Preparation
- Toss the beef strips in a bowl with the cornflour, five-spice powder, salt and pepper until evenly coated.
- Heat the oil to 190 °C in a deep pan or wok. Fry the beef in small batches for 4 to 5 minutes until golden and crisp, lift out with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
- Pour off all but about 1 tablespoon of the oil. Stir-fry the pepper, chilli (except the garnish half), the white of the spring onions, garlic and ginger for about 3 minutes until softened; do not let the garlic and ginger burn.
- Mix the vinegar, soy sauce, chilli sauce, ketchup and water, pour over the vegetables and boil vigorously for about 2 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Return the beef to the pan, toss quickly in the sauce and serve at once, sprinkled with the green of the spring onions and the remaining chilli rings. Noodles or rice go well with it.
Drink with it
White wine · excellent match
Riesling Spätlese or Kabinett, off-dry
The residual sweetness matches the sweet chilli sauce, the acidity answers the rice vinegar and ketchup, and the low alcohol does not fan the heat of the chilli.
Which wine pairs with food? A simple approach to choosingPale lager · excellent match
Pale lager, ice-cold
Cold and sparkling, it cuts through the fried starch crust and cools the chilli without competing with the sweet-and-sour sauce.
Pils or Helles: What's the Difference?IPA · good match
Amber ale with malt body and moderate bitterness
Caramel malt echoes the toasted notes of the crust; too much hop, however, would make the chilli taste hotter.
What Is an IPA? Hop Aroma with Many FacesDark beer · good match
Dark lager
Soft roasted malt notes mirror the golden-fried beef, and the carbonation keeps the sweetness of the sauce in check.
Which beer goes with food? More than just pils with barbecue