Stir-fry beef with peanuts and choy sum

19th July 2016 - Recipes

Quick recipe finder Stir-fry beef with peanuts and choy sum

Preparation time

less than 30 mins

Cooking time

10 to 30 mins

Serves

Serves 4

Recommended by

7 people

Homemade Thai-style curry paste turns this beef curry into something special.

By John Torode From MasterChef

Ingredients

For the curry paste

½ tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp coriander seeds
1 blade of mace
11 white peppercorns
10 large dried red chillies, soaked for 15 minutes in hot water, seeds removed
4 shallots (preferably Thai), chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 stem of lemongrass, dry outer leaves removed, roughly chopped
thumb-sized piece of galangal
1 lime, zest only
4-5 coriander roots and stalk
1 tsp shrimp paste (blachan)
240ml/8fl oz thick coconut milk
100g/3½oz palm sugar

For the beef stir-fry

100g/3½oz choy sum
100g/3½oz gai lan (or more choy sum, or bok choi)
4 tbsp vegetable oil
500g/1lb 2oz thinly sliced beef fillet
5 lime leaves, shredded
1 long red chilli, finely chopped
3 tbsp curry paste (from above)
handful Thai basil
handful mint
handful coriander
handful roast peanuts, crushed

Method

To make the curry paste, place a dry frying pan over medium heat. Dry roast the cumin and coriander seeds, along with the mace and peppercorns until the cumin darkens. Remove from the pan and grind them to a powder in a pestle and mortar.
In a small food processor, blend the chillies with the shallots, garlic and lemongrass. Add the dry roasted spices, galangal, lime zest, coriander and shrimp paste. Blend to a paste. Fry the paste until fragrant, then stir in the coconut milk and sugar. Remove from the heat and set aside.
For the beef stir-fry, bring a pan of water to the boil and add the choy sum and gai lan. Blanch for one minute, then drain and refresh in ice-cold water. Chop the stems into bite-sized pieces and set aside with the leaves.
Meanwhile, heat a thick-based wok until very hot and then add the oil. Take the beef and drop it in so it sizzles. Once the beef is browned, add the lime leaves, chilli and choy sum stems with a good amount of the curry paste. Fry well so it goes sticky and sweet. Mix and then remove from the heat and add the herbs and the cooked choy sum and gai lan leaves.
Serve garnished with peanuts.

BBC One