Crispy chilli beef

• minute steak↗350g thin-cut g

  very thinly sliced into strips

• cornflour↗3 tbsp tbsp
• Chinese five-spice powder2 tsp tsp
• vegetable oil↗100ml ml
• red pepper↗1

  thinly sliced

• red chilli↗1

  thinly sliced

• spring onions↗4

  sliced, green and white parts separated

• garlic cloves↗2

  crushed

• ginger↗thumb-sized piece

  thumb-sized piece, cut into matchsticks

• rice wine vinegar↗4 tbsp tbsp

  or white wine vinegar

• soy sauce↗1 tbsp tbsp
• sweet chilli sauce↗2 tbsp tbsp
• tomato ketchup↗2 tbsp tbsp
• cooked noodles

  to serve (optional)

• prawn crackers

  to serve (optional)

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Put 350g thin-cut minute steak strips in a bowl and toss in 3 tbsp cornflour and 2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder.

2. 2

   Heat 100ml vegetable oil in a wok or large frying pan until hot, then add the beef and fry until golden and crisp.

3. 3

   Scoop out the beef and drain on kitchen paper. Pour away all but 1 tbsp oil.

4. 4

   Add 1 thinly sliced red pepper, ½ thinly sliced red chilli, sliced white ends of 4 spring onions, 2 crushed garlic cloves and thumb-sized piece ginger, cut into matchsticks, to the pan. Stir-fry for 3 mins to soften, but don’t let the garlic and ginger burn.

5. 5

   Mix the 4 tbsp rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce and 2 tbsp tomato ketchup in a jug with 2 tbsp water, then pour over the veg.

6. 6

   Bubble for 2 mins, then add the beef back to the pan and toss well to coat.

7. 7

   Serve the beef on noodles with prawn crackers, if you like, scattered with the remaining ½ sliced red chilli and sliced green parts of the spring onions.