Sichuan pepper beef stir-fry
Fragrant spices, savoury soy and crunchy veg make this easy beef stir-fry recipe out of this world.
Ingredients
For the marinade
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
- 2 tsp ground Sichuan pepper
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce
- ½ tsp Chinese five-spice powder
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed and finely chopped
- 2 sirloin steaks, cut into strips
For the stir fry
- 2 tbsp groundnut oil
- 1 medium red chilli, de-seeded and chopped
- ½ onion, chopped
- 1 small handful broccoli, cut into small pieces
- 1 small handful mangetout, chopped
- 1 small handful carrots, sliced into half-rounds
- 1 small handful baby corn, halved
- 300ml/11fl oz hot fresh beef or vegetable stock
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp cold water
- 1 spring onion, finely sliced
- salt and ground white pepper
To serve
- steamed jasmine rice
Method
Mix all the marinade ingredients, except the beef, in a bowl. Add the strips of beef, mix well and leave to marinate for as long as possible, ideally overnight.
For the stir fry, heat a wok over high heat and add the oil. Add the marinated beef and stir-fry for two minutes.
Add the red chilli and onion and stir-fry for less than a minute then add the rest of the vegetables and stir-fry for another minute.
Add the hot stock and stir well. Add the light soy sauce to season.
Bring to the boil, add the cornflour and water paste and stir to mix thoroughly.
Add the spring onion, season to taste with the salt and ground white pepper.
Serve with steamed jasmine rice.
