Ingredients
1 pound / 455g Short ribs or hanger steak or skirt steak
2 tbsp Neutral oil (such as grapeseed)
2 tsp Freshly ground pepper
2 tsp Peeled and finely grated Ginger
2 tsp Packed light brown or Granulated Sugar
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
Kosher salt
Two medium leeks
2 tbsp Unsalted butter cut into pieces
1 tbsp Sherry vinegar and fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 cup / 50g Peanuts toasted in coarsely chopped form
Method
Slice the beef into strips of about 2 inches in length, 1/4 inch thick. Mix one tablespoon of neutral oil with ginger, pepper, brown sugar, and sesame oils in a medium-sized bowl. It’s okay if the marinade could be smoother. Add the beef and sprinkle one teaspoon of salt. Toss it to coat. If you have time, marinate the meat in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. Keep moving if you don’t have the time.
Leeks can be trimmed by trimming off the dark green and hairy roots. The leeks should be halved lengthwise and then chopped coarsely on an angle to roughly 2-inch pieces. Rinse the leeks well to remove dirt, and then set them aside.
Set a large skillet of cast iron or stainless steel on medium-high heat. Heat the remaining teaspoon of neutral oil until it is very hot. Add half of the beef in one layer to the skillet using tongs. Cook, without stirring, for 2 to 3 mins until the edges are deeply browned. Flipping the pieces on the edge of the pan first will make them brown quicker than those in the middle. Flip the beef and cook it on the other side until it is no longer pink. This should take about 30 seconds. Repeat with the remaining beef pieces.
After all the beef is browned, add it back to the pan and add the butter, leeks, vinegar, and soy sauce. Salt lightly and stir or toss often until the butter melts, the leeks are slightly wilted, and the sauce coats the steak. This should take about 30 seconds. Sprinkle the peanuts on top of the beef and turn off the heat. The meat should look scrumptious.