Instructions: Combine the marinade ingredients in a medium bowl. Add the beef, stir to coat, and set aside for 30 minutes. Combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.

Place a wok or wide frying pan over high heat until hot. Add 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil, swirling to coat the sides. Add the beef and stir-fry until barely pink, about 2 minutes. Remove the beef from the wok and add the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add the garlic and onion and cook until the onion is soft and translucent, about 1 minute. Add the bell pepper; stir for 30 seconds. Stir in the tomatoes and the sauce mixture and mix well. Return the beef to the wok and add the cornstarch solution. Cook, stirring, until the sauce boils and thickens.

This recipe yields 4 to 6 servings.

Tip: If you wish to peel the tomatoes before cutting them into wedges, dip them in boiling water for 15 to 30 seconds, plunge them into cold water to cool, then pull off the skin in strips.

Comments: This is such a popular dish in most Chinese restaurants, I think of it as a blue plate special. It cooks in a flash, and the combination of beef, vegetables, and my secret sauce makes it a good choice for an easy one-dish entree to serve with rice or noodles.

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