Shui Zhu Niu Rou — Sichuan Boiled Beef

Ingredients

• 450g beef sirloin or rump steak, sliced very thinly across the grain
• For the marinade: 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp cornflour
• 1 egg white
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 200g beansprouts
• 2 celery sticks, thinly sliced on the diagonal
• 150g Chinese leaf, roughly shredded
• 5 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
• 3 tbsp Pixian chilli bean paste (doubanjiang)
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 4cm piece fresh ginger, finely chopped
• 3 spring onions, white parts only, sliced
• 600ml beef or chicken stock
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 1 tsp light soy sauce
• For the topping: 15 dried Chinese red chillies, snipped in half, seeds shaken out
• 2 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• Small handful of fresh coriander

Method

1. Mix the beef with the marinade ingredients and leave for 20 minutes.

2. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a wok and stir-fry the beansprouts, celery and Chinese leaf over a high heat for 1 to 2 minutes until just wilted. Tip into a large, deep serving bowl.

3. Add 2 tbsp of the oil to the wok on a medium heat and fry the chilli bean paste for 1 minute until the oil is red. Add the garlic, ginger and spring onion whites and fry for 30 seconds.

4. Pour in the stock, add the sugar and soy sauce, and bring to a simmer for 5 minutes.

5. Lower the heat so the broth is barely simmering. Slide in the beef slice by slice, separating them, and poach for 1 to 2 minutes until the slices turn from pink to grey. Do not overcook.

6. Pour the beef and broth over the vegetables in the serving bowl. Scatter the dried chillies, Sichuan peppercorns and chopped garlic on top.

7. Heat the remaining 2 tbsp oil in a small pan until it begins to smoke and pour it over the chillies. They will sizzle fiercely, so stand back. Scatter with coriander and serve with steamed rice.