Crispy Asian Chilli Beef Mince Food

CRISPY CHILLI BEEF

Steps:

• 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.
• 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.

LIGHTER CHINESE CHILLI BEEF

Steps:

• Put the meat in the freezer 25-30 mins before you plan to start cooking. This will firm it up a bit and make it easier to slice really thinly.
• Meanwhile, remove the core and seeds from the pepper and cut it into very thin strips. Slice the spring onions diagonally and slice the broccoli spears in half or quarters through the stems and florets. Thinly slice the pak choi. Mix together the orange juice, vinegar, soy sauce and chilli sauce. Set aside.
• Slice the beef into very thin strips. In a bowl, beat the egg white with a fork to make it slightly frothy, then stir in the beef with the five-spice powder, cornflour, flour and a good grinding of pepper so everything is evenly coated. Pour 1 tbsp of the oil into a non-stick wok or frying pan. When it's very hot (test if ready by dropping a small piece of beef in - it should immediately sizzle), put the beef in, stirring to separate, and stir-fry for 3-4 mins. remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
• Steam the broccoli spears for 11⁄2 mins, then sit the pak choi on top and steam for another 45 secs-1 min until both are tender-crisp. Remove and cool under running cold water so that they stop cooking and retain their colour. Set aside.
• Pour the remaining oil into the wok and heat it again until very hot. Throw in the garlic, ginger, red pepper and spring onions, and stir-fry for 2-3 mins until starting to brown. Add the chilli flakes, then pour in the soy sauce and orange juice mix with 4-5 tbsp water. As it comes to the boil, stir in the beef and steamed veg, and cook briefly just to heat through. If you want a little more sauciness, splash in another 1-2 tbsp water.