Name: Chairman Mao's cherry cola skirt steak
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 60 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 1 1/2 hanger or skirt steaks (I prefer hanger steak for the kidney flavor); 2 ounces canola, vegetable, or corn oil, plus more for frying; 2 ounces rock candy; 3 ounces moutai or Chinese grain alcohol; 4 ounces rice cooking wine; 10 garlic cloves, chopped; 1 large onion, chopped; 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish (traditionally, people use ginger, but I use horseradish which goes better with red meat); 4 ounces soy sauce, plus 2 ounces dark soy sauce; 2 ounces fermented sweet rice sauce (available at any Asian grocery); 3 cups water; 2 cups cherry cola; 2 hu yieh leaves (dried lotus leaves); 8 Chinese buns (gwa bao, a white folded bun from any Chinese grocer)