Ingredients
- 350g thin-cut minute steak very thinly sliced into strips
- 3 tbsp cornflour
- 2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
- 100ml vegetable oil
- 1 red pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 red chilli, thinly sliced
- 4 spring onions, sliced, green and white parts separated
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- thumb-sized piece ginger, cut into matchsticks
- 4 tbsp rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
- 2 tbsp tomato ketchup
- Put 350g thin-cut minute steak strips in a bowl and toss in 3 tbsp cornflour and 2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder.
- Heat 100ml vegetable oil in a wok or large frying pan until hot, then add the beef and fry until golden and crisp.
- Scoop out the beef and drain on kitchen paper. Pour away all but 1 tbsp oil.
- Add 1 thinly sliced red pepper, ½ thinly sliced red chilli, sliced white ends of 4 spring onions, 2 crushed garlic cloves and thumb-sized piece ginger, cut into matchsticks, to the pan. Stir-fry for 3 mins to soften, but don’t let the garlic and ginger burn.
- Mix the 4 tbsp rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce and 2 tbsp tomato ketchup in a jug with 2 tbsp water, then pour over the veg.
- Bubble for 2 mins, then add the beef back to the pan and toss well to coat.
Method
Another chinese inspired recipe. As I look back at recent posts here, I am surprised how many are chinese based. I suppose it is the combination of speed, and the ability to get lots of veggies into the Offspring which makes them good subjects. It is also true that I have a store cupboard that always has in it the basics for chinese flavouring, and I am beginning to understand it.
This recipe was a request from the middle daughter to make the classic take-away style crispy chilli beef. To be honest the result is not as crispy as the take-away or shop bought versions which are probably deep fried, where this one is shallow fried. It was however universally like by the Offspring and would definitely do again. I used beef skirt as a cut - cheap and flavourful and responsive to this kind of quick cookery. I served this with plain white rice and some pak choi which I stir fried with garlic