SOULFUL HEALTHY LIVING: SIZZLING BEEF WITH BLACK BEAN SAUCE

Sometimes my body just craves red meat. Craves it like other people crave chocolate. There are two reasons why I do not eat this often: 1. Because good red meat, such as eye fillet steak, is so damn expensive! And 2. I strongly believe that eating red meat every few days is not good for you.

By the middle of last week my body was exhausted. The majority of my working hours for the week are completed by Thursday afternoon, and I am beat. I needed a form of pick-me-up and I knew that coffee would not suffice. I needed MEAT. Hence the packed with iron recipe below.

INGREDIENTS

200g doongara rice
200g eye fillet steak, trimmed of fat and sliced into thin strips

I used this type of steak as it is the less fattening. You can use sirloin or rump instead.

3cm piece of fresh ginger, grated
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
¼ teaspoon chilli flakes
3 spring onions, finely sliced
sea salt
2 tablespoons of coriander, plus stalks, finely chopped
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons black bean sauce – I used the gluten free option by Ayam
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 egg
NB: for more vegetables add 1 red capsicum, finely sliced and/or 200g green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-3cm pieces. Add these to step 2. of cooking.

COOKING

1. Cook rice according to packet instructions. Drain rice.

2. Meanwhile, combine the ginger, garlic, chilli flakes, spring onions, coriander stalks steak strips and 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil in a bowl. Mix well.

3. Heat a wok (or large frying pan) on high heat, add 1 tablespoon sesame oil and swirl this around. Add all chopped ingredients and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes. Add the black bean sauce, lime juice and soy sauce and continue to stir for a few more minutes. When steak is brown and cooked to your liking, remove all ingredients from wok or pan and place in a bowl.

4. Wash the wok/pan or use another pan to cook the egg. Crack the egg and add a tablespoon of soy sauce. Stir briskly as the egg will cook quickly. Once the egg is scrambled, mix it into the rice.

5. Add the vegetables and steak to the rice. Sprinkle with coriander leaves.

Recipe adapted from Jamie Oliver's Ministry of Food.