Sweet and Sour Beef Stir-Fry with Pineapple and Bell Peppers

A fast beef stir-fry built around high-heat searing, crisp vegetables, and a balanced sweet-sour sauce. The rice finishes the meal and absorbs the sauce without requiring extra advance prep.

By Julienne

Cook time: 15 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 180 g jasmine rice rinsed
• 360 ml water for rice
• 30 ml rice vinegar for sauce
• 45 ml soy sauce for sauce
• 45 g ketchup for sauce
• 25 g brown sugar for sauce
• 60 ml water for sauce
• 5 g cornstarch divided
• 450 g beef sirloin or flank steak thinly sliced across the grain
• 10 g cornstarch divided
• 5 g fine salt for beef and sauce
• 1 g black pepper freshly ground
• 15 ml neutral oil divided
• 15 ml neutral oil divided
• 10 g garlic minced
• 10 g fresh ginger minced
• 150 g yellow onion cut into 2 cm pieces
• 150 g red bell pepper sliced into strips
• 150 g green bell pepper sliced into strips
• 200 g pineapple chunks fresh or canned, drained if canned
• 5 ml toasted sesame oil for finishing
• 20 g scallions thinly sliced, for garnish

Instructions

1. Start the rice: combine the rinsed jasmine rice and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce to low heat, and cook until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and keep covered. The rice is tender and the surface looks dry with no visible standing water.
2. While the rice cooks, make the sauce in a bowl: whisk together rice vinegar, soy sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, water, and 5 g of the cornstarch until smooth. Keep the remaining cornstarch for the beef coating. The sauce is smooth and the cornstarch is fully dissolved.
3. Toss the sliced beef with the remaining cornstarch, salt, and black pepper until evenly coated. The beef looks lightly dusted rather than pasty.
4. Heat 15 ml of the oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add the beef in a single layer and stir-fry until browned at the edges and just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate. The beef is no longer pink on the surface and has browned edges.
5. Add the remaining 15 ml of oil to the pan. Stir-fry the garlic, ginger, onion, and both bell peppers for 2 minutes, then add the pineapple and cook for 1 minute more. The vegetables are crisp-tender and the pineapple is heated through.
6. Stir the sauce again, pour it into the pan, and cook for 30 to 60 seconds until thick and glossy. Return the beef and any juices to the pan and toss to coat. Turn off the heat and stir in the sesame oil. The sauce coats the ingredients in a shiny layer and no longer looks watery.
7. Serve the stir-fry over the hot rice and finish with scallions if using. The dish is plated hot with glossy sauce over the rice.