Wok on a Weeknight Black Pepper Beef Stir Fry

• total time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

Beef

200g sliced beef (skirt or rump)

1 tbsp shaoxing wine

1 tbsp corn starch

1 tbsp neutral oil

1 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp bicarb soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp white pepper

Sauce

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tsp dark soy

1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp honey

1 tbsp water

1–1.5 tsp cracked black pepper

Other ingredients

1 white onion, sliced

3 garlic cloves, 2 sliced, 1 grated

3 spring onions, cut into batons

2 dried red chillies roughly chopped

1 Gai lan,

To serve

white rice

Fried shallots

Directions

Velvet the beef: In a bowl, mix sliced beef with Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, cornflour, bicarb, oil, salt and white pepper. Set aside to marinate for 15 minutes.

Make the sauce: Combine light soy, dark soy, rice wine vinegar, brown sugar, honey, water and cracked black pepper. Set aside.

Sear the beef: Heat a wok over high heat with oil. Add the beef in a single layer and leave it untouched to develop charred edges. Once just cooked, remove from the wok.

Cook the aromatics & greens: In the same pan, add onion, spring onion, dried chillies and garlic. Cook until fragrant, then add gai lan and toss until just tender.

Bring it together: Return the beef to the wok, pour in the sauce and add more spring onion. Toss until the sauce thickens slightly and coats everything.

Finish: Stir through a knob of butter for extra gloss and richness.

Serve with rice and fried shallots