vegetable oil for deep frying
6 medium porterhouse steaks
½ cup cornflour
1 carrot julliened
1 birdseye chilli chopped very finely
3 spring onions sliced to 5cm lengths
INGREDIENTS:
PF Changs Crispy Beef
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tbs chopped garlic
½ cup low salt soy sauce
½ cup water
½ cup dark brown sugar
SAUCE:
Heat the two tablespoons of oil in a medium saucepan over low/medium heat. Do not let oil get too hot. Add the garlic and ginger, then straightaway add the soy sauce and water before the garlic scorches. Dissolve the brown sugar in the sauce, then raise the heat a little and boil for 2-3 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Remove from the heat.
Trim the steaks of all fat, and slice them across the grain at around half a centimetre thick, holding the knife blade at an angle to give you larger slices.
Meanwhile blanch the carrot in a little water in the microwave until just starting to soften, and then drain and set aside.
Place meat in a plastic bag with cornflour, and shake well to coat all over. Rest the meat in the cornflour for around 10 minutes while you heat the oil for deep frying to 180 degrees. Fry meat in batches until crispy on the outside, and remove to paper towels with a slotted spoon to drain well.
In a bowl, mix the meat, carrot, spring onion, chilli and the sauce together while everything is still warm.
Lay out four pieces of foil about the length of an A4 sheet of paper, and spoon a serving of the mixture in the bottom-middle of the foil and wrap up like a parcel. Place parcels in a 160 degree oven to warm through, then serve still wrapped.
Serves four.
Not too difficult, and good bang for the buck.
THE FOIL PARCELS ARE A BIT OF A NOVELTY, AND DO KEEP THE MEAT WARM, BUT IT CAN JUST AS EASILY BE SERVED UP ON PLATES WITHOUT THE FOIL.
ASIAN GREENS FROM THE MONGOLIAN LAMB RECIPE ARE A GREAT ACCOMPNIMENT TO THIS DISH.
“PF CHANGS IS A CHINESE CHAIN IN THE USA. THIS RECIPE CLOSELY RESEMBLES A FAVOURITE DISH SERVED BY A RESTAURANT IN ALBURY THAT I USED TO EAT AT A LOT IN THE NINETIES.”