Beef in Black Bean Sauce



Beef in Black Bean Sauce, a classic dish I think that everyone has ordered from a Chinese at some stage in their life.  It has a taste, unique, that you either like or hate.  It's a little sweet, a little salty yet packs a powerful flavour and compliments beef magnificently.   It's a split in our house, the two men love it, the daughter hates it and as for me, I sit on the fence.  If it's too strong I cannot eat it and if there's not enough flavour of the black bean I whinge about that..... gggrrr.  As the daughter being away at her Grandma's for part of the school holidays, I made sure this dish was on our menu planner, as have been a few other meals.

 

Cooking chinese or any Asian dishes can be daunting to many.  Yes many recipes can seem very complex but yet some are very simple.  This one falls into the simple category with no trickly steps at all.   No premade black bean sauce has been used in this recipe.  Instead a trip to the Asian Supermarket saw us armed with a jar of salted black beans and recipe in hand.  I think that was the hardest part of the whole dish.

 

Takeaway in our home, mid week ease and a taste that was exactly how it was meant, slightly sweet and spicy, jam packed with vegetables... who could ask for more?  Bonus points to be awarded as this was prepared and cooked by my husband, Noel.

 

 

Beef in Black Bean Sauce

(recipe adapted from WW Magazine October 2014)

 

Serves: 4

ProPoints Per Serve: 5

 

1/3 cup chicken stock

2 teaspoons cornflour

2 tablespoons kecap manis

1 tablespoon canola oil

600 grams rump steak, fat trimmed, thinly sliced

1 brown onion, sliced

2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced

1 red capsicum, thinly sliced

1 green capsicum, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 tablespoon salted black beans, chopped

Combine stock, cornflour and kecap manis in a small jug or bowl.

Heat a wok over high heat.  Add half the oil and heat for 20 seconds.  Stir-fry half the beef for 2 - 3 minutes of until browned.  Transfer to a plat.  Repeat withthe remaining oil and beef.

Add onion and carrot to the wok and stir-fry  for 2 - 3 minutes or until just softened.  Add capsicum and stir-fry for a further 2 minutes.  Add garlic and black beans, stirring for 30 seconds. 

Return beef to the wok along with the stock mixture.  Stir-fry for 1 - 2 minutes or until sauce has thickened.

Serve with extra steamed 0 ProPoint vegetables and steamed rice.  Add 4 ProPoints per 1/2 cup steamed rice.

 

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe)