Crispy Chilli Beef

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
• cooked noodles, to serve (optional)
• prawn crackers, to serve (optional)

Preparation

Serves 3

1. Put 350g thin-cut minute steak strips in a bowl and toss in 3 tbsp cornflour and 2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder.
2. Heat 100ml vegetable oil in a wok or large frying pan until hot, then add the beef and fry until golden and crisp.
3. Scoop out the beef and drain on kitchen paper. Pour away all but 1 tbsp oil.
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.
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.
6. Bubble for 2 mins, then add the beef back to the pan and toss well to coat.
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.