Chinese Pepper Steak with Fishcake Instead of Pork or Beef Strips

One of the most popular items on the menu at many Chinese restaurants is pepper steak. It's satisfying, colorful, and you get the nutritional benefit of the vegetables and protein from the pork or beef strips, so you don't feel much guilt until the dish arrives, but once it does, you remember the fat content. It would be nice to be able to make it yourself, but preparing the meat well is not so easy, so it feels daunting to attempt as a weeknight dinner option. This is where you can cheat with fishcake, for a certified bona fide fake version of this dish.

All of the ingredients are cheap.

Cut the fishcake lengthwise to look at least somewhat like meat strips.

Since fishcake absorbs liquid and expands, cut it horizontally as well. Once you've cut it down to size, add the fishcake and bamboo strips to a skillet and start boiling them with sesame oil, five spice, Okinawan spice, annd a dash of cooking wine.

We're using ordinary green bell peppers. Wash them for prep.

Start by halving them lengthwise, then rip out the seeds. I'm pretty violent with this, because it's a neat little stress release.

Once they're halved, it's easier to remove the little black "tail" thing at the bottom. Those drive me crazy for reasons I can't explain. Then you can cut them lengthwise into strips and add them to the skillet.

Doesn't it vaguely look the part?

It's quick and easy, so it does well as one of several pseudo-Chinese vegetable dishes for a family-style meal. The bean sprouts and broccoli & cashew nut dishes shown here have already appeared in this blog.