This was one of the most popular dishes in my family’s restaurant. A good brand of oyster sauce does not taste at all fishy. Rather, it has a meaty flavour and goes very well with beef or pork. This dish is delicious served with plain steamed rice (see here).
| Classic Chinese |
| Preparation time 25 minutes |
| Serves 4 |
450 g (1 lb) lean beef steak
3 tablespoons groundnut (peanut) oil
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
1½ tablespoons finely chopped spring onions (scallions)
FOR THE MARINADE:
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
2 teaspoons cornflour (cornstarch)
1 Cut the beef into thin slices 5 cm (2 inches) long and put them in a bowl. Add all the marinade ingredients and mix well. Leave the beef to marinate for 20 minutes.
2 Heat a wok or large frying pan until it is very hot. Add the oil and, when it is very hot and slightly smoking, add the beef slices and stir-fry for 3–5 minutes, until they are lightly browned. Remove and drain well in a colander set inside a bowl. Discard the drained oil.
3 Wipe the wok or pan clean and re-heat it over a high heat. Add the oyster sauce and bring to a simmer. Return the drained beef slices to the pan and toss them thoroughly in the sauce. Turn the mixture on to a warm serving platter, garnish with the spring onions and serve at once.