Chef's Delight: Crispy chilli beef

- Recipe by Regan Donohoe -

Slimming World Cavan

Looking for a healthy crispy chilli beef recipe? With crispy strips of beef, colourful veg and a deliciously dark and sticky sauce - all served on a bed of soft noodles - this crispy chilli beef fakeaway packs a Chinese-flavour punch.

INGREDIENTS

One medium egg

Two level tbsp cornflour

One level tsp bicarbonate of soda

500g lean beef frying steak, visible fat removed, cut into thin strips

Low-calorie cooking spray

For the stir-fry:

Four level tbsp brown sauce

3tbsp dark soy sauce

2tbsp rice vinegar

Four garlic cloves, crushed

5cm-piece fresh root ginger, peeled and grated

3tbsp orange and pineapple no-added-sugar squash diluted with 400ml water

2tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2tbsp tomato purée

½tsp dried red chilli flakes

A beef stock cube, crumbled

Two onions, thickly sliced

Two red peppers, deseeded and thickly sliced

200g carrots, cut into matchsticks

150g baby sweetcorn, halved lengthways

50g bean sprouts, rinsed

250g dried medium egg noodles

Sliced red chilli, to serve

Method

Preheat your oven to 220°C/fan 200°C/gas 7.

Beat the egg with a fork, then stir in the cornflour and bicarbonate of soda until combined and season lightly. Toss the beef in the egg, then spread out on a large non-stick baking tray in a single layer and spray with low-calorie cooking spray. Cook for 30-40 minutes, until dark and crispy, turning halfway. Reduce the oven to its lowest setting and leave the beef inside while you make the rest of the dish.

Make the sauce by mixing together the brown sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger, squash, Worcestershire sauce, tomato purée, chilli flakes and stock cube. Set aside.

Spray a large, non-stick wok or frying pan with low-calorie cooking spray and place over a medium-high heat. Add the onions, peppers and carrots, and stir-fry for seven to eight minutes until starting to soften. Add the sauce and corn. Increase the heat and simmer for five to six minutes, stirring often, until the sauce is reduced and syrupy, and the vegetables are just soft.

Add the beef to the stir-fry with the bean sprouts and bring back to a simmer. Cook the noodles according to the pack instructions, then drain. Divide the noodles and beef mixture between four bowls, and scatter over the chilli to serve.

ABOUT THE CHEF

Regan Donohoe is one of the Slimming World consultants for Cavan Town. His group meets on Mondays at 7pm in the Cavan Crystal Hotel.