Chilli Beef with Basil

Ingredients

4 tbsp cooking oil
25 fresh basil leaves
300gm beef
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp brown sugar
2 fresh red chillies sliced into rings
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tsp chopped fresh ginger
1 shallot, thinly sliced
2 tbsp finely chopped basil leaves to garnish
lemon juice from one lemon
salt and ground black pepper


Method

1. Heat oil in a wok and when hot, add the whole basil leaves and fry for about 1 minute until crisp and golden. Drain on the kitchen paper. Set aside and switch off the fire.
2. Cut the beef across the grain into thin strips. Mix together soy sauce and sugar in a bowl. Add the beef, mix well then leave to marinate for about 30 minutes.
3. Reheat the oil until hot, add the chilli, garlic, ginger and shallot and stir-fry for about 30 seconds. Add the beef and chopped basil then stir-fry for about 3 minutes. Flavour with lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. 
4. Transfer to a warmed serving plate, scatter over the fried basil leaves to garnish and serve immediately with white rice.

Note: Recipe from '60 HOTWOK RECIPES' by Linda Doeser