This is a quick and easy Chinese stir-fry dish using beef, capsicums and gluten free black bean sauce. Black bean sauce is typically made from fermented and salted black soybeans, often referred to as “Douchi” in Cantonese. It gives a very pungent and flavourful taste that enriches food so distinctively. This is the most well-liked Asian flavouring utilised in Chinese cuisine, whereby they are used extensively to create black bean sauce. Other Chinese dishes that use black bean sauce are steamed pork spare ribs with black bean sauce, stir-fried bitter melon and chicken or pork with black bean sauce, steamed whole fish with black bean sauce, stir-fried beef noodles with black bean sauce, etc. Fermented black beans were discovered in a tomb that belonged to a top-ranking lady, most likely the wife of the first Marquis of Tai. The tomb was conserved in around 165 B.C. in south-central China, near modern day Changsha, Hunan district, rendering fermented black soybeans the most ancient soy staple globally.
Black bean is one of the many legumes or pulses like beans, peas and lentils. It is highly valued due to its high protein and fiber substances. Black beans comprise of many minerals and vitamins that are benefit to your health. They are rich in iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and zinc plus vitamin B1 (thiamine) and vitamin B6 (folic acid or folate). Black beans like all legumes or pulses also provide a range of phytonutrients prolific in antioxidants that help fight off diseases. Eating black beans may help avert anemia, making and sustaining healthy bones, normalise blood pressure, preventing cardiovascular disease and defend against colon cancer.
Capsicums also called peppers are indigenous to Central and South America, farmed for many thousands of years, believed to be dated as far back as the 5000BC and consumed since 7000BC. Now they are farmed and eaten throughout the world. The hot and spicy peppers are normally called chillies and the larger and milder type is called capsicums or simply peppers. Even termed paprika, ground spice made from numerous types of capsicum fruits. There are many varieties of capsicums available in Australia, mainly green, yellow, orange and red in colours. All capsicums are abundant in carotenoids, vitamin C and vitamin A. Red capsicums have the highest level of these nutrients. There are many health benefits of capsicums, they may help protect against stomach ulcers, may assist in healing gastrointestinal disorders, may defend the body against cancerous transformations, may reduce chances of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, and help fight common cold. They also have anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties and may offer relief from arthritis.
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 800 g beef rump steak thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 3 cm ginger peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 medium green capsicum deseeded and cut into 3cm pieces
- 1 medium red capsicum deseeded and cut into 3cm pieces
- 1 medium yellow capsicum deseeded and cut into 3cm pieces
- 5 spring onions sliced into 4cm lengthwise (white and green parts)
- Steamed rice to serve
For the Sauce:
- 4 tablespoons gluten free black bean sauce
- 2 tablespoons pale or medium dry sherry
For the Marinade:
- 2 tablespoons of gluten free light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon of pale or medium dry sherry
- 1 ½ teaspoons gluten free corn maize starch
- 1 teaspoon of ground white pepper
Instructions
- Combine beef with marinade in a large bowl and mix well.
- Prepare and mix the sauce ingredients in a separate bowl.
- Heat up a wok with 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, stir-fry the beef on medium to high heat for 3 minutes or until nearly cooked through. Remove beef and set aside, discard juice. Clean wok with kitchen paper towel.
- Heat up the wok with 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, add garlic and ginger, and stir-fry until lightly golden on low heat. Then add all the capsicums and spring onions, stir-fry for another 2 minutes on medium to high heat. Return the beef to the wok. Add the sauce and stir-fry for another 3 minutes or until the beef is cooked through.
- Serve immediately with steamed rice.
