Sizzling Beef with Spring Onions and Black Bean Sauce

sea salt and freshly ground black peper
200g long grain or basmati rice
1 x 230g sirloin or rump steak
a thumb sized piece of fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic
1/2 a red chilli
2 spring onions
a small bunch of coriander
2 tbsp sesame oil
groundnut oil
2 tbsp good quality black bean sauce
2 - 3 tbsp soy sauce
1 lime
1 egg

Bring a pan of salted water to the boil, add the rice and cook according to packet instructions.  Drain the rice and run under a cold tap then allow to dry out in the fridge. 

Trim any excess fat from your steak and slice the meat into finger sized strips.  Peel and finely slice the garlic and ginger then finely slice the chilli.  Cut the ends of the spring onions and finely slice.  Pick the coriander leaves and put to one side then finely chop the stalks.

Get a big bowl and put in the ginger, garlic, chilli, spring onions, coriander stalks and steak strips.  Add the sesame oil and mix everything together.

Preheat a wok or large frying pan on a high heat until very hot then add some groundnut oil and swirl around.  Add the chopped ingredients from the bowl and give the pan a good shake to mix everything quickly.  Stir fry for about 2 minutes but make sure it doesn't burn.  Add the black bean sauce and stir in 1 tbsp of soy sauce and the juice of half a lime, keep tossing.  Taste and season with black pepper and a little more soy sauce.


Remove the pan from the heat then cover with tin foil to keep warm.


Give the pan a quick wipe with kitchen paper and put back on the heat, add some groundnut oil and swirl around.  Crack in the egg and add a tbsp of soy sauce (the egg will cook very quickly so keep stirring.)  Once the egg has scrambled stir in the chilled rice, scraping from the sides and bottom of the pan.  Keep mixing for a few minutes until the rice is steaming hot then taste and season with soy sauce.

Divide the rice between two bowls or plates then spoon over the meat and black bean sauce mix then sprinkle over the fresh coriander leaves.

Chicken Chow Mein


thumb sized piece of fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves
3 tbsp tomato ketchup
2 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 large red pepper
5 spring onions
200g bean sprouts
1/2 chicken breasts
3 nests medium egg noodles
1 tbsp sunflower oil

Remove the skin from the ginger and grate 1 tbsp into a bowl.  Crush the garlic into the bowl then add the ketchup, oyster sauce, soy sauce and 3 tbsp water and stir.

Remove the seeds from the pepper and cut into strips, cut the ends from the spring onions and slice.  Boil a large pan of water and drop in the noodles, simmer for 4 minutes then drain in a colander.


Heat the wok and when hot add the oil and chicken,  fry the chicken for a few minutes then add the pepper and cook for a further minute.  Pour the sauce into the wok and stir well until bubbling.  Ad the noodles, beansprouts and spring onions a handful at a time and toss in the sauce until well coated, stirring constantly until the beansprouts wilt.


Serve in bowls.