Recipe: Spicy Szechuan Beef (not PF's Chang) for Suzanne

Spicy Szechuan Beef

1/2 lb beef flank steak, thinly sliced & julienned following the grain of the beef (any good steak will do)

3 tbl oil
2 slices ginger, thinly shredded
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 carrot, thinly julienned
2-3 wood ears (mushrooms), soaked and julienned(optional)
1 stalk celery, thinly julienned
3 tbl soup stock (use bouillon cubes dissolved in hot water)

MARINADE:
1 tbl soy sauce
2 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp oil
2 tsp wine
1/4 tsp sesame oil

HOT SAUCE:
1 tbl hot bean paste or chili sauce (sgm: I used chili sauce)
2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tbl vinegar
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp cornstarch solution (mix equal parts cornstarch and water)

Marinate beef for 30 minutes.

Combine hot sauce ingredients. Mix well and set aside.

Heat oil, ginger, and garlic in wok over high heat for 10 seconds. Add beef and stir-fry for between 1 minute and 1 and a half minutes. Add shredded carrot, wood-ear, celery and soup stock. Stir one minute.

Add hot sauce, stirring for 30 seconds. Add meat and stir well. Thicken with cornstarch solution. Serve hot.