I love Paulie making Chinese at home as it is so quick, once you have done all the chopping, and it is packed full of flavour. Our 2 favourite sauces are Black bean and Oyster Sauce, you can mix these with more of less any proteins or vegetables. On this occasion we had a cheap piece of beef and we hadn’t had any broccoli for a while, so Paulie knocked up this little number. It is also a great way to have a carb free night too. If you haven’t already given black bean’s a try, please do as the irresistible salty sweet little morsels burst in your mouth and make your taste buds come alive. The other thing which is a must try is the tenderising process of the meat in the marinade, it results in the most tender melt in the mouth and juicy meat ever!

Ingredients – Inspired from a recipe by Ken Hom – Serves 2

450g (1lb) Sirloin or Fillet Steak
1 Head of Broccoli
2 tbsp ground nut oil
Bunch of Spring Onions
2 tbsp from a jar of black beans, coarsely chopped
1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh root ginger
4 tbsp water
1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
salt and pepper
2 tbsp oyster sauce

For the marinade

1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tsp cornflour

Method

1. Put the beef in the freezer for 20 minutes. This will allow the meat to harden slightly for easier cutting
2. Slice the beef into thin bite size pieces and then put into a bowl with the marinade ingredients and combine. Cover with cling film and put in the fridge for 30 minutes
3. Now Cut the Broccoli into florets, chop the spring onions and prepare the Ginger and Garlic
4. Once the Beef has marinated, heat a Wok until hot and then add 1 tbsp of Oil.
5. Stir fry the beef for 2 minutes and then remove with a slotted spoon and put in a bowl to rest – the meat will continue to cook while resting.
6. Rinse the Wok with a little water and wipe clean
7. Heat the Wok until very hot and then add the remaining oil
8. Now add the Spring Onions, Garlic, Ginger and Black Beans and Stir fry for 1 minute
9. Next add the Broccoli and stir fry for another minute after which you can add the water. Turn the Wok down slightly and let the Broccoli cook for about 3 minutes – Try a small piece to see if its cooked to your liking, if not add a bit more water and cook till it is!
10. Turn the Wok back up to hot and add the Shaoxing Wine or Dry Sherry, followed by the Beef and then the Oyster Sauce. Make sure all the ingredients are well combined and hot
11. Spoon mixture out into warm bowls and serve at once.