Imperial Beef
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Preparation time: 30 minutes plus 1 hour marinating time
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4
- 600g/21o.zs beef (around 4 rump steaks)
- 1.5 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 egg white
- 1/3 cup cornflour/fine cornstarch
- 1 carrot, peeled cut into matchsticks
- 1 litre/33flozs. oil for deep frying (can also be shallow fried)
For Sauce
- 1/2 cup/120ml/4flozs tomato sauce or ketchup
- 2 tablespoons Hoi Sin Sauce
- 1 tablespoon bean chilli condiment
- 1/2 cup/110g/3.9ozs. sugar
- 1 red chilli, sliced
Step 1 - Slice the beef into very thin strips. I slice the steak in half horizontally and then cut it into thin strips. Place in a bowl and mix with bicarb and let sit for 5 minutes.
Step 2 -Meanwhile mix the Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, salt, ginger, white pepper and egg white together in a bowl. Use a fork to break up the egg white if there are large jellied clumps of egg white. When the beef has had its time rinse the beef in a sieve well making sure to rinse off all the bicarb and then drain. Mix with the wine marinate and coat all of the beef. Cover and set aside in the fridge for 1 hour.
Step 3 -While it is marinating you can also get the sauce ready by measuring all the ingredients (tomato sauce, hoi sin sauce, bean sauce, sugar and chilli) and placing it in a large saucepan ready to heat up.
Step 4 -Add the cornflour to the beef and mix well to coat the strips. Heat the oil in a large pot to 180C/350F and have a plate lined with paper towels ready. Add the beef in 3-4 lots being careful not to overcrowd the pan and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes or until browned. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and place on the paper towels. Repeat with the rest of the beef and then add the carrot strips to the oil and cook until soft.
Step 5 -While the beef is cooking heat up the sauce on low to medium heat for 3-4 minutes, just to dissolve the sugar. When the beef and carrots are fried add these to the sauce (I reserve a bit of carrot to add to the top). Coat the beef and carrot with the sauce and serve with steamed rice.