Crispy chilli beef

• 600gBeef stir-fry strips
• 4 tbspCornflour
• 100mlVegetable oil, for shallow frying
• 2Peppers
• 1Brown onion
• 2 clovesGarlic, grated
• 20gFresh ginger, grated
• 6 tbspSweet chilli sauce
• 3 tbspSoy sauce
• ½ tspChilli flakes
• 4Spring onions
• 300gBasmati rice

Plus salt, pepper and water.

Method

1. 1

   Rinse the rice and boil it in plenty of salted water for 12 minutes. Drain and cover with the lid.

   15 min, mostly hands-off

2. 2

   Meanwhile, slice the peppers and onion into thin strips. Grate the garlic and ginger, and slice the spring onions, keeping the green tops separate. Stir the sweet chilli sauce, soy sauce and chilli flakes together with 2 tbsp water.

3. 3

   Pat the beef dry with kitchen paper and cut any thick strips in half lengthways. Toss with the cornflour and a good pinch of salt until every strip is coated.

4. 4

   Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan over a high heat. Shake the loose cornflour off the beef and fry it in three batches for 2 to 3 minutes each, until deep golden and crisp. Lift onto kitchen paper.

5. 5

   Carefully pour off all but 1 tbsp of the oil. Stir-fry the peppers, onion and spring onion whites for 3 minutes, so they soften but keep some bite, then add the garlic and ginger for 30 seconds.

6. 6

   Pour in the sauce and let it bubble for a minute until glossy. Tip in the beef, toss quickly to coat and serve on the rice with the spring onion greens scattered over.