Air Fried Crispy Chilli Beef

• 200-300g rump steak
• 200g cornflour seasoned with ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper
• 1 thumb size piece of fresh ginger
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 Birdseye chillies
• 20g coriander leaves and stems
• A handful dried red chillis
• vegetable oil, for frying

The Marinade

• ½ tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 1 egg

The Sauce

• ½ tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons tomato ketchup
• 6 tablespoons Chinkiang black rice vinegar
• 4 tablespoons honey

1. Spray the whole garlic with oil and pop it in the roasting draw at 160°C for around 20 mins.

2. Soak the dried chillis in a bowl of water. After twenty minutes of roasting, you will swap the garlic with the chillis and roast them for 2-3 mins.

3. Cut the meat into thin strips roughly 3mm wide and place in a mixing bowl. Add the marinade ingredients and, using your hands, massage the pieces until they are evenly coated. Then add the seasoned cornflour and massage into the meat. The meat will first stick together in clumps, but as you continue adding cornflour, each piece of meat will start to separate completely. Once all the meat has separated and the pieces are dry and dusty white, they are ready to be air-fried.

4. Finely dice the ginger, garlic, and chillies, and finely chop the coriander. Mix all the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl or ramekin.

5. BUILD YOUR WOK CLOCK: place your meat bowl at 12 o’clock, then arrange the garlic, chilli, sauce bowl, and coriander clockwise around your plate.

6. Spray the air fryer tray and the beef with a thin layer of oil.

7. Set up the air frier to 205°C and fry 4 mins - 1st fry

8. Take the basket out to spray the beef once more

9. Pop the tray back in to preheat whilst you are spraying the beef again

10. For the second fry, set up the air frier to 205°C 5 mins

11. In a separate wok, heat ½ tablespoon vegetable oil over high heat until smoking hot. Add the ginger, garlic, and chilli, lower the heat to medium and, stir-fry for 30 seconds until slightly crispy and fragrant.

12.Pour over the sauce mixture and bring to a vigorous boil, then add the crispy meat and give the wok two or three tosses to mix everything together. Spoon into a serving bowl and scatter over the coriander to finish. Serve immediately.

Pro Tip: Popping your rump steak in the freezer 30 minutes before slicing will harden the meat and make it much easier to cut it into even size pieces.