Deep-Fried Chili Beef

From Flavors of China by Clare Ferguson

24 oz beef rump steak or fillet, cut 1/2 inch thick
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup hot chili sauce or Sriracha
1 small fresh hot chile, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup rice wine or dry sherry
1/4 cup corn starch
2 tablespoons chili oil or peanut oil, to help separate the beef slices
2 inches fresh ginger
2 cups broccoli
2 medium carrots
2 cups fresh mushrooms, optional
2 8-oz cans bamboo shoots, drained
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons sea salt
1/2 cup beef stock or beer
4 scallions, finely sliced
peanut oil, for frying

Serve with rice!

To make the beef easier to cut, half-freeze until firm. Using a Chinese cleaver or other very sharp knife, slice it into wafer-thin strips, across the grain or on the diagonal. Cut these slices crosswise into 2 or 3 pieces.

Mix the soy sauce, chile sauce, chile, rice wine, and cornstarch in a bowl. Add the beef strips, toss until well-coated, then drizzle over 2 tablespoons of the oil and set aside.

To prepare the vegetables, separate the broccoli into small florets and cut the carrot diagonally into 2-inch thick slices. If using mushrooms, remove and discard the stems, and cut larger mushrooms into halves or quarters.

Fill a wok about one-third full of peanut oil and heat to 375. Add the beef and deep-fry rapidly for 15 to 30 seconds, or until brown outside, part-rare inside. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on crumpled paper towels. Keep the beef warm.

Pour off most of the oil, leaving about 1/2 cup in the wok. Add the carrots and stir-fry over high heat for 1 minute, then add the broccoli, bamboo shoots, and mushrooms, if using, and stir-fry for 1 minute until crisp and tender. Add the sugar, salt, and stock, then return the beef to the wok. Reheat briefly, stirring, then serve, sprinkled with sliced scallions.