Hawaii-Style Beef Tomato
A healthy comfort meal to use up your summer tomato supply when you are tired of marinara sauce. It's almost as easy to cook as it is to eat.
Equipment
- 1 large cutting board
- 1 chef's knife
- 1 medium bowl
- measuring cups and spoons
- 1 4-quart stainless steel pan or larger
- 1 small bowl
Ingredients
- 1 pound beef bottom round steak
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 5 tbsp soy sauce divided
- 1 large onion chopped into large pieces
- 1 large green bell pepper chopped into large pieces
- 3 large tomatoes cut into wedges
- 2 tbsp canola oil or neutral tasting oil
- 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp water
Instructions
- Thinly slice beef against the grain into strips, about ¼” thick. Place beef in a medium bowl.
- Add baking soda and 1 tablespoon of soy sauce to the beef and stir well to coat. Marinate for at least 15 minutes.
- While the beef is marinating, cut the vegetables. Place in a bowl and set aside.
- Heat a 5-quart stainless steel sauté pan on medium high heat. Add oil and beef and cook for 1 minute without stirring until the beef. Stir the beef, then cook for1 more minute until the beef is almost cooked through.
- Add the onion and bell pepper and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the tomatoes, the remaining 4 tablespoons (¼ cup) soy sauce, and rice wine vinegar and cook for 1 to 5 minutes until the vegetables are softened to your liking.
- In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and water together. Add to the sauté pan and stir constantly until the sauce thickens. Once it starts to thicken, turn the heat off.
- Serve immediately over steamed rice.
Video
Notes
Tips and Tricks
What other cuts of beef can I use?
Any cut of beef will work in this recipe. Flank steak, skirt steak, and sirloin steak are popular cuts. This recipe is great for using those cheaper and tougher cuts of beef that need to be tenderized before cooking.
If your budget is tight, ground beef or ground or sliced pork for stir fry will work in a pinch. The flavor of this dish will not be the same if you opt for chicken or turkey.
Can I switch out the onions and bell peppers for other vegetables?
Yes. Feel free to use whatever vegetables you have lying around in your fridge. Celery, thinly sliced carrots, or other colors of bell peppers. Whatever you decide, just make sure that the tomato is the dominant plant in your dish or it won’t have the same beef tomato flavor you are craving.
Are other sizes of tomatoes okay to use?
Yes. You want about 3 to 3 ½ cups of tomatoes total. Beef steak or slicing tomatoes work the best. Roma tomatoes are another good substitution.
Cherry, grape, or snacking size tomatoes will result in too much tomato skins in your dish. But if you don’t mind it, go ahead and use it.
Save the heirloom tomatoes (which are several dollars more expensive per pound) for raw dishes where you can really taste the freshness of the tomato.