Recipe Asian style Beef with Peppers and Sweet Potato

Morning Glory

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This is a recipe I've been working on for a while as a 'bifurcating' recipe. Sounds a bit rude! But what I mean is that I cook it for meat lovers and vegetarians using the same basic processes. The vegetarian version is virtually identical in method. It looks every bit as pretty and takes a lot less time! The vegetarian parts are in green text. The beef version is pictured.

This recipe feeds two greedy people but it can stretch to three.

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Photographed today in natural light augmented by LED

Ingredients:
500g casserole steak
(use a drained can of black beans for vegetarian version)
1 onion chopped into chunks.
4 garlic cloves grated or pushed through a garlic press.
I small thumb of ginger, grated.
1 tbsp of flour.
3 tsp Chinese five spice powder.

2 red chillies, deseeded if you wish and finely chopped
1 large red pepper
1 large sweet potato
1 tsp of sugar
3 tbsp of soy sauce
2 tbsp fish sauce (omit this for vegetarian version)
300 ml of vegetable stock (I used a stock cube)
Vegetable oil for frying.

To garnish (optional):
Toasted pine nuts
Fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves.

Method
  • Cut the casserole steak into large chunks and brown in hot oil. Set aside. Omit this step for vegetarian version.
  • Soften the onions in the oil then add the garlic and ginger and fry for a few more minutes
  • Stir in the flour, then add 2 tsps of the the five-spice and chopped chilli and the sugar.
  • Add the beef or black beans to the pan with the soy sauce, fish sauce (omitted for vegetarian version) and vegetable stock stir and heat through until the sauce thickens.
  • Cook, covered, in a very low oven for at least 3 hours. I used a slow-cooker (crockpot). For vegetarian version cook for 15 minutes on a low heat and set aside.
  • Meanwhile, prepare the (bell) peppers. Cut the deseeded peppers into strips and grill (broil) until charred. Place in a freezer bag or cling film and leave until cooled. Peel off most of the skin - its easy using your fingers. Leave a few charred bits for taste and appearance.
  • Prepare the sweet potato by boiling for approx. 15 minutes until tender. Drain.
  • 10 minutes before serving add the red pepper strips and sweet potato and the remaining tsp of five-spive powder to the beef or bean stew and heat through.
Serve with rice or noodles and garnish with toasted pine-nuts and fresh coriander (cilantro).

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I knew you would be out guns blazing. I had a quick look and it seems doable. I don't have to tell you about how thrilled I am about the photography.
 
I knew you would be out guns blazing. I had a quick look and it seems doable. I don't have to tell you about how thrilled I am about the photography.
I'd love you to try it out. The five spice/soy sauce gives the beef or beans an incredibly exotic favour.
 
I think this would also work well with substituting the beef with soya chunks/tvp.
I expect it would - I don't have any experience using them. I noticed you used them in your Vegan Red Lentil and Red Pepper Indian Curry so I tried to buy them in my on-line shops from Tesco and Ocado, so I could try out your recipe. Neither stocked them. It seems you have to go to healthfood shops to buy them. I thought that was odd, given the fact that the supermarkets stock so many other vegetarian products.
 
I expect it would - I don't have any experience using them. I noticed you used them in your Vegan Red Lentil and Red Pepper Indian Curry so I tried to buy them in my on-line shops from Tesco and Ocado, so I could try out your recipe. Neither stocked them. It seems you have to go to healthfood shops to buy them. I thought that was odd, given the fact that the supermarkets stock so many other vegetarian products.
That is odd. Waitrose used to but we have noticed that recently we haven't been able to get them there either. We now get them from Holland and Barrett. They are not expensive and the best thing from a vegetarian/vegan point of view is that they are 50% protein so are really packed with protein.
 
The pictures are amazing. They are so colorful and vibrant that you can almost taste the flavors. Looking over this recipe I know I have to definitely make this one. The only thing that I am thinking I may have a hard time finding is the Chinese five spice powder. I have never heard of it before and I am not sure if it is something I could find around here. We do have a few Asian grocery stores so I will have to stop by one and see if they have it.
 
The pictures are amazing. They are so colorful and vibrant that you can almost taste the flavors. Looking over this recipe I know I have to definitely make this one. The only thing that I am thinking I may have a hard time finding is the Chinese five spice powder. I have never heard of it before and I am not sure if it is something I could find around here. We do have a few Asian grocery stores so I will have to stop by one and see if they have it.
You can make your own. http://www.food.com/recipe/chinese-five-spice-powder-24232

I expect you will say you can't get some of those ingredients! :laugh:
 
The pictures are amazing. They are so colorful and vibrant that you can almost taste the flavors. Looking over this recipe I know I have to definitely make this one. The only thing that I am thinking I may have a hard time finding is the Chinese five spice powder. I have never heard of it before and I am not sure if it is something I could find around here. We do have a few Asian grocery stores so I will have to stop by one and see if they have it.
You can buy it in Walmart's in Canada, I think:http://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/gourmet-chinese-five-spice/6000029901598
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I'd love you to try it out. The five spice/soy sauce gives the beef or beans an incredibly exotic favour.
I have not had anything beefy in this house for ages. The last thing I had was some mince meat that was probably so old it probably started to grow. I guess being the substitute boss I could find several ways around it.
 
@L_B I have the Chinese 5 Spice Powder, but I can't remember where I bought it. The stores here don't typically stock exotic spices or other hard to find products, so it may be easier to find than you realize. You may have just overlooked it because you weren't familiar with it. If not, Amazon probably sells it. I used to go to the Hong Kong Market a lot. They have all sorts of interesting products there, including some really nice plants that I can't find elsewhere.

This dish looks really tasty, and doesn't seem that difficult to make. I hope I can try it at some point, thanks for sharing @morning glory.
 
That is odd. Waitrose used to but we have noticed that recently we haven't been able to get them there either. We now get them from Holland and Barrett. They are not expensive and the best thing from a vegetarian/vegan point of view is that they are 50% protein so are really packed with protein.
Well I'm off to stay with my friend in Saffron Walden on Sunday and there is a Holland and Barrett right there, So I'll be experimenting!
 
Thank you I will check at the Walmart the next time I'm there! I know they have a wide variety of spices but I never really took that time to look at them before.
Failing that you could alternative make your own from the rather more common spices it is made up from.

INGREDIENTS
  • 1 tsp ground Chinese cinnamon (Cassia bark) or cinnamon if not available
  • 1 tsp ground cloves
  • 1 tsp fennel seed, toasted and ground
  • 1 tsp ground star anise
  • 1 tsp sichuan peppercorns, toasted and ground, or black peppercorns & coriander seeds if not available (1:2 ratio)
Info on Sichuan peppercorns
http://www.cooksinfo.com/szechuan-peppercorns
 
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