Garlic beef in oyster sauce with vegetables

Ingredients

• 1 pound (450g) beef (topside / porterhouse / sirloin / flank / scotch fillet) (thinly sliced across the grain)
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch / cornflour
• 4 tablespoons dark soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste / tomato concentrate
• 2 cloves garlic (minced or finely chopped)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large carrot (cut into julienne strips)
• 1 large pak choi (thickly sliced)
• 1 cup broccoli florets
• 1 cup brussels sprouts (peeled and halved)
• 1 cup white mushrooms (sliced)
• 1 cup beansprouts (rinsed)
• 2 beef stock cubes (or you can use chicken or vegetable stock cubes)
• 1 cup tomato passata
• 4 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon dried chilli flakes (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger paste
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon cornflour / cornstarch (mixed to a paste with 2 tablespoons cold water)
• salt (to your own taste (if necessary))

Instructions

1. 1

   --- Preparation ---

2. 2

   Prepare the marinade by mixing the cornstarch (cornflour), minced garlic, soy sauce and tomato paste in a small bowl.

3. 3

   Slice the beef thinly against the grain and stir into the marinade. Set aside to marinate while you prepare the vegetables. (See note 1).

4. 4

   Peel the carrot and slice into thin julienne strips. Break the broccoli into small florets. Wash the pak choi, and slice into approximately 1½" lengths. If the white bulbous part of the leaf is very large, cut in half. Peel the outer skin from the brussels sprouts and cut in half. Wipe the mushrooms to remove any surface dirt and slice or quarter. Rinse the beansprouts under cold water and drain in a colander. (See note 2)

5. 5

   Dissolve the stock cubes in 2 cups of boiling water. Then stir in the remaining sauce ingredients (with the exception of the salt).

6. 6

   --- Fry the meat ---

7. 7

   Heat the olive oil in a wok or large frying pan, then lift the meat strips from the marinade and fry briefly until they start to brown. Once browned on both sides, remove to a plate and set aside while you make the sauce. Reserve any remaining marinade to add to the sauce later.

8. 8

   --- Make the sauce ---

9. 9

   Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the frying pan and stir in the vegetables. Add 2 tablespoons of water, cover with a lid and allow the vegetables to steam over a very low heat for about 4 minutes until the vegetables are wilted and starting to soften.

10. 10

    Once the vegetables have wilted, pour in the prepared sauce, cover with a lid, bring to the boil and then reduce the heat and leave to simmer for 5 minutes.

11. 11

    Add the meat and any remaining marinade, replace the lid and leave for another 5 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked to your taste.

12. 12

    Taste for seasoning and add a sprinkling of salt if necessary.

13. 13

    Thicken the gravy (if it needs it) by stirring in the cornstarch/water paste. Bring back to the boil then remove from the heat and serve with white rice or Chinese noodles. See note 3.