Beef Slices, Semarang Style

500 g rump steak (topside or top rump will do but take a little more cooking), sliced into small escalopes
15 g butter or 1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced lengthwise
1 large ripe tomato, skinned and chopped
1 stick cinnamon
2 cloves

Marinade
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
10 peppercorns, ground
3 tablespoons dark soy sauce
3 tablespoons brown sugar
Freshly grated nutmeg

Beat the escalopes with a mea tbat until they are very thin. To make the marinade, mash the onion and garlic to a fine paste. Combine this with the pepper and soy sauce, and if you are using them, the sugar and a pinch of nutmeg. Marinate the meat slices in this sauce for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Heat the butter or oil in a wok or frying pan, add the sliced onion and fry it until soft. Add the meat slices and marinade, and stir fry for 1 minute. Then add the tomato and a little water. Stir and allow to cook uncovered until the meat is tender, the tomato soft and there is not too much gravy.

To cook this dish to Sumatran taste, do not add sugar to the marinade, but add a stick of cinnamon and 2 whole cloves during the final cooking and remove them before serving.