Beef In Black Bean Sauce

   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)

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.

  
  
  
  

                  
* HOW TO TENDERIZE CHEAPER CUTS OF LEAN BEEF


                  
(e.g. blade or round steaks) for Chinese cooking.




                  
1. Slice meat as required in recipe.


                  
2. For every 500gm of beef, dissolve 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda in 3 tbsps hot
water.


                  
3. Add to meat and knead well until all the liquid has been absorbed.


                  
4. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.


                  
5. Cook as directed in Chinese stir-fry recipes.

OzLadyM