Thai-style chilli beef
Ken Hom says: "It is the amount of fresh chillies in my Thai-style chilli beef that makes it Thai-style. Chinese would use either dry chillies but not fresh chillies in that quantity."
Factor in 20 minutes to soak the dried mushrooms and then this deliciously spicy stir-fry can be on the table in just another 15 minutes or so.
Ingredients
- 25g/1oz Chinese dried mushrooms
- 450g/1lb lean beef steak or fillet, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1½ tbsp groundnut oil
- 225g/8oz onions, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp coarsely chopped garlic
- 4 red chillies, seeds removed, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine, or dry sherry
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 3 tbsp chicken stock or water
- 1½ tbsp thinly sliced spring onions, to garnish
Method
Soak the mushrooms in a bowl just boiled water for 20 minutes.
Combine the beef with the salt, pepper and sesame oil in a bowl.
Drain the mushrooms and squeeze out the excess liquid. Remove and discard the stems and finely shred the caps into thin strips.
Heat a wok or large frying-pan until it is very hot. Add the oil, and when it is very hot and slightly smoking, add the beef and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes. Remove the beef from the wok, add the onions and garlic and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Then add the chillies and continue to stir-fry for 2 minutes.
Pour in the rice wine (or sherry), oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar and stock or water. Add the chopped mushrooms and the beef, and continue to stir-fry the mixture for 2 minutes, until the beef is thoroughly mixed through.
Add the spring onions just before you serve, then turn the stir-fry out onto a serving platter and serve at once!
