the oil to high heat. Add the scallions and garlic, and stir-fry until they are fragrant, about 10 seconds. Stir in the stock mixture, then the cornstarch mixture, and bring to a boil. Add the beef, sugar snap peas, and water chestnuts, and stir-fry for 15 seconds, making sure that the sauce evenly coats the meat and vegetables. Add the sesame oil, and serve immediately.

THE ORIGINAL SICHUAN RECIPE for this dish was for a cold, somewhat chewy appetizer of fried, dried, and shredded beef. It is a far cry from Shun Lee’s Crispy Orange Beef, which was introduced in 1971, and which millions of Americans have since come to love. Makes 4 servings

Crispiy Orange Beef

8 ounces flank steak, cut into pieces 1 inch long, ½ inch wide, and ¼ inch thick

1 ½ teaspoons baking soda

1 orange

Sauce

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon rice wine or dry sherry

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon cornstarch

Vegetable oil, for passing through

1 cup cornstarch

1 large egg white, lightly beaten

3 scallions, white part only, trimmed and sliced diagonally into ½-inch pieces (½ cup)

1 teaspoon dark sesame oil

1 tablespoon orange liqueur, such as Grand Marnier

¼ teaspoon hot chili paste

1. Mix the flank steak, baking soda, and 3 tablespoons of water in a medium bowl. Cover, and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. (The baking soda will tenderize the steak.)

2. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the colored zest from the orange. Cut the zest into thin strips about 1 inch long, and set them aside. Save the orange flesh for another use.

3. To begin the sauce, mix the sugar, vinegar, rice wine, soy sauce, and cornstarch in a small bowl. Set it aside.

4. Heat a large wok over high heat. Add enough vegetable oil to come about 1 ½ inches up the sides of the wok, and heat it to 375°F. Meanwhile, add the cornstarch