Beef Stir-fry / Beef Chow Mein (serves 4)

Stir-frying is a fast Asian cooking method which allows vegetables and meat to retain both texture and flavour. This quick and easy beef stir-fry recipe originates in China, and is an appetising dish best served with rice.

Ingredients:

500g beef flank steak, sirloin steak as a substitute
5 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp Maizena mixed into a tbsp of water
200g fresh rice noodles or a packet of dried rice noodles
packet of baby sweet corn
2 garlic cloves
1 tbsp Chinese black bean sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
5 tablespoons oil for stir frying, or as needed

Method:

1. Cut the flank steak or sirloin steak across the grain into thin strips about half a centimeter thick.
2. In a large flat dish add the dark soy sauce, rice wine, sugar, sesame oil, and cornstarch. Marinate the steak in the mixture for 15 minutes.
3. While the steak is marinating, prepare the vegetables.
4. Finely chop the garlic cloves, coarsely chop the sweet corn and cut the cooked noodles into three centimeter strips.
5. Heat the wok and add two tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the beef. Lay flat and allow the steak to brown slightly.
6. Stir in the black bean sauce and stir-fry the beef until it is browned and nearly cooked through. Remove from the wok.
7. Clean the wok and add two more tablespoons oil. Once the oil is hot, add the garlic and stir-fry until aromatic.
8. Add the rice noodles and stir fry until browned.
9. Remove the noodles from the direct heat of the wok by pushing them up to the sides.
10. Add one tablespoon oil. When the oil is hot, add the baby corn and stir-fry briefly.
11. Mix with the noodles, stir in the oyster sauce and add the beef back into the wok.
12. Combine everything together and serve hot.