Ingredients

• 200ml/7fl oz vegetable oil
• for deep-frying
• 2 free-range eggs
• beaten
• 5 tbsp cornflour
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 400g/14oz fillet steak
• sliced into thin strips
• 2 carrots
• sliced into thin strips
• 2 spring onions
• finely sliced
• 2.5cm/1in piece ginger
• peeled
• cut into matchsticks
• 2 garlic cloves
• sliced
• ½ tsp chilli flakes
• 4 tbsp caster sugar
• 50ml/2fl oz rice vinegar
• 50ml/2fl oz light soy sauce
• boiled rice
• chilli
• sliced
• lime wedges

Directions

• For the beef
• pour the vegetable oil into a deep fat fryer or medium saucepan and heat until it reaches 180C/350F
• or when a small cube of bread dropped in turns golden in 30 seconds. (NB: Hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)
• Whisk the eggs
• cornflour and salt in a bowl to a thick batter.
• Coat the steak strips in the batter
• shaking off any excess
• and fry for two minutes in the oil
• or until just crisp and turning golden-brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside on kitchen paper. Coat the carrot strips in the batter
• shaking off any excess
• and fry for two minutes in the oil
• or until just crisp and turning golden-brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside on kitchen paper.
• Heat a wok with one tablespoon of the deep-frying oil. Add the spring onions
• ginger
• garlic and chilli and stir-fry for one minute.
• Add the sugar
• vinegar and soy sauce
• deep-fried beef and carrots and stir until well combined. Remove the pan from the heat.
• Serve the chilli beef with boiled rice
• chilli slices and lime wedges.