Crispy chilli beef

Serves 4

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Marinating time: 10 minutes - 24 hours
Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients
350g rump steak, thinly sliced into 3mm strips
100ml flavourless oil
2 dried red chillies

Ingredients for the marinade
½ tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
½ tbsp shoaxing rice wine (optional)

Ingredients for the seasoned flour
5 tbsp cornflour
½ tsp ground white pepper
½ tsp salt
2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder

Ingredients for the sauce
1 carrot, thinly sliced
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 red chillies, thinly sliced
4 spring onions, sliced, green and white parts separated
2 garlic cloves, crushed
7g fresh ginger, thinly sliced into matchsticks
4 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsps shoaxing rice wine
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp tomato ketchup

Method
Put the steak in to a bowl and add the sesame oil, sugar, light soy sauce and rice wine (if you are using) into the bowl and mix.  Leave to one side for at least 10 minutes.  For soft beef, leave in the fridge for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Mix the cornflour, white pepper, salt and Chinese five spice together.

Drain off any excess marinade and cover in the seasoned cornflour.

Heat the oil in a large pan or wok over a medium high heat and when hot, add the beef and dried chillies and fry until golden and crispy.  Remove the beef with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.  Carefully remove the oil to a bowl and put to one side.

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in the wok over a medium high heat and add the carrot and onions and cook for 2 minutes before adding ¾ of the chillies, the white of the spring onions, the garlic and ginger.  Cook for a further 2 minutes or so until soft.

Meanwhile mix the rest of the sauce ingredients together and add to the vegetables.  Cook until the sauce bubbles and then return the beef to the pan. Turn over two or three times to coat.  When hot, put into a serving bowl and top with the remaining chilli and the green of the spring onions.