Quick and Easy: Sesame-soy Flank Steak

Louisville (Ky.) Courier-Journal

Easy and richly flavored, this sauce of sesame, soy and honey requires little effort to make a delicious dinner in only moments. It's poured from bottles and cans — a sort of Asian version of canned mushroom soup, only better.

If you have the ingredients but not the flank steak, don't hesitate to use other meats or grilled or baked tofu.

Raw flank steak slices more easily if you freeze it an hour or so before you slice it. Partially frozen, it stays put while you slice it. If it isn't firm, it will shimmy back and forth a little as you slice. That's not a big deal, however, and even if the slices look a little shaggier, they still will cook beautifully.

• 1 (1-to-1 1/2 pound) flank steak
• 3 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Slice flank steak across the grain as thinly as possible — no wider than a quarter-inch thick. Place the strips in a bowl with sesame seeds, honey, soy sauce, sesame oil if using, hot pepper flakes, black pepper and salt. Toss to coat the steak with ingredients.

Heat a wide skillet or wok over high heat for 30 seconds. Add vegetable oil and heat several seconds more so it becomes very hot. Add the steak strips and marinade to the pan and stir constantly until they have browned all over.

Serve with rice and blanched sugar snap peas. Serves four.