Stir Fried Beef with Courgettes and Capsicum

Its day 2 of stir fry week now we will be making some stir-fries out of Zucchini (or Courgettes that’s what we call it here) as it in season right now. For those who haven’t used this vegetable it is a type of squash that grows during the summer, it may not look like a squash but trust me they are from the same family but a hybrid of the cucumber. This vegetable is best picked at an early stage when they are roughly 8 inches in length and best if there is a flower still attached to it. Zucchini usually is dark or light green in colour but there are some types that are deep yellow or orange in colour. Zucchini has a very delicate flavour and requires a very small amount of time for cooking and with skin on.

For this recipe we will be cooking a stir fry with beef, capsicum, mushrooms, carrots and zucchini. I choose those ingredients for the different flavours, colours and textures from the delicate zucchinis, sweet and crunchy carrots, peppery and sweet yellow peppers, earthy and soft mushrooms to the tender meaty beef truly that combination is a perfect concoction.

Ingredients

500g beef tenderloin, sliced
3 zucchinis, sliced
2 small carrots, sliced
2 yellow capsicums, sliced
2 cups white button mushrooms, cut in half
1 white onion, sliced
2 tsp ginger paste
1/2 cup Chinese cooking wine
2 tbsp light soy sauce (adjust to saltiness you want)
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
salt
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp baking soda
freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp sesame oil
peanut oil

Method

1. Mix together baking soda, cornstarch, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp cooking wine, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add sliced beef and marinate for at least an hour. Note: Like I said before in a lot of my stir fries baking soda is the key to make the meat tender and have that silky texture like the ones you eat in Chinese restaurants
2. Prepare a really hot wok then add around 2 tbsp of oil, once oil is near its smoking point add a scoopful of beef then stir fry quickly for around 2-3 minutes. Do it in batches and do not overcrowd the wok. Once cook set them aside.
3. Still in high heat add more oil if needed then add ginger paste and onion into the wok then stir fry for 30 seconds.
4. Add mushrooms and stir fry for 30 seconds.
5. Add carrots and yellow capsicums then stir fry for 2 minutes.
6. Add zucchini then stir fry for 1 more minute.
7. Add the cooked beef together with remaining cooking wine, sesame oil, light soy sauce and sugar. Stir fry for 1 more minute adding more cooking wine if needed.
8. Season with freshly ground pepper.