Ingredients
- 300 g (11 oz) rump or sirloin steak, trimmed
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons Shaoxing rice wine
- 2 teaspoons cornflour (cornstarch)
- 4 dried Chinese mushrooms
- oil for deep-frying
- 4 slices ginger
- 1 spring onion (scallion), cut into short lengths
- 75 g (2 1/2 oz) snowpeas (mangetout), ends trimmed
- 1 small carrot, thinly sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2-3 tablespoons chicken and meat stock
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
Method
1. Cut the beef across the grain into thin bite-size slices. Combine with half the sugar, the soy sauce, rice wine, cornflour and 2 tablespoons water. Marinate in the fridge for several hours, or overnight.
2. Soak the dried mushrooms in boiling water for 30 minutes, then drain and squeeze out any excess water. Remove and discard the stems and cut the caps in half, or quarters if large.
3. Fill a wok one-quarter full of oil. heat the oil to 180°C (350°F), or until a piece of bread fries golden brown in 15 seconds when dropped in the oil. Cook the beef for 45-50 seconds, stirring to separate the pieces, and remove as soon as the colour changes. Drain well in a colander. Pour the oil from the wok, leaving 2 tablespoons.
4. Reheat the reserved oil over high heat until very hot and stir-fry the ginger and spring onion for 1 minute. Add the snowpeas, mushrooms and carrot and stir-fry for 1 minute, then add the salt, stock and remaining sugar and stir-fry for 1 minute. Toss with the beef and oyster sauce.
