Szechwan Shredded Beef and Carrots

Spicy hot, Szechwan-style beef stir-fry with carrots.

Recipe Ingredients:

12 ounces beef top round steak
2 tablespoons dry sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon hot bean sauce or hot bean paste
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons finely minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon peanut or vegetable oil
3 medium carrots, cut into julienne strips (1 1/2 cups)
Hot cooked rice for accompaniment
2 green onions, thinly bias-sliced (optional)

Cooking Directions:

1. Trim fat from meat. (At this point you can partially freeze meat to make slicing easier.) Thinly slice across the grain into bite-size strips. Cut strips in half lengthwise. Set aside.
2. For sauce, in a small bowl stir together the sherry, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, bean sauce or paste, sugar, ginger, sesame oil, garlic, crushed red pepper, and black pepper. Set aside.
3. Add oil to wok or large skillet. Preheat over medium-high heat (add more oil if necessary during cooking). Stir-fry carrots in hot oil for 3 to 4 minutes or until crisp-tender. Remove carrots from wok.
4. Add meat to wok. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes or to desired doneness.Push meat from center of wok.
5. Add sauce to center of wok. Cook and stir until bubbly. Return cooked carrots to wok. Stir all ingredients together to coat. Cook and stir about 2 minutes more or until heated through.
6. Serve immediately with hot cooked rice. Sprinkle individual servings with sliced green onions, if desired.

Makes 4 servings.