Chinese-Peruvian Beef Stir-Fry With French Fries (Lomo Saltado)

Directions

1. Marinate the beef in 1 T soy sauce, the cumin, black pepper, and sugar. Set aside for about 15 to 30 minutes.
2. Rinse onions twice in cold water and set aside.
3. In a small bowl, mix remaining soy sauce, oyster sauce, ají panca paste, and Worcestershire sauce.
4. Heat a large pan to very high heat. Add enough vegetable oil to cover the bottom of the pan. When the pan is very hot and oil is almost smoking, add a single layer of sirloin. Let brown, and then toss to brown evenly. Cook for about 3 minutes, and then remove the pan from the heat. Transfer sirloin to a large bowl. Repeat with the remaining beef until it is all browned.
5. Add cider vinegar to onions and quickly toss to combine. Heat pan over high heat and add a little oil, if necessary. Add onions and stir-fry until no longer raw but still crunchy. Add a few drops of water if necessary to prevent burning. When cooked, remove the pan from the heat and transfer onions into the bowl with the sirloin.
6. Return pan to the heat and add a little more oil, if necessary. Add tomatoes and stir-fry until no longer raw and still holding their shape, around 1 minute. You are almost just heating them through. Remove pan from the heat, and transfer tomatoes into the bowl with the onions and sirloin.
7. Reduce the heat to medium, return pan to the burner, and add a little bit of vegetable oil, if necessary. Add the ginger and garlic and cook, stirring, until garlic just begins to get golden.
8. Immediately add the oyster sauce mixture to the pan. Stir to scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Continue to cook the sauce until it reduces slightly and has a syrupy texture, around 2-3 minutes.
9. Immediately add the vegetables and beef into the pan and stir to coat everything with the sauce. Add cilantro and French fries and stir again. Serve immediately with white rice.
10. Note: Ají panca is dried, maroon-colored chili that forms the backbone of many Peruvian dishes. It has a bit of a kick and a mild, slightly sweet flavor reminiscent of dried fruit. You can find ají panca paste in jars at many Latino groceries or online. If it's unavailable to you, use cayenne pepper to taste.