A Criollo-Chifa icon built for high heat. Juicy beef, still-crisp vegetables, and a bold soy-and-vinegar sauce arrive with fries and white rice: hearty, glossy, and unmistakable from the first bite.
Turn what you find into an experience you can actually bring to your kitchen.
Cut the beef steak into thick strips and pat it very dry with paper towels. Then cut the red onion and tomato into thick wedges, slice the yellow chili into strips, and chop the cilantro. Keep everything separate and ready: once the pan is smoking hot, this dish moves too fast for more prep.
Cut the potatoes into even fries. Heat almost all of the oil and fry them in 2 batches for 6 to 8 minutes per batch, until golden outside and tender inside. Drain on paper towels, season lightly with part of the salt, and keep them uncovered so they stay crisp.
Season the beef with the remaining salt, black pepper, and cumin. Leave only a thin film of oil in the pan and get it very hot; sear the beef in 2 batches, leaving it untouched for about 45 seconds at first, then tossing for 30 to 45 seconds, until the edges are deeply browned but the center is still juicy. Remove each batch as soon as it reaches that point.
With the pan still very hot, add the remaining oil, garlic, red onion, and yellow chili; stir-fry for 45 to 60 seconds, until the onion looks glossy and just starts browning at the edges while staying firm. Add the tomato and toss for 20 seconds more. Pour in the red wine vinegar and soy sauce, return the beef with its juices, and toss for 30 to 45 seconds, just until the sauce turns glossy and coats everything without becoming soupy.
Turn off the heat and fold in the cilantro. Serve immediately with the fries and cooked white rice; let some fries touch the sauce and keep the rest outside it so the same plate has both saucy and crisp bites. If the beef is browned, the onion still has bite, and the sauce looks glossy, you nailed it. Done! 🔥
