Recipes, More From Top Chinese Chef

(CBS)  Eileen Yin-Fei Lo is widely considered the expert on Chinese cooking in the United States.

The award-winning author has just published her 10th cookbook, "My Grandmother's Chinese Kitchen."

It's packed with recipes, and some amazing life lessons learned at her grandmother's knee in the kitchen.

The book is very personal. There are photos of her family, and stories about growing up during the Chinese revolution. It tells of her being sent to live with relatives in Hong Kong when she was 12. Yin-Fei Lo added the name "Eileen" when she was 13. It means "flying swallow."

Yin-Fei Lo writes in the beginning of the book that her grandmother taught her to love Chinese cooking. She taught her manners, along with patience and traditions.

The book is perfect for those who love Chinese food but might find it intimidating. She has tips and techniques for the most basic skills needed for Chinese cooking: stir-frying, braising, steaming, roasting and more.

One recipe Yin-Fei Lo demonstrated was Beef with Black Beans and Peppers. This is known in her family as "the pepper steak" recipe. Her husband, Fred, is a renowned food writer.

He penned a loving introduction, just for this recipe. He writes about how they met on a hot summer day in Hong Kong, where he was serving in the Army. Fred writes that this recipe is the first one she prepared in their American home, and one she prepares to this day.

RECIPES

Beef with Peppers and Black Beans

Serves 6

Marinade:
1 1/2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon ginger juice mixed with 2 teaspoons Shao-Hsing wine, or sherry
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 1/4 pounds filet mignon, 1 inch thick, cut across the grain into 1-inch-wide by 2-inch-long slices

Sauce:
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 1/2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup Chicken Stock

Paste:
4 large cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
5 teaspoons fermented black beans, rinsed, drained
4 tablespoons peanut oil
1 slice ginger, 1/2 inch thick, peeled, lightly smashed
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 medium bell peppers, red, yellow, orange, or green, cut into 1-inch by 2-inch pieces

In a large bowl, mix marinade ingredients. Add beef, allow to rest at least 30 minutes.
Reserve.

In a small bowl, mix sauce ingredients together and reserve.

Heat wok over high heat 30 seconds. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil, coat wok with spatula. When a wisp of white smoke appears, add ginger and salt, stir 40 seconds. Add peppers, stir together, cook for 1 minute. Turn off heat, transfer peppers to a bowl, reserve. Wipe off wok and spatula with paper towels.

Heat wok over high heat 30 seconds. Add remaining 2 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil, coat wok with spatula. When a wisp of white smoke appears, add garlic-black bean paste, stir, cook until paste releases its fragrance, about 30 seconds. Add beef and marinade, spread in a thin layer. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, tipping wok from side to side and turning beef once, to cook evenly. Add reserved peppers, stir-fry for 2 minutes. Make a well in the center of the mixture, stir sauce, pour in. Stir and cook, until sauce thickens, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a heated dish and serve immediately with cooked rice.

For more recipes, go to Page 2.

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