Sesame Beef With Sticky Savory-Sweet Sauce and Toasted Sesame

Choose flank or skirt steak with a clean, even grain, then slice it thinly across that grain for tender, easy-to-chew beef after a fast pan fry. This sesame beef is a Chinese American takeout-style main dish with a crisp exterior, juicy center, and sticky savory-sweet sauce finished with toasted sesame seeds.

The 15-minute marinade combines the sliced steak with Shaoxing wine, salt, pepper, and cornstarch. Chicken broth, soy sauce, more wine, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, garlic, and cornstarch form the sauce, so the aromatics are ready before cooking begins. Peanut or vegetable oil is used for the skillet, followed by toasted sesame seeds at the end for a nutty finish and a scattered garnish that stays organized in three prep bowls.

After the beef hits hot oil, leave it undisturbed until the bottom is golden brown, then brown the second side. It should be crisp outside while remaining juicy within. The key visual cue is a sauce that boils and thickens after being stirred to dissolve its cornstarch. Crowding the skillet is the common setback, because overlapping pieces cannot brown as directed and steam softens their exposed surfaces.

Serve it hot over steamed rice as the main dish, with blanched bok choy, spinach, broccoli, or asparagus alongside. Those vegetables add a fresh, plainly prepared contrast to the coated beef, while rice catches the remaining sauce for a complete bowl.