Black Pepper Beef and Potatoes, Hong Kong Style

• 430g (10½oz) rib-eye steak
• 1 large maris piper or king edward potato
• 1 white sweet potato
• 1 small red onion
• 1 spring onion (scallion)
• 1 large fresh green chilli
• 1 large fresh red chilli
• 1 stick of fresh green peppercorns(optional)
• vegetable oil, for deep-frying
• 5–6 sprigs of fresh coriander (cilantro)

The steak marinade

• ¼ of a thumb-size piece of ginger
• 1 clove of garlic
• ¼teaspoon white pepper
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• pinch of salt
• ½teaspoon pure sesame oil
• ½ tablespoon cornfour (cornstarch

The sauce

• ¼teaspoon salt
• ½teaspoon sugar
• ½teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 1 tablespoon lee kum kee black pepper sauce
• 50ml (2f oz) fresh chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce

PREPARATION

• Prepare the Steak

  • Remove any rind or fat from the steak.
  • Slice the meat into 3mm (⅛ inch) thick rectangles.
  • Tenderize by bashing with a cleaver or meat hammer.

• Prepare the Marinade

  • Finely chop ginger and garlic.
  • Mix with the remaining marinade ingredients in a bowl.
  • Massage marinade into the meat, place in a food bag, seal tightly, and marinate overnight in the fridge.

COOKING

• Cook the Potatoes

  • Peel potato and sweet potato; cut into 2–3cm (¾–1¼ inch) cubes.
  • Boil in salted water for 5 minutes, then drain and roughen the edges by bashing them slightly.
  • Let cool (uncovered).

• Prepare Vegetables and Sauce

  • Roughly dice the onion and chop spring onion into chunks.
  • Chop red and green chilies.
  • Separate green peppercorns from the stick.
  • Mix sauce ingredients in a small bowl.

• Set Up Your Wok Clock

  • Place marinated meat at 12 o’clock.
  • Add onion, spring onion, chilies, and sauce bowl in clockwise order.

• Deep-Fry the Potatoes

  • Heat oil to 180°C (350°F) in a deep-fat fryer, wok, or saucepan.
  • Fry potatoes for 7–8 minutes until golden and crispy.
  • Drain on kitchen paper.

• Blanch the Meat

  • Heat 5 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a wok until smoking.
  • Fry meat in hot oil for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
  • Remove meat and drain on kitchen paper.

• Final Stir-Fry

  • Pour out excess oil from the wok and reheat until smoking.
  • Stir-fry onion and spring onion for 30 seconds.
  • Add chilies and fry for 10 seconds.
  • Pour in sauce, return meat to the wok, and stir-fry for 30 seconds.
  • Add crispy potatoes, toss to coat, and transfer to a serving bowl.

• Garnish and Serve

  • Garnish with coriander (cilantro) and serve.