Nuea Phad Kratiem Phrik Thai (Beef with Garlic and Pepper)

Ingredients

• 600 g flank steak or skirt steak, partially frozen, sliced 3 mm across the grain
• 8–10 cloves garlic, thinly sliced, not minced
• 30 g fresh green peppercorns, on the stalk; or black peppercorns, cracked
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp dark soy sauce
• 3 tbsp neutral oil, for the wok
• 1 small bunch fresh coriander, leaves picked, to finish

Method

1. 1
   Slice the partially frozen beef 3 mm thick across the grain, so the short muscle fibres yield under the tooth rather than pulling away in long, chewy ropes. Set a wok over maximum heat until smoking, then add the oil and swirl to coat — the oil should shimmer and begin to haze immediately, telling you the surface is ready.
2. 2
   Add the sliced garlic and toss continuously so the pieces move constantly and colour evenly rather than scorching on one side. At roughly 30 seconds the sharp, raw note gives way to a nut-sweet, beginning-to-Maillard smell and the garlic is fragmentarily golden at its edges — this is where the dish lives or dies, because at 45 seconds the garlic is at its peak, and at 60 seconds the first bitter note enters and cannot be corrected. The beef must enter the wok the moment that nut-sweet smell arrives.
3. 3
   Add the beef slices and spread them flat against the wok surface, leaving them undisturbed for 30 seconds so the hot metal sears the exposed face and drives off surface moisture before any tossing can trap steam and stew the meat. A steady, forceful sizzle confirms the wok has held its temperature; a muffled, wet sound means the heat has dropped and you must wait a few seconds more before moving anything.
4. 4
   Toss the beef and garlic together for a further 30 seconds, so the uncoloured side of each slice meets the hot wok surface and both faces take on colour. The slices should show a seared exterior and be just cooked through — at 3 mm they will be tender within this 2-minute window without tightening.
5. 5
   Add the green peppercorns, oyster sauce, fish sauce, and dark soy sauce, then toss everything together for a final 30 seconds so the sauce reduces against the hot wok walls and clings to the beef and garlic in a glossy glaze rather than pooling in the base. If liquid is sitting at the bottom of the wok after 30 seconds, raise the wok to bring the liquid into contact with the hottest part of the surface and toss hard for a few seconds more.
6. 6
   Remove from heat immediately and scatter fresh coriander leaves over the surface. Total wok time from garlic to plate is approximately 2 minutes. Serve at once over steamed jasmine rice.