Recipe(tried): Hunan Beef, Sweet and Sour Meat Balls, Sesame Seed Peanut Butter Noodles

HUNAN BEEF & Sweet and Sour Meat balls & Sesame Peanut Butter Noodles.

This steak dish is agreeably hot, not overpowering so that your eyes water. The meat is glazed, not sauced, which makes it most compatible with softly stir-fried spinach.

1 flank steak, approximately 1 lb. cut in thin diagonal slices
1 clove garlic, peeled
2 T. finely minced ginger
4 fresh chilis, seeds removed, finely minced
Pinch of cayenne pepper
2 T. oil
1/2 cup shredded carrot

MARINADE

3 T. dark soy sauce
1 T. dry sherry
1 T. cornstarch

1/2 lb. spinach
1 1/2 T. oil
1 T. light soy sauce
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 cup chopped peanuts

Marinate the steak for half an hour. While it marinates, heat oil in the wok and add garlic, swishing it until the clove begins to darken. discard the garlic. Remove the steak from the marinade, allowing as much liquid as possible to drip off. Stir-fry the meat in two batches, stirring briskly to make certain all sides are cooked. Set it aside in a warm place.

Stir-fry the ginger for thirty seconds and remove it. Fry the chilis by pressing them down in the oil until they turn blackish. This happens quickly, in twenty seconds or so; they look burned, but they are not. Return the ginger to the wok, add the carrot, and stir-fry until the carrot is coated with oil, ginger, and chilis. reduce the heat to medium, add 1 T. water, cover, and steam-cook until the carrot is softened, about two to three minutes. Add the steak, stirring swiftly to thoroughly combine everything, then remove it to a warm place.

Remove the stems from the spinach, wash it thoroughly, and either pat it dry with paper towels or spin it dry. Heat the oil in the wok, add the spinach, and the moment it begins to wilt (in about fifteen seconds), add the soy sauce and sugar. Stir-fry briskly for another ten seconds, until the spinach is softened, but not soggy.

To serve: Arrange the spinach on a platter, top it with the steak, and sprinkle chopped peanuts over all. A mild green vegetable such as asparagus, green beans, or snow peas is an appropriate counterpoint to serve with this dish. A fresh chili flower garnish is just right with Hunan Beef.
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SWEET & SOUR MEAT BALLS

Almost everyone's favourite at a party. Too good, in fact, to be saved only for special occasions; they will make a welcome family dinner.

2 lbs. ground beef
3 T. dark soy sauce
1 T. oyster sauce
1 T. ginger, finely minced
4 T. oil

SAUCE

1 1/2 cups tomato juice
3 T. cider vinegar
2 T. brown sugar
1 T. Hoisin sauce
1 T. ginger, finely minced
1/4 tsp. chinese five Spices
freshly ground black pepper

THICKENER

1 1/2 T. cornstarch mixed with 3 T. water

Combine the beef, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and ginger, mixing thoroughly. shape into balls, small for a party, a little larger for a main-course meal. Fry in the oil, rolling the balls around to brown evenly.

Put the sauce ingredients in a saucepan and bring rapidly to the boil. Boil briskly for two minutes. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve to remove the ginger, return to the saucepan and add the thickener. Stir until the sauce is thickened, about one minute.

TO SERVE: For a party, arrange the meat balls around a platter with a toothpick in each. Serve sauce for dipping in a small bowl or in a hollowed-out cabbage on the platter. For a main course meal pour the sauce over the meatballs. Lovely over pasta or rice, too.

Elegant & Easy Chinese Cooking..Iris Nowell

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SESAME SEED PEANUT BUTTER NOODLES

Source: Eating Well

Makes 2 appetizer servings

I love this dish and have always enjoyed it as an appetizer or a side dish.

4 ounces fine egg noodles
4 teaspoons sesame oil
1/4 cup sesame paste or smooth or chunky peanut butter
3 tablespoons hot water
1 teaspoon Szechuan chili paste or hot sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

In a large saucepan, bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are tender, 7 minutes or less. Drain noodles and run under cold water until they are thoroughly chilled and the strands are separated. Drain thoroughly. Turn the noodles into a bowl and toss with 1 teaspoon of the sesame oil. Set aside.

Spoon the sesame paste or peanut butter into a mixing bowl. Gradually add the hot water. Stir in the chili paste, sugar, garlic, vegetable oil, soy sauce, vinegar, salt, to taste, and 1 tablespoon sesame oil. Mix until well combined.

Arrange the noodles on a serving dish. Spoon the sauce over the noodles. Serve warm or cold.

Courtesy of Shun Lee, New York, New York.