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 Beef appears more often on the menu in Szechuan than in the south or east. This is probably because cattle are used extensively for haulage in the region. The meat is rather tough, but a long slow cooking, as here, renders it tender and full of flavour. During the long steaming the meat juices, suet and highly spiced ground rice blend into a thick gravy. serves 8.
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1. Lotus Wrapped Long Steamed Beef
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2 slices root ginger, peeledaaaa and shredded 3 tablespoons soy sauce 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce 2 teaspoons salt 1/2 tablespoon red bean curd cheese 2 teaspoons chilli sauce 1 teaspoon Szechuan peppercorns 1/2 tablespoon sugar 7 tablespoons ground rice 1.5 kg (3 lb) topside of beef, cut into 16 large slices 225 g (8 oz) suet, cut into half the number of beef slices 1-2 dried lotus leaves, soaked for 30 minutes
Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 3 1/2-4 hours 2. Cut the lotus leaves into 8 pieces. Sandwich a piece of suet between 2 slices of beef and warp in a piece of lotus leaf. Tie with string, if necessary, to secure the parcels. 3. Place the lotus parcels in a heatproof dish, place in a steamer, cover and steam vigorously for 3 1/2 - 4 hours. Serve from the dish. Each diner opens his parcel at the table and eats with chopsticks out the parcel.
2. Braised Cabagge
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1 Chinese cabbage, cut into 7.5 cm (3 inch) chunks 3 teaspoons salt 600 ml (1 pint) beef stock 1 1/2 chicken stock cubes
Preparation time: 15 minutes, plus seasoning Cooking time: 5 minutes 2. Pour enough boiling water on the cabbage leaves to cover. Leave to poach for 5 minutes, then drain thoroughly. 3. Place the cabbage in a large serving bowl. bring the stock to the boil add the crumbled stock cubes and stir thoroughly to dissolve. Pour the stock over the cabbage and serve.
3. Szechuan Chilli Chicken
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1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 egg white 1 1/2 teaspoons cornflour 5 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 chicken, about 1.5 kg (3 lb) ,cut through the bone into 24 bitesized pices 2 slices root ginger, peeled and finely chopped 2 chillis, finely chopped 2 dried chillis, finely chopped 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce 1 1/2 tablespoons wine vinegar
Preparation time: 6 minutes Cooking time: 8 minutes 2. Heat the remaining oil in a wok until smoking and add the ginger and chillis. Stir-fry for about 30 seconds, then add the chicken. Stri-fry for another 5-6 minutes.
3. Mix together the soy sauce and vinegar and pour into the wok.
Stir-fry for another minute then serve.
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