Step 1

. Place the steak onto a cutting board, using a sharp knife, slice the steak across the grain into thin, bite-sized strips that are about 3-4 inches long. Place the steak into a large bowl (or inside a large plastic baggie). Add the shaoxing wine (or dry sherry/rice wine), ground cumin, salt/pepper- to taste, and cornstarch. Toss all ingredients well to fully combine. Then set the steak aside to marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Step 2

. In a wok or large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, working in batches, add the beef- don’t overcrowd pan. Cook the beef, searing well until the beef is golden brown and slightly crispy, about 2-3 minutes on each side. Then use a slotted utensil to transfer the cooked beef to a clean plate and set aside. Repeat the process until all beef is seared, adding more oil in between batches if your pan is dry.

Step 3

. With all seared beef set aside, if needed, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil into the pan. Add the onion and cook until softened and lightly caramelized, about 2-3 minutes. Then add in the garlic, red chilies (if using), ground cumin, and ground Szechuan peppercorns. Continue cooking until the garlic is fragrant and the spices toast up nicely, about 2 minutes. Then add the brown sugar and ginger, stirring well into the mixture.

Step 4

. Return the beef into the pan along with any residual juices that have collected, and add soy sauce, fish sauce, rice wine, and scallions, stir-frying the mixture until well combined and deeply fragrant. Continue cooking until the sauce has thickened and creates a glaze over the beef, about 2-3 minutes or so.

Step 5

. Remove from heat. If you’d like, add rice of choice into shallow bowls and top with cumin beef stir fry or serve alongside steamed veggies for a completely satisfying meal, as desired. Enjoy!