Serves 4

Soy sauce and sherry make a sauce for a weeknight stir-fry of skirt steak and sweet, crunchy sugar snap peas. Use a very hot skillet (or wok) so the beef browns properly and cook the snap peas quickly so they retain their satisfying bite. Toasted white sesame seeds are in the Asian section of your local market, but substitute traditional white sesame seeds, if you have them. Add bowls of white or brown rice.

1 pound skirt steak, cut into thin strips

Salt and black pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon cornstarch

3 tablespoons soy sauce

3 tablespoons sherry

2 teaspoons sesame oil

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 pound sugar snap peas (about 5 cups), ends trimmed and strings pulled off

1 small red bell pepper, cored and thinly sliced

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 piece (2 inches) fresh ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks

1 small chile pepper (such as fresno), sliced into thin rings

3 scallions, chopped

1 tablespoon toasted white sesame seeds

1. In a bowl, toss the steak with salt, black pepper, and cornstarch.

2. In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, sherry, and sesame oil.

3. In a very large skillet over high heat, heat the canola oil. Add the beef in one layer. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, without stirring, or until the first side is well browned. Stir and cook 1 minute more. Transfer beef to a bowl.

4. Add the sugar snaps, bell pepper, garlic, ginger, and chile pepper. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Return beef to pan with any juices in the bowl. Stir in the soy sauce mixture and cook, stirring, for 1 to 3 minutes or until the sauce thickens slightly.

5. Stir in scallions and sesame seeds. Spoon onto plates and serve with rice. Karoline Boehm Goodnick

Karoline Boehm Goodnick can be reached at kboehmgoodnick@gmail.com