This stir-fry is a favourite of mine, with the seared, lightly sauced beef complemented by the crisp and zesty salad, runny fried egg and crunchy richness of the peanuts. And because there’s hardly any marination time needed, it’s also super quick to prepare and cook. Just be sure to get your wok extremely hot before cooking the beef; it will add a little smokiness to the meat and, more importantly, will sear it properly.
300g grass-fed steak (scotch, eye fillet, rump, porterhouse), cut into thin slices or lengths about 5mm thick
110ml grapeseed oil or similar
2 eggs
steamed jasmine rice, to serve
1½ tbsp toasted salted peanuts, chopped
1½ tbsp caster sugar
2½ tbsp oyster sauce
½ tbsp tomato sauce
½ chicken stock cube
3 garlic cloves, finely grated
juice of ½ lime
2 celery stalks, cut into 3mm-thick slices
1 Lebanese cucumber, cut into 3mm-thick slices
2 stalks of Vietnamese mint or Thai basil, leaves picked
juice of ½ lime
2 pinches of caster sugar
1 pinch of salt flakes
2 mini cosberg lettuces (or similar) cut lengthways into wedges
2 lime quarters, to serve
Combine the marinade ingredients in a large bowl, then add the beef and combine well. Set aside at room temperature.
For the salad, combine the celery, cucumber, mint (or Thai basil), lime juice, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Arrange the lettuce and lime quarters on individual plates, then pile the celery and cucumber mix on top of the lettuce.
Heat a wok over high heat, then add 30ml of oil. Cook the eggs sunny side up, lift them out and keep warm. Wipe out the wok.
Heat the wok for about 5 minutes until very hot. Add the remaining 80ml of oil and, when it’s almost smoking, add the marinated beef, spreading it out to make maximum contact with the surface. Don’t disturb for 90 seconds, then stir-fry for an additional minute or so.
On each plate, add a mound of rice next to the salad, then pile the beef next to it. Place an egg on the rice and beef, scatter the peanuts over the top, and serve.
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