Another mid-week marvel that I make regularly, this Chinese-style stir fry packs a punch thanks to the Szechuan peppercorns and fresh chilli. You can replace the beef with either chicken or pork, and substitute beans, asparagus or other vegetables for the snow peas.
500g rump or fillet beef, trimmed and cut into thin strips
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine (Chinese rice wine)
1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
2 teaspoons Szechuan peppercorns
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 birds eye chillies, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
250g snow peas or sugar snap peas, trimmed
Half bunch long green shallots, sliced into 4cm lengths
1. Place the beef, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine and five-spice powder in a bowl and marinate for 10 minutes.
2. Dry roast the peppercorns in a hot wok for 1 minute or until fragrant. Grind in a mortar and pestle until fine.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in the wok over a high heat. Drain the beef from the marinade (reserving the marinade) and stir fry in 2 batches until brown and just cooked, about 2 minutes. Remove the beef and any juices to a plate.
4. Heat another 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in the wok and add the chillies, garlic and ground peppercorns and stir fry for 30 seconds. Add the snow peas, shallots, beef and reserved marinade and stir fry for a further minute.
5. Serve with steamed jasmine rice.