Sirloin Strips over Rice

Three weeks out. I started packing, which for me means putting things in a pile on the bed and staring at them. I am not a good packer. I am a man who has worn the same five shirts in rotation for twenty years and now has to decide what to wear in Vietnam. Linh called and told me to pack light, breathable fabrics. I said I own exactly two shirts that aren't flannel. She said, "Buy more." I said, "I'm going to Vietnam, not a fashion show." She said, "Bobby. You are going to Vietnam with Mom. You are representing this family. Buy a decent shirt." I bought two shirts. They are collared. I do not recognize myself.

The photo album is finished. Thirty photos, chronological: Huy and Mai's wedding photo from Saigon (the only pre-1975 photo that survived), their arrival in Houston, Linh and me as kids in Alief, the family at the house on the Fourth of July, Tyler's Little League team, Emma's first communion, Lily's high school graduation, the grandkids that Mai doesn't know about yet (I put in the most recent family photo from Thanksgiving). The last page is blank. I'm saving it for a photo from the trip.

Emma had her first ultrasound this week. She texted me a grainy image that looked like a weather radar but was, she assured me, a baby. I stared at it for five minutes. I could see a head. Maybe. I said, "That's the most beautiful weather pattern I've ever seen." She sent a laughing emoji and then a heart. I saved the image. I did not show anyone because it's a secret. I am a vault. A vault who talks to his smoker when he's alone, but a vault nonetheless.

Cooked for Mai Saturday — I've been cooking for her more than usual because in three weeks we'll be eating someone else's food and I want to fill her up with mine first. Made her favorite: thit kho. The caramelized pork and eggs. I added extra coconut water this time because she likes the sauce thin enough to pour over rice. She ate two servings and said, "In Saigon, my mother made this with more pepper." I said, "Should I add more pepper?" She said, "No. This is how you make it. That was how she made it. Both are right." This might be the most generous thing she has ever said about my cooking.

I know thit kho is Mai’s recipe—her mother’s recipe, really—and some nights I reach for something that feels like mine to give her instead. Sirloin strips over rice is that dish for me: tender meat, a pan sauce that soaks right down into the rice the way she likes, something warm you can eat two servings of without thinking about it. With three weeks left before we fly and every Saturday feeling a little more like a goodbye-for-now, I wanted to leave her something she could taste even after I’m gone for the night. This one does that.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 lb sirloin steak, thinly sliced into strips
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water
3 cups cooked white rice, for serving
2 green onions, sliced, for garnish

Instructions

Marinate the beef. Combine sirloin strips with soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Toss to coat and let sit for at least 5 minutes while you prep the rest.
Sear the strips. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the sirloin strips in a single layer and sear for 2–3 minutes per side until browned. Work in batches if needed to avoid crowding. Remove beef and set aside.
Cook the aromatics. In the same pan, reduce heat to medium. Add sliced onion and cook for 3–4 minutes until softened and lightly golden. Add minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
Build the sauce. Pour beef broth into the pan and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Whisk together cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl, then stir into the broth. Let simmer for 2 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
Finish together. Return the seared sirloin strips to the pan and toss to coat in the sauce. Simmer for 1–2 minutes until the beef is heated through and the sauce clings to the strips.
Serve. Spoon generously over steamed white rice and garnish with sliced green onions. Serve immediately while the sauce is still loose enough to soak into the rice.

Nutrition (per serving)

Sirloin Strips over Rice — The Meal I Make When I’m Trying to Say Something I Can’t Say Out Loud