Hot and sour beef stir-fry with green beans

SERVES 4

For the hot and sour sauce:

2 garlic cloves, finely grated

1 tsp dark brown sugar

6 anchovy fillets, drained and chopped

3 red jalapeño chile peppers, seeded and finely chopped

splash of Chinese rice wine

juice of 1 lime

1 tbsp honey

generous splash of Asian fish sauce

675g (1½lb) boneless sirloin (rump) steak, sliced into thin strips

handful of small green beans, trimmed

1 tbsp Asian sesame oil

Method:

1 First, make the hot and sour sauce. Using a mortar and pestle, pound all the ingredients, except for the rice wine and lime juice, into a smooth paste. Then add the lime juice a little at a time, tasting as you go, and season with salt. Set aside.

2 In a bowl, mix together the honey and fish sauce. Add the steak strips, stirring to coat. Blanch the beans in a pan of boiling water for a few minutes, then drain and refresh in cold water.

3 Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the steak and stir-fry, tossing the meat constantly, for 3–5 minutes until it is nicely browned. Remove with a slotted spoon, and set aside.

4 Add the hot and sour sauce to the wok, and stir for a couple of minutes. Return the meat to the pan, and stir in the beans. Increase the heat to high, add the rice wine, and let bubble for a minute or two. Serve immediately with noodles or rice.

Notes:

Refreshing the beans in cold water will stop the cooking process and help the beans keep their vibrant green color.

Hot and sour beef stir-fry with green beans