I really love the numbing effect of the Sichuan peppercorns and the touch of heat the chilli oil gives this stirfry. By all means, dial up the heat by adding more chilli oil.
This recipe is from Neil Perry’s cookbook Balance and Harmony: Asian Food (Murdoch Books, $125, hbk).
Ingredients
Sweet bean sauce
Method
Main
1.To make sweet bean sauce, mix together the sweet bean paste, Chinkiang vinegar, caster sugar, chilli oil and a pinch of sea salt.
2.Heat a wok until just smoking. Add half the oil and, when hot, stirfry the beef in batches until well browned, then remove and wipe the wok clean. Heat the remaining oil in the wok until just smoking and stirfry the ginger and garlic until fragrant. Deglaze the wok with the Shaoxing, return the beef to the wok with the sweet bean sauce and toss well to ensure the beef is evenly coated. Add the peppercorns, celery and green onion and toss to heat through. Spoon onto a plate and sprinkle with coriander to serve.
Note Shaoxing wine, sweet bean paste and Chinkiang vinegar are available from Asian supermarkets.
Notes