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Ganfan
Rice with stir-fried beef and peppers
Ganfan: Dungan rice topped with stir-fried beef, peppers and vegetables
KyrgyzGanfan is a dish of the Dungan people, Chinese Muslim communities who settled in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan in the 1870s, and it is ordered in every Dungan café in Bishkek and Karakol: a plate of plain rice with a ladle of stew on top, made by stir-frying thin strips of beef or lamb with peppers, aubergine, celery, tomato and garlic, seasoned with soy sauce and vinegar. A common mistake is crowding the wok, which makes the meat grey and watery. Chef's tip: cut the beef into thin strips against the grain and stir-fry it first in small batches over a fierce heat, then return it at the end. No pork is used in Dungan cooking. Beef strips are done when no pink remains.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the stew
- 14 oz beef sirloin or rumpcut into thin strips
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp cornflour
- 4 tbsp sunflower oil
- 3 cloves garlicsliced
- 1 tbsp fresh gingerfinely chopped
- 2 red and green pepperscut into strips
- 1 auberginecut into batons
- 2 sticks celerysliced
- 2 tomatoeschopped
- 1 tbsp black or rice vinegar
- ½ tsp chilli flakes
- ½ cup water
For the rice
- 10 ½ oz long-grain ricecooked
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Toss 14 oz beef sirloin or rump with 1 tbsp of 1 tbsp soy sauce and 1 tsp cornflour.
Step 2: Heat 2 tbsp of 2 tbsp sunflower oil in a wok over a very high heat and stir-fry the beef in 2 batches for 2 minutes each, until browned with no pink. Lift out. Common mistake: crowding the wok.
4 minStep 3: Add the rest of 2 tbsp sunflower oil and fry 1 aubergine for 4 minutes until soft. Add 3 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp fresh ginger, 2 red and green peppers and 2 sticks celery and stir-fry 3 minutes.
7 minStep 4: Add 2 tomatoes, ½ cup water, ½ tsp chilli flakes, 1 tbsp black or rice vinegar and the rest of 1 tbsp soy sauce and simmer 3 minutes. Return the beef and toss.
4 minStep 5: Spoon over plates of hot 10 ½ oz long-grain rice.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 28 g
- Carbs
- 62 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does ganfan take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of soy sauce?
- Tamari, same amount (gluten free).
- What can I use instead of cornflour?
- Arrowroot or potato starch, same amount.
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