Garlic steak in black pepper sauce

Cut the ribeye into three quarter inch cubes.

Marinate the beef with the cornstarch, baking soda and Chinese cooking wine. No salt goes in the marinade because the flavour is all in the sauce.

Mix the oyster sauce, soy sauce, black pepper, water, sugar, Sichuan peppercorn powder and dark soy sauce and set the sauce aside.

Heat a carbon steel frying pan over medium low with a drizzle of oil and saute the garlic a few minutes, until the surface is slightly golden. Turn off the heat, tilt the pan and remove the garlic, leaving the oil behind.

Crank the heat to maximum and wait for a slight smoke.

Add the beef, spread it out and sear on one side until nice and golden, then flip and give it a minute or two more. Do not overcook.

Turn the heat to low, return the garlic, add the sauce and mix thoroughly; the hot pan caramelises some of the seasonings.

Before turning off the heat, add the butter and toss to melt.