Gingered Beef

A spicy and exotic dish, Gingered Beef is easy to make and really delicious. Serve with rice or noodles for a light luncheon or supper.

2 teaspoons ground ginger

5 tablespoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons cornflour

½ teaspoon sugar

½ lb. rump steak, thinly sliced across the grain

2 fl. oz. vegetable oil

2-inch piece fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped

4 oz. canned bamboo shoots, drained and cut into J-inch cubes 4 Chinese mushrooms, wiped clean and sliced

In a large, shallow bowl, combine the ground ginger, soy sauce, cornflour and the sugar together, beating with a fork until they are well blended. Add the meat slices to the dish and baste them thoroughly. Marinate the meat in the mixture for 1 hour at room temperature, basting occasionally.

Remove the meat from the marinade and pat the slices dry with kitchen paper towels. Discard the marinade.

In a large frying-pan, heat the oil over moderate heat. When it is hot, add the root ginger to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes. Add the meat, bamboo shoots and mushrooms and cook, stirring and turning the meat occasionally, for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the meat is cooked through.

Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the mixture to a warmed serving dish.

Serve at once.