Shredded Beef with Hot Peppers Recipe

Shredded Beef with Hot Peppers Recipe

340g flank steak

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons rice wine or dry sherry

½ large egg (beat the egg until foamy, then measure out half)

Pinch of ground white pepper

Pinch of salt

2 tablespoons cornstarch

Vegetable oil, for passing through, plus 1 tablespoon

⅓ cup sliced canned bamboo shoots (cut 2 inches long

  and ⅛ inch thick)

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons sugar

About 150g assorted fresh hot peppers and chilies,

  mixed according to taste, seeds and ribs removed,

  cut into 2-inch-long shreds (½ cup)

1 leek, white part only, trimmed and cut into thin strips

  about 2 inches long, well washed

5 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced ⅛ inch thick

1 teaspoon dark sesame oil

Method:

Freeze the steak until it is partially frozen but can still be cut with a knife, about an hour, depending on the thickness of the steak and the freezer temperature.  Cut the steak across the grain into ¼-inch-thick slices.  Stack a few steak slices and cut them in half crosswise, then lengthwise into ¼-inch-thick strips.  Repeat with all the steak.  Mix the steak strips, 2 tablespoons rice wine, egg, white pepper and salt in a medium bowl.  Add 2 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon of the cornstarch and the 1 tablespoon oil and mix again.  Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.  Heat a large wok over high heat.  Add enough oil to come about 1½ inches up the sides of the wok and heat it to 180°C.  Carefully add the steak, taking care that the pieces do not splash or stick to each other and stir gently until they turn lightly brown, about 40 seconds.  Add the bamboo shoots and stir-fry for 20 seconds.  Using a wide wire-mesh strainer, transfer the steak and bamboo shoots to a colander to drain.  Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the oil from the wok.  Mix the soy sauce, sugar and remaining 2 teaspoons rice wine in a small bowl and set it aside.  Dissolve the remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch in 3 tablespoons cold water in another small bowl and set it aside.  Return the wok with the oil to high heat.  Add the peppers and chilies, leek and garlic and stir-fry until the peppers are crisp-tender, about 1 minute.  Return the steak and bamboo shoots to the wok, add the soy sauce mixture and stir-fry until the beef is heated through, about 20 seconds.  Add the cornstarch mixture and stir-fry until the sauce thickens, about 10 seconds.  Add the sesame oil and serve immediately.