Bistek Tagalog

I saw a picture of this dish on the Internet last week and  decided to give it a try. The whiff of lime and soy sauce emitting from the kitchen was so comforting.  It felt like I'm back home at my Nanay's kitchen. How I treasure those worry-less days. Nothing but finishing a homework is expected of me.  Mothers are really astonishing creatures. Nobody irritates a growing child more than their constant nagging and fast tract lecturing . My Nanay is renowned for her well developed bronchi. She could out-bellow a howling yeti any day. She's louder than any alarms I know every existed and  I swear, if she were born 2000 years ago, she could have risen Jesus on the second day. My brothers and I used to call her " Ang Kanyon" or  " The Machine Gun "  behind her back.  Yup, artillery,  for we go spread out faster than  any germs, cowering to dodge her booming vocal bullets, every time her infamous alto zooms  our way . Fast forwarding 25 years. Now,  I run my own household, pay my own taxes, settle my own bills, solve my own problems, find my own stuff , clean my own mess and cook for my own family . I somehow misses the time when she shrieks my name when dinner's getting cold and I'm still in my room, reading Tagalog pocket books. Aaahh those were the golden days. Why do we have to grow up and so, so damn fast?

Ingredients:

500 g sirloin or tender cut beef, sliced thinly

Juice from 3 limes

5 cloves of garlic, crushed 

1/2 cup light soy sauce , 1/4 cup dark soy sauce

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp corn starch

2 large onions, cut into rings

Oil for sautéing

Salt and lots and lots of pepper.

1.Marinate beef in lime juice, garlic, soy sauce and lots and lots of pepper. It's my personal preference by the way. Cover and refrigerate for few hours or overnight. Strain meat, keep the marinade.

2. Dissolve sugar and starch in the soy sauce and lime mixture. Set aside.Heat a bit of oil in a pan. Sauté onion rings until aromatic. Don't let it soften too much. Take out from the pan and set aside.

3.On the same pan, add a bit of oil and stir fry beef  with crushed garlic under high heat. Takes about 3 minutes. Don't overlook the beef otherwise , it turns tough and leathery. Put sautéed  onions back into the pan. Season with salt. Add in more pepper if you prefer it peppery like me.

4. Mix the soy sauce and lime juice mixture thoroughly, then,  add into the pan. Toss and stir. Done!

 Goes well with blanched broccoli and garlic rice. Enjoy!