Bak Bak's Famous Tomato Beef

 A Tribute to Bak Bak and her Famous Tomato Beef

        I'm one of those kids who was lucky enough to have grown up with their great grandmas. Everyone always says, "Nobody can make it like grandma." And I completely agree! I've got two of the best chef-for-grandma's in the world. BUT, my great grandma, my Bak Bak, triumphs ALL. She would watch Food Network and get inspired by some of the things that they cooked. Next thing you know she would adapt it to Chinese cuisine and whip up something incredible.
        Unfortunately she passed away 2 years ago at the incredible age of 98; she is without a doubt one of the strongest women that I will ever know, and the stories of her past are so inspiring. My middle name, Chou, is a part of her name, so I am beyond proud to possess such a significant part of her.
        My Bak Bak lived with my grandparents, and it was at that house that I remember fresh handmade/homemade char siu bau's, lap cheung buns (soft steamed buns with a piece of chinese sausage inside of it), seasoned clay pot chicken and rice, oyster and squab lettuce cups--only the beginning of the long list of mouth-watering foods I would smell as I walked into their house. Though there are an infinite number of dishes that I aspire to replicate, the one that my mother and I are less bashful to attempt is her famous Tomato Beef. This isn't one of those pretty little dishes that you would bring to a Gourmet Club--this is just straight home in a bowl.
        It's steamy, comforting, and actually very healthy! A wok-ful of fresh tomatoes and lean flank steak...just the perfect meal to come home to. Tomato Beef with rice is hearty without being heavy, and it represents many great childhood memories with my Bak Bak. I want to dedicate this food blog to her because her cooking is my inspiration. I wish that she were alive right now so that I could learn from her and see what its like to share the kitchen with her. She is probably watching me cook and laughing at how I am struggling to recreate her recipes...well, nothing can even come close to yours Bak Bak, but mine still taste good!

Bak Bak's Famous Tomato Beef

Ingredients:
8 medium sized tomatoes
2 lb flank steak
1 large onion
3/4 cup of ketchup (this was her secret ingredient)
cooking spray and a dash of olive oil
salt to taste

Marinade for Meat:
1 TB sesame oil
1 1/2 TB minced garlic 
1 1/2 TB oyster sauce
1 TB cornstarch

Directions:

1.  Prepare the meat by roughly dicing, almost mincing the flank steak and placing it inside of a bowl
2. Drop each of the marinade ingredients into the bowl and massage it into the meat with your hands. Let it sit while you prepare the other ingredients

3. Rough chop the onion
4. Slice the tomatoes into quartered chunks; if your tomatoes are large just halve each quarter again
5. Spray your wok with some cooking spray, and add a tiny dash of olive oil if you wish. Dump your chopped onions in and let them cook until they begin to turn translucent.
6. When onions start to turn translucent, toss the beef in and DON'T TOUCH IT! (that's always the toughest part for me because I always want to poke at it) Let it cook halfway through and then lightly flip the meat over to slightly brown the other side
7. Once both sides have been cooked about halfway, put in the tomato chunks, turn the heat to medium-medium high and let it cook for about 10 minutes
8. After 10 minutes, remove the lid and add the ketchup, stir it to coat everything, then replace the lid. You'll know when it is ready when steam starts to rise out of the sides of the wok. Once you see the steam, give it 5-7 more minutes (you may check it) to see if it is the desired consistency you want. It tastes best when it is a medium thickness, not watery.
9. Salt the tomato beef to taste, and serve it over a nice bowl of warm white rice. Enjoy!