For marinating the beef: 400 g / 14 oz top sirloin steak (sirloin cap, flank steak, round, or flat-iron work), 15 g / 2 Tbsps cornstarch, 28 g / 2 Tbsps Chinese cooking wine, 8.3 g / 1.5 tsps dark soy sauce, 1 egg white, 13.6 g / 1 Tbsp oil. For the sauce: 36 g / 2 Tbsps oyster sauce, 8.3 g / 1.5 tsps soy sauce, 5.5 g / 1 tsp dark soy sauce, 4.8 g / 2 tsps ground black pepper, 6.3 g / 1.5 tsps sugar, 45 g / 3 Tbsps water, 1.3 g / 1/2 tsp cornstarch. For stir-frying and finishing: 41 g / 3 Tbsps oil to pan-fry the beef, 9 g / 2 tsps oil to stir-fry the aromatics, 30 g / about 10 cloves garlic, 270 g / about 6 shallots (peeled and quartered), 15 g / about 1 inch ginger (sliced thinly), 4.5 g / 3 Tbsps dried red chilies (seeded and cut into short pieces), 4 g / 1 Tbsp diced scallions as garnish.
- Cut the beef across the muscle grains into 1/8-inch thick slices. Place the beef in a mixing bowl and add the dark soy sauce, Chinese cooking wine, egg white, and cornstarch. Gently mix for 5 minutes and then set the beef aside for 15 minutes.
- While waiting, combine the oyster sauce, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, ground black pepper, sugar, cornstarch, and water in a bowl. Set it aside.
- This dish will be served in a small cast-iron pot or a heavy-duty skillet over a fondue set. Before stir-frying the beef, preheat the cast-iron pot over medium-low heat on a spare stove.
- Heat your wok until smoking hot, add 3 tablespoons of oil, and stir-fry the beef over high heat for 1.5 minutes or until the meat slices are lightly charred on the edges. Remove the beef from the wok and set it aside.
- Add the sauce to the same wok and stir over medium-low heat for 1.5 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Add the beef back and toss thoroughly. Turn off the heat.
- Once the cast-iron pot is piping hot, add 2 teaspoons of oil and toss in the garlic cloves, ginger slices, shallots, and red-dried chilies. Quickly stir for 20 seconds.
- Add the beef to the cast-iron pot, making sure to scrape down the sauce so you don't waste any flavor. Garnish with diced scallions.
- Light a fondue set and continue to heat the cast-iron pot over low heat on the dinner table to keep it sizzling while serving.
