INGREDIENTS: (Serves 8 - 10)

   1.5kg (3.3lb) tender lean beef cuts * (I used porterhouse steak but cheaper cuts can be used instead. See * footnote below.)
   6 tbsps Black Bean Garlic Sauce (my favourite brand: Lee Kum Kee)
   3 medium onions (peeled and cut into wedges)
   300 gms snow peas (topped and tailed)
   3 medium carrots (peeled and thinly sliced)
   3 medium green or red capsicums (bell peppers) (cut into strips) 
   3/4 cup bamboo shoot pieces - (optional)
   1 cup beef stock (2 heaped tsps stock powder dissolved in 1 cup hot water)
   2 sticks celery stem - thinly sliced diagonally - (optional)
   6 tbsps cooking oil
   1 heaped tbsp cornflour/cornstarch
   1 1/2 cups cold water
   1 tbsp thick soy sauce
   1 tsp coarse milled black pepper (or to taste)

MARINADE:

   3 tbsps rice wine or dry sherry
   1 tbsp dark soy sauce
   1 tbsp thick soy sauce
   1 tbsp oyster sauce (optional)
   1 egg white
   1 tsp sugar
   3 tsps cornflour/cornstarch
   1/2 tsp bicarb of soda (optional)

PREPARATION METHOD:

Trim fat and any gristle off the beef and cut against the grain into very thin strips. (pic 1 below)

In a small mixing bowl, combine all marinade ingredients and mix well with a fork. (Makes approx 3/4 cup marinade.)

Pour over the prepared beef strips and mix thoroughly, cover and refrigerate until ready to cook.

[THIS DISH, AS WITH MOST CHINESE DISHES, IS BEST WHEN COOKED IMMEDIATELY BEFORE SERVING.]

In a small mixing bowl, mix 1 heaped tbsp cornflour/cornstarch with 1/2 cup of cold water until smooth, add another cup of cold water, mix well and set aside.

Heat 2 tbsps cooking oil in a non-stick wok over very high heat and stir fry half the beef strips for about a minute or until seared, remove and set aside.

Add another 2 tbsps cooking oil into the wok and do the same with the remaining beef strips, remove and add to the first batch.

Add the last 2 tbsps cooking oil into the wok and quickly stir-fry the onion wedges and carrots.

Add the black bean garlic sauce, beef stock, thick soy sauce and remaining vegetables and continue to stir-fry for about a minute.

Add the seared beef strips and stir-fry for another minute or two.

Stir cornflour + water mixture until well mixed and pour over contents of wok.

Continue to stir-fry until thickened and glossy (approx 15 secs).

If mixture is too thick, add 1/2 cup hot water and quickly stir through thoroughly.

Remove from wok and serve piping hot over steamed white rice.