“This Cantonese classic needs no introduction, and needs little in the way of tweaking to bring it up to date,” says Kylie Kwong. “It’s all about fresh ingredients and using the best beef you can find. It’s a versatile sauce, so wallaby, pork, chicken or noodles also work well in place of the beef. It’s the ultimate all-rounder.”
Ingredients
Beef marinade
Method
1.For marinade, combine Shaoxing, sugar and 1 tsp sea salt flakes in a large bowl. Add beef, stir to coat and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2.Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wok over high heat until surface shimmers, then add half the beef and stir-fry until just cooked (30 seconds). Remove with a slotted spoon and sear remaining beef.
3.Add remaining oil, onion, ginger, garlic and black beans to wok and stir-fry until fragrant (30 seconds). Return beef to wok, add Shaoxing wine and stir-fry to combine (30 seconds). Add soy, vinegar, sugar and sesame oil and stir-fry for another minute. Add chilli and capsicum, stir-fry until just softened (30 seconds) and serve hot scattered with spring onion.
Salted black beans, fermented and salted soy beans, are available from Asian grocers.
Notes