Honey chilli beef with garlic lettuce recipe

Prepare: less than 30 mins
Cook: 10 to 30 mins
Serve: Serves 2
Dietary: Dairy-free Nut-free Pregnancy-friendly

Rump steak is deep-fried to crispy perfection and served with a hot garlicky lettuce side.

By Suzie Lee

From Saturday Kitchen

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Ingredients

For the beef

500g/1lb 2oz rump steak, cut into thin strips against the grain
1 tsp cornflour
pinch fine sea salt
pinch ground white pepper
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
vegetable oil, for frying
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 green pepper, thinly sliced
2 spring onions, finely sliced, to garnish

For the sauce

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 red chilli, finely sliced and seeds removed if less heat preferred
2 tbsp light soy sauce
160g/5¾oz runny honey
4 tbsp distilled white vinegar
pinch fine sea salt

For the batter

2 free-range eggs, beaten
8 tbsp plain flour
8 tbsp cornflour
pinch fine sea salt
pinch ground white pepper

For the stir-fried lettuce

2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
1 iceberg lettuce, cored, leaves separated and any large leaves torn in half
2 heaped tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp light soy sauce

Recipe tips

Method

To make the beef, put the beef strips in a bowl and add the cornflour, salt, white pepper, soy sauce and sesame oil. Mix to coat, then set aside to marinate for at least 5 minutes.
To make the sauce, mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl.
To make the batter, put the beaten egg in a wide shallow bowl and put the flour, cornflour, salt and white pepper in a separate wide shallow bowl. Toss the beef through the egg and then through the flour mixture.
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
Pour about 1cm/½in vegetable oil into a deep heavy-based saucepan over a high heat. Place the end of a wooden spoon in the oil – if bubbles sizzle around the spoon, the oil is hot enough. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)
Shake off any excess flour from the beef strips, then carefully drop a handful into the oil, spreading them out as you do so. Cook for 1–2 minutes on each side, then transfer to a wire rack set over a baking tray and continue with the remaining beef. Make sure to fry the beef strips in small batches, to avoid overcrowding the pan, and be careful not to overcook them. Place the beef on a baking tray in the oven to keep warm and crisp.
Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a wok over a high heat. Fry the onion and pepper for 1 minute until browned.
Add the sauce to the wok along with a splash of water to loosen it. Let the sauce bubble for 3–4 minutes until sticky. Add the beef strips and quickly toss until everything is coated in the sauce. Cook for 2 more minutes.
To make the stir-fried lettuce, heat the oil in a wok over a high heat, then fry the garlic for about 2 minutes until golden. Remove the garlic slices and set aside, then pour enough water for blanching into the wok and bring to the boil.
Blanch the lettuce leaves quickly until just wilted, then strain, reserving the water. Transfer the leaves to a bowl.
Place the oyster sauce, soy sauce and a ladleful of the blanching water in a small saucepan, mix well and bring to the boil for 2 minutes. Drizzle the sauce over the lettuce in the bowl, then sprinkle the garlic slices over the top.
Garnish the beef with the spring onion and serve with the garlic lettuce on the side.