Recipe for "sesame-beef"

NAME

     SESAME-BEEF - Very hot, very simple, very good beef stir-fry
     This recipe has been floating around for  years  back  east,
     where it's also known as "Hot flaming death".

INGREDIENTS (Serves 4)

          MARINADE
     15 ml     rice wine
     2.5 ml    sugar
     10 ml     cornstarch
     2.5 ml    baking powder
     25 ml     sesame oil
     25 ml     soy sauce
          TOPPING
     15 ml     sesame seeds
     7.5 ml    hot bean paste
     7.5 ml    hoisin sauce
     7.5 ml    oyster sauce
          BEEF
     5 ml      minced ginger
     300 g     beef tenderloin flank
     3-4        lettuce leaves (Use bok-choy if you can get it)
     3-6 cl     peanut oil

PROCEDURE

          (1)  Mix together all of the marinade ingredients.
          (2)  Slice the beef across the grain into thin,  diago-
               nal  pieces  (about  the  size  of  your  smallest
               finger).  Marinate for about half an hour.
          (3)  Heat the wok until a drop of water dropped into it
               dances around as it boils.  Add enough oil to coat
               the wok and saute the ginger.  Stir-fry  the  let-
               tuce.  Stir-fry  the  beef  (in batches so the wok
               doesn't cool down too much).
          (4)  Reduce the heat.  Return the vegtables to the wok.
               Add  the topping.  Stir around until everything is
               mixed and heated evenly. Serve.

NOTES

     Also add any other vegtables that  you  feel  like.   Sliced
     carrots or broccoli are especially nice.
     Hot bean paste also goes by the  name  Szechuan  bean  sauce
     etc.   This  is  the main ``spicy'' ingredient and should be
     handled with care.  Vary this ingredient to taste.

RATING

     Difficulty: easy.  Time: preparation: 20 minutes, cooking: 3
     minutes.  Precision: No need to measure.

CONTRIBUTOR

     Edward Falk
     Sun Microsystems, Mountain View, California, USA
     falk@sun.com   sun!falk