Fajita Marinade

4 cups light soy sauce (the dark, imported Chinese kind is too strong)

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon each: garlic and onion powder

8 tablespoons ( 1/2 cup) fresh lemon juice

4 teaspoons ground ginger

1 skirt steak (about 3/4 -inch thick) for each of 3 guests (4- to 6-ounce portions)

Warm flour tortillas

Prepared pico de gallo or picante sauce

Combine soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic and onion powders, lemon juice and ginger in jar; shake to mix well and dissolve sugar. Let marinade stand in sealed jar overnight. Reserve about 1 cup. Pour remainder over beef and marinate, covered, 2 hours or overnight in refrigerator.

Remove beef from marinade and grill over very hot coals for a short time; it should take only about 10 minutes per steak if meat is 3/4 -inch thick or less. Brush meat with reserved marinade two or three times while cooking. Chop meat with a cleaver into bite-size pieces. Fold into warm flour tortillas and serve with pico de gallo. Makes about 1 quart marinade.

Notes: As a food safety precaution, do not reuse liquid in which meat has been marinated.

The secret to tender fajitas is a hot fire and short cooking time. Meat should be no more than 3/4 -inch thick. Flank steak, boneless sirloin, tenderized round steak, or boneless chicken breasts or chunks may be substituted for skirt steak.