Tender strips of beef need only a couple of minutes in the pan to get a distinctive Chinese flavour. Serve this saucy orange beef on boiled noodles or rice for a speedy Chinese meal.

4 Serves beef and orange stir-fry ingredients

350g lean rump beef
1 orange
2,5 tbls vegetable oil
1/4 tsp hot chilli powder
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp soft Brown sugar
1/2 tsp sesame oil
Boiled noodles, to serve
for the marinade
2 tsp dark soy sauce
12mm piece fresh ginger, peeled and diced
2 tsp dry sherry
1 tsp cornflour
1 tsp sesame oil

Preparation time : 25 minutes

Cooking time : 5 minutes

Author : Prue Leith

Cookbook : Quick and easy (Confident Cooking)

Beef and orange stir-fry recipe

1. Cut the beef across the grain into strips, 5 cm long and the thickness of a pencil.

2. Next make the marinade: put the dark soy sauce into a mixing bowl. Add the strips of beef and then add the very finely diced root ginger, dry sherry, the cornflour and sesame oil. Stir the mixture until well blended and lave at room temperature to marinate for about 20 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, pare the zest from half the orange being sure not to remove any of the bitter White pith. Cut these stirps lenthways into fine shreds and blanch in boiling water for 3 minutes. Cool under cold running water and drain on kitchen paper.

4. Finely grate the zest from the remaining half of the orange and squeeze and reserve 4 tsp juice.

5. Drain off the marinade from beef. Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or deep frying-pan until very hot, then stir-fry the beef for 1 minute to Brown. Drain off al the oil.

6. Add the grated orange zest and juice, hot chilli powder, dark soy sauce, soft Brown sugar and sesame oil. Stir-fry for 1 minute then transfer to a warmed serving dish and sprinkle the orange strips over the top. Arrange the boiled noodles around the meat and serve immediately. Enjoy your meal!