INGREDIENTS:
1 tbsp salted black beans
2 garlic cloves; minced
2 slivers ginger (quarter-sized) - minced
250g steak
1 small onion; sliced
500g asparagus; cut into 1/2-in - thick diagonal pieces
3 tbsp peanut oil
1/2 tspn salt
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tspn cornflour; mixed with 1 tbsp water
1/2 tspn sugar
1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 dspn sesame oil
hot steamed rice
-----------------------BEEF MARINADE-----------------------
1/2 tspn sugar
1 tbsp rice wine or dry sherry
1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tspn cornflour
1/2 tspn sesame oil
COVER THE BLACK BEANS with warm water for 5
minutes. Drain. Rinse thoroughly to remove salt. Put into a bowl with the garlic
and ginger; mash into a paste and set aside. Slice the beef against the grain
into 1/4-inch thick slices; toss with the beef marinade. Set aside for 10
minutes. Preheat a wok until hot. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil. Over high heat,
add beef and stir-fry for a minute or until seared; remove and set aside. While
wok is hot, add remaining oil, salt and reserved black-bean paste; stir-fry
until fragrant, a few seconds. Toss in the onions, stir-fry for 10 seconds, then
add the asparagus in 2-or-3 batches, seconds apart, making certain the wok is
hot before adding the next batch. Toss and stir until asparagus are coated with
the oil. Sprinkle with soy sauce, toss together, then pour in the stock and
bring to a boil. If the asparagus needs more cooking, cover for a minute.
Meanwhile, stir the cornflour, water, sugar and oyster sauce into a smooth
paste. When the asparagus is tender but still crisp, add the cornflour liquid
into the center of the wok. Immediately stir until thickened, about 10 seconds.
Return the beef, add a dash of sesame oil; toss to mix. Serve hot over
rice.
4 servings