This is the 12th entry for the Food Inspired by People project. Every Monday for three months, I will post a dish that is inspired by a person. Today is Black Pepper Venison inspired by Uncle Meng – my dad’s brother.
1st Entry: Sambal (spicy Malaysian condiment)
2nd Entry: Dry Wonton Noodles
3rd Entry: Taiwanese Chicken Rice
4th Entry: Bibimbap (Korean mixed rice)
5th Entry: Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
6th Entry: Potato Egg Salad
7th Entry: Asam Laksa (Malaysian spicy sour noodles soup)
8th Entry: Braised Soy Vinegar Ribs
9th Entry: Thai Pineapple Fried Rice
10th Entry: Tamarind Prawn (Asam Prawn)
11th Entry: Perfectly Crispy French Fries
Having male cooks in a family is like having rogue white facial hair growths on your face that someone feels inclined to pull out but fails repeatedly… so it hurts instead.. a lot. Or is like honest and selfless politicians. They exist but they’re not that common.
Now, having GREAT male cooks in the family… well that’s like snowing in downtown LA. Or 3 year olds saying no to candy. Or husbands remembering that ONE single thing you asked them to pick up at Ralphs (true story). They’re a rarity. Therefore I’d like to point out that I feel lucky to have a couple of them in my family. Male cooks, that is.
My grandpa.
My dad.
My Uncle Meng.
My Uncle Meng owned a couple of restaurants in the past. My dad would bring us to visit him to get a taste of his ‘wok work’. His specialty is Chinese Cuisine – Cantonese mixed with Fujian style and of course everything is Malaysian inspired.
As a kid, you don’t really care too much for food. Food is like a mess waiting to be made that causes parents to start begging or bribing and all that kid is really doing is trying to stretch to reach the floor and just bolt out of there. That is precisely why I don’t recall much of what we ate at his restaurants… except one particular dish.
I personally believe that for a kid to remember a dish means the dish was plenty delicious. That or I probably remembered it because of its exotic sounding name. Black pepper venison. I’m a full-fledged city girl. Deers are exotic to me. Don’t judge.
Either way, when I think back of that dish, I can clearly remember the silky, velvety meat.. so tender, so succulent, with every piece coated with a rich, savory and peppery sauce.
Aahh, thank God uncles that are great cooks exist.
The trick to this type of Chinese stir-fried is cornstarch. Cornstarch tenderizes the meat as well as seals the flavor and gives that satin finish to the meat. The wok or pan has to be hot enough to quickly fry the meat so that it stays juicy and tender. The cornstarch slurry sauce then gives this delicious dish its much needed body.
Also, if you haven’t already, check out my last post Triple Berry Crumble. Treat yourself to this Triple Berry Crumble with filling perfectly sweet & tart and buttery, crumbly topping. Eat warm with ice cream or whipped cream.
To see all the delectable entries for the Food Inspired by People project, click here.
Do you have a good male cook in your family? What does he make best?
Stir Fried Black Pepper Venison Serves 4-6
what you need:
1 lb venison, sliced (about 1/4 cm or 1/10 inch)
1 medium onion, sliced or squared
1 small red bell pepper, sliced or squared
1 small yellow bell pepper, sliced or squared
4 garlic cloves, finely minced
4 green onions, cut into 1 1/2″ length
Marinade:
2 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs cornstarch
1 tbs sugar
1 tbs oyster sauce
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
Pinch of salt
Sauce:
1/2 cup water or stock
2 tbs thick caramel sauce or kecap manis (for color)
2 tbs cornstarch
1 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs sugar
1 1/2 – 2 tbs black pepper
1 tbs oyster sauce
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
Pinch of salt
directions:
1. In a bowl, combine the ingredients for the marinade (add the cornstarch last) and marinate the meat for 30 minutes or more.
2. In another bowl, combine the ingredients for the sauce.
3. Over high heat, add a coat of oil in a wok or skillet. Sear the meat until almost cooked. (Do this in a couple batches if the wok or skillet is not large enough. You don’t want the meat to be steaming). Set aside.
4. Over high heat, add another coat of oil and sear the bell peppers and onions (Again, do this in batches if space is an issue). Add more oil if necessary.
5. Over high heat, add some oil and fry the garlic and white parts of the green onion. When garlic has browned, add the seared peppers and onions. Stir them and add the seared meat.
6. When meat is cooked through, add the sauce and stir. The sauce will thicken and bubble. Taste and add more salt if needed. Turn off the heat. Add the remaining green onions and give it a quick stir. Serve immediately with steamed rice.
Notes:
1. Venison is finer in texture than beef. It is easy to thinly slice it unlike beef or pork. Because of this, they can become overcooked very fast. Be wary when slicing them. We don’t want them too thin.
2. Vegetable variations: Instead of bell peppers, you can use others like snap peas, carrots or green beans.
