(This recipe is adapted from an original recipe by Ching He Huang, found here: http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/rec.....ispy-beef.html )

Vrghr's partner at work volunteers at a local children's shelter, and cooks meals for the kids a couple times a month. She wanted to do something a bit unusual for them (she always makes things 'out of the ordinary" so they get something new and fresh), and decided to do some 'wok-ing' in their kitchen. This is one of the recipes she chose.

It was such a HUGE hit, that wuffy had to try it too. Of course, Vrghr had to make a couple minor wuff-inspired 'adjustements'. But they really ARE minor this time!

This is a new technique for Vrghr - wuff has never used Corn Starch as breading for meat before. Always was flour, or corn meal, or something similar. The corn starch resulted in an amazingly crispy beef, without a thick, heavy coating. It stayed crispy even after soaking it in the spicy-sweet, thick, sticky sauce coating.

Though the title is "Yang Yang", this is really a "Yin-Yang" type of dish. Sweet, warm, spicy meat contrasts with crisp lettuce and cooling cucumber, dressed with tart Rice Wine Vinegar. Crisp meat contrasts with tender cucumber. Deep fried contrasts with garden fresh. This is truly a dish of contrasts, of yin and yang, of balance. And it works EXTREMELY well!

Wuff loves every bit of this! Going to be making it again and again! And definitely going to be trying out that cornstarch technique on many other items, such as tender pork loin chops, sliced into strips, and seasoned with fresh cracked black pepper and garlic.

But for now, here's the recipe! Please, give this one a try!

Ingredients:
For the meat
Peanut oil, for frying
1 pound sirloin steak, pounded 1/8-inch thick and finely sliced into strips
~ 3 Tbs cornstarch
1/2 tsp Garlic Garni (or granulated garlic)
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Omnivore Salt

For the Sauce
1 large orange
1/2 cup sweet chili sauce (Ma Ploy)
2 Tbs soy sauce
2 tsp Ginger Paste
2 tsp minced Garlic

For the greens
1 head romaine lettuce, shredded, or bag of garden salad
1/2-3/4 hothouse (English) cucumber
1 sm bunch scallions (green onions), chopped
1 to 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar (seasoned or unseasoned)
Zest from the orange used in the sauce

Directions:
Zest the orange and reserve the zest for the garnish. Juice the orange, removing any seeds (pulp is okay).
Slice the hothouse cucumber in half (if using a regular cucumber, you might want to peel it - hothouse cucumbers have thinner peels). With a melon-baller, gently scoop out the seeds, leaving a small channel down the middle. Slice the cucumber into 1/4 inch crescent "moons".
Chop the scallions on the bias (diagonally) for artistry.

For the beef: Heat a wok or large skillet (or use a deep fryer) over high heat. Fill the wok about 1/2 way or the skillet about 1/2-3/4 inch deep with peanut oil. Heat the oil to 350 degrees F.

While the oil is heating, slice the sirloin steak into strips about 1/2 in thick, or buy thin-cut steak from the butcher. Place the strips between sheets of plastic wrap and pound them flat, until they are about 1/8 inch thick. Cut them into strips about 4 inches long.

Place the beef strips in a large bowl and add ~2 tablespoons cornstarch, granulated garlic, and ground black pepper. Toss until the cornstarch has completely coated all the beef. You may have to separate some of the pieces to make sure they get coated on all sides. Allow to rest about 5 minutes. The beef will absorb the corn starch.
Add the remaining tablespoon of cornstarch right before placing the strips in the oil, and toss again to coat.

Fry the beef in 2 to 3 batches until golden brown and the sizzling/foaming slows down, ~4 to 5 minutes. Don't overload your skillet/wok/fryer and make the oil cool off too much - the beef won't crisp as well and it could get oily. You should feel a crisp coating when tapping them with your slotted spoon. Remove to paper towels to drain, and IMMEDIATELY sprinkle with Omnivore Salt or sea salt.

While the beef is frying, set another small wok or saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the soy sauce, chili sauce, juice from the orange juice, minced garlic, and ginger paste. Bring to a gentle boil, whisking occasionally, and cook until it reduces by about 1/2, becomes thickened and coats the back of a spoon (~3 minutes).

Toss the drained beef in the sauce, and make sure all the pieces are coated thoroughly.

Place the shredded lettuce on a large platter. Make a slight depression in the middle for the beef. Sprinkle the cucumber "moons" over the lettuce.
Drizzle the salad with the rice vinegar.

Arrange the sauced beef in the depression over the lettuce and cucumbers.
Garnish with the chopped scallions and orange zest.

DEVOUR!

Makes 4-5 servings.