Asparagus and Beef with Black Beans

Title:
Asparagus and Beef with Black Beans

Yield:
4 Servings

Categories:
Chinese




Ingredients:





     1 tb Salted preserved black beans


     2    Garlic cloves; minced


     2 sl Ginger (quarter-sized)


          - minced


   1/2 lb Flank steak


     1 sm Onion; sliced


     1 lb Asparagus; cut into 1/2-in


          -  thick diagonal pieces


     3 tb Peanut oil


   1/2 ts Salt


     1 tb Dark soy sauce


   1/2 c  Chicken stock


     2 ts Cornstarch; mixed with


     1 tb Water


   1/2 ts Sugar


   1/2 tb Oyster sauce


     1 ds Sesame oil


          Hot steamed rice





-------------------------------BEEF
MARINADE-------------------------------


   1/2 ts Sugar


     1 tb Rice wine or dry sherry


   1/2 tb Soy sauce


     1 ts Cornstarch


   1/2 ts 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 cornstarch, water, sugar and oyster sauce


 into a smooth paste. When the asparagus is tender but still crisp, add the


 cornstarch liquid into the center of the wok. Immediately stir until


 thickened, about 10 seconds. Return the beef, add a desh of sesame oil;


 toss to mix. Serve hot over rice.


 


 JOYCE JUE - PRODIGY GUEST CHEFS COOKBOOK


 


 From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini