Beef with Tomatoes 

Serves 3 - 4

Ingredients
1 pound (500 g) tender beef (sirloin or round is good)
6 medium tomatoes
2 stalks celery
2 green onions
2 thin pieces ginger
1 clove garlic, crushed

Seasonings for Beef
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 - 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons oil
1 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste

Oil for cooking
1 tablespoon sugar (if desired)

Mixture
1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with water

Directions
Cut the beef across the grain in thin slices that are approximately 1 1/2 inches long. Add to seasonings and mix with chopsticks. If you like, you can add a small piece of baking soda to tenderize the beef. Let the meat marinate for about 15 minutes. 
While meat is marinating, heat a large pot of water to boiling and prepare the vegetables. Cut 2 slices of ginger into slivers. Crush and chop garlic into thin pieces. Cut the celery and green onion along the diagonal into thin slices.
Scald the tomatoes, plunging them briefly into the boiling water, remove the skin and cut each into six equal-sized pieces.*
Heat wok and add oil. When oil is ready, add meat, spreading out to brown. Stir fry until the redness is gone, turning the meat over once. Remove and set aside. Add more oil, and stir-fry the ginger, garlic, and celery, and add the tomatoes. Add 1 tablespoon of sugar and salt to taste. Cover and bring to a boil. 
Thicken with cornstarch mixture, add meat and mix together quickly. Serve hot with rice and green onions as a garnish. 

*If preferred, you can leave out this step, cooking the tomatoes with the skins on.   
 
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