Black pepper beef is the dish you order when you want something bold, fast and deeply satisfying. Thin-sliced beef gets a quick velvet-tenderising marinade, then a screaming-hot wok flash-fries it with onion, capsicum and a generous crack of black pepper until everything is glossy and fragrant.
It's one of those Cantonese-style restaurant staples that's actually much simpler than it tastes — the whole thing comes together in about the time it takes to cook a pot of rice. The trick is having everything prepped and within arm's reach before the wok goes on, because once it's hot, this dish moves fast.
We like ours with a generous amount of freshly cracked black pepper for real warmth rather than just heat, balanced against a savoury oyster sauce base. Spoon it over steamed rice and dinner is sorted.
