fine dining experience

Crispy chilli beef

Ditch the takeaway and whip up this Chinese-inspired flash-fried steak with a sweet gingery sauce and red peppers

Ingredients

  • 350g thin-cut minute steak, very thinly sliced into strips
  • 3 tbsp cornflour
  • 2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
  • 100ml vegetable oil
  • red pepper, thinly sliced
  • red chilli, thinly sliced
  • spring onions, sliced, green and white parts separated
  • 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
  • cooked noodles, to serve (optional)
  • prawn crackers, to serve (optional)

Directions

Method

  • STEP 1

    Put 350g thin-cut minute steak strips in a bowl and toss in 3 tbsp cornflour and 2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder.

  • STEP 2

    Heat 100ml vegetable oil in a wok or large frying pan until hot, then add the beef and fry until golden and crisp.

  • STEP 3

    Scoop out the beef and drain on kitchen paper. Pour away all but 1 tbsp oil.

  • STEP 4

    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.

  • STEP 5

    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.

  • STEP 6

    Bubble for 2 mins, then add the beef back to the pan and toss well to coat.

  • STEP 7

    Serve the beef on noodles with prawn crackers, if you like, scattered with the remaining ½ sliced red chilli and sliced green parts of the spring onions.