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Crispy Chili Beef and an Apology
To those of you who read my blog, i owe you an apology. I've not been as committed as i should be recently as i've been a little busy with this...
 Its finished now. I'm not sure it's any good- but it's darn well finished. Printed, bound and ready to hand in, and all of this four days early! Very much out of character, and very much a relief. I'm not off the hook quite yet. I have to remember how to speak french and pass a three hour exam on the Russian Revolution before i am quite free, but things are nearing to an finish. The end of an era, perhaps. I've signed and paid for a very grown up new flat with Simon (with a kitchen to die for), and very soon, some of my closest friends will be up and leaving me. I'm feeling a little uncertain about things. I'm feeling pretty sad too. In less than a month i'm thrown into the real world, with real financial responsibilities and no job as of yet. It's absolutely terrifying. I can't say i ever intended to stay in Leeds when i moved here. It was never meant to be a permanent stay, and i fully expected to be back working in London pretty much as soon as i graduated, but i fell in love and, well, here I am. Three years on i am a regular Leodiensian, just without the funny accent. We have a very lovely life here, with lovely friends, with whom we do lovely things. We eat lovely food and drink lovely drinks. We go on lovely walks and lovely drives and it's far too lovely for me to walk away from. Really, i shouldn't be worrying- i know that i'll get the job that i want and deserve. I'm a bright girl and i've worked too hard up to this point to end up on the checkouts or waiting full-time on slimy drunks. I've paid my dues and it's time for a proper job and a proper income. All i can do is hope that somebody will give me the opportunity. So that is how my life is right now, just in case you wanted to know. For those of you who didn't, don't worry. I promise i will never get sentimental or even vaguely emotional on you again. It's not something i usually do, but things hit me today. Like a frying pan in the face. That, and i'm a little spaced out on anti-histamine and white wine. That's my excuse, anyway. ********* Of all of the things i am uncertain of, there is one thing i can be certain of. Girl's got it going on in the kitchen. I like to remind myself of this when i'm feeling down about university work or impending unemployment. There's no point in self pity when you're as gifted or good looking as i am. Tonight i made a take-away classic. With hindsight, perhaps i should have left it as a take-away classic. To buy all of the ingredients and make it yourself costs three times what it does to buy it from your local chinese. Any financially sensible person would do the latter, but where is the fun in that? It's no fun at all. If you have the ingredients in your pantry, or you are frivolous like i am, go ahead and make this. There's no point in my describing what it tastes like as we all know the dish. It tastes the same, just better, and you can feel smug about how clever you are while you're eating it. Simon suggested this this afternoon after seeing something similar on Saturday Kitchen this morning, and i'm glad that he did. Despite almost setting the house on fire when i left him to tend to it, boy did good.  You will need: 400g of frying beef, sliced into thin strips (serves 4)8 tblsp potato flour (with the lentils in the supermarket)Vegetable oil1 tsp szechuan pepper, ground down1 green pepper, slicedOlive oil for frying1 onion, roughly chopped150ml rice wine vinegar150g caster sugar5 tblsp soy sauceMedium hunk of ginger, peeled and grated1 medium fresh chili, finely chopped Take sliced beef, and drizzle in vegetable oil. Rub in with your fingers. Add potato flour and szechuan pepper, and toss to thoroughly dust the beef. Rub right in to completely cover it. Add a generous amount of olive oil to a pan and heat. Fry the hell out out the beef, turning constantly. It will absorb the oil, so have it on hand to add more as you go. You want it as crispy as you can possibly get it. Set to one side. Add rice wine vinegar to another pan and add the sugar. Bring to a simmer and add the chili, ginger and soy sauce. Simmer for 2 minutes. Add the pepper and onion, and then the beef. Keep on a medium-high heat, and simmer to reduce. The sauce will reduce around the beef and cling to the potato flour, just like it is from your favorite take-away. It is ready when the sauce is thick and sticky. Serve with boiled rice and enjoy.   related searches : Crispy
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