RECIPE: Make Sweet Octopus’ Garlic Pepper Beef
I am obsessed with Sweet Octopus. The poke bowls are awesome, but I can replicate them at home. The Garlic Pepper Beef is “to die for”! Can you please try to obtain a home recipe for their dedicated fans? Thanks. — Chris Casey, Norcross
Teck Mun Ho, manager of Sweet Octopus, was quick to share this recipe, a mainstay of the Thai portion of the restaurant’s menu and the creation of chef Narabhatra Bimbameka.
The menu lists the Garlic Pepper Beef as being made with premium Black Angus “tender beef.” It turns out the restaurant uses teres major, a cut that comes from the same section of the cow as the chuck. It’s approximately the size of a pork tenderloin and considered the second-most tender cut of beef, after the tenderloin.
You may be able to find a butcher that can supply teres major, but we tested the recipe with beef tenderloin. You’ll still need to do some specialized shopping. The recipe calls for two kinds of soy sauce and Golden Mountain Seasoning sauce, all of which you can find at stores that carry Thai groceries. We bought ours from ImportFood.com, an online shop specializing in Thai ingredients. It’s worth seeking out these ingredients as they make all the difference in this dish.
You can find Thai fried garlic where you purchase Thai ingredients or make your own. Simply mince four or five garlic cloves, saute the garlic in a neutral oil (canola or vegetable) until it turns golden brown, drain on a paper towel, and set aside until needed. You can do this in advance and store the garlic in the refrigerator until needed. It should keep for about a week.
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon thin soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Golden Mountain seasoning sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dark sweet soy sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons water or chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 10 ounces Black Angus teres major or beef tenderloin, sliced into thin strips
- 1 pound broccoli florets
- Thai fried garlic and freshly ground black pepper, for garnish
- Steamed rice, for serving
- In a small bowl, make sauce by combining oyster sauce, thin soy sauce, Golden Mountain seasoning sauce, dark sweet soy sauce, water or chicken stock, and sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves, then set aside.
- In a wok or large skillet, heat oil over high heat until very hot. Add beef and stir-fry until beef is crisp, about 2 minutes depending on thickness of strips. Remove beef from wok or skillet and add broccoli. Stir fry until broccoli just begins to turn translucent, about 4 minutes. Return beef to wok or skillet and add reserved sauce. Stir together and remove from heat. Transfer to serving plate and sprinkle generously with Thai fried garlic and freshly ground black pepper. Serve with rice. Makes 3 cups.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per 1/2 cup serving: 206 calories (percent of calories from fat, 65), 11 grams protein, 7 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 15 grams total fat (5 grams saturated), 33 milligrams cholesterol, 334 milligrams sodium.From the menu of ... Sweet Octopus, 3559 W. Lawrenceville St., Duluth. 678-825-2990, sweetoctopus.com.
Is there a recipe from a metro Atlanta restaurant you’d like to make at home? Tell us and we’ll try to get it. We’ll also test it and adapt it for the home kitchen. Because of volume, we can’t answer all inquiries. Send your request, your address and phone number to fromthemenu@gmail.com and put “From the menu of” and the name of the restaurant in the subject line.
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