2 lbs. beef boneless chuck, tip or round
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 1/2 c. water
1/4 c. soy sauce
2 tbsp. dry white wine or sherry
1 thin sliced peeled fresh ginger or 1 tsp. ground ginger
1 green onion, cut lengthwise into halves
1 clove garlic, cut into halves
1 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. pepper

Trim fat from beef; cut beef into 1 1/2 inch cubes. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in wok or skillet until hot. Stir-fry beef cubes until brown on all sides, about 2 minutes. Do cubes in portion if necessary, adding 1 tablespoon more oil.

Mix water, soy sauce, wine, ginger root, green onion, garlic, sugar and a pepper, add to beef. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until beef is tender, about 1 hour. Serve with hot cooked Chinese noodles.