HEARTY AND HEALTHY SUPPERS TO SAVOUR

Beef stir-fry

SERVES 4 283 calories per serving

STIR-FRIES are the dieter’s best friend when you want something healthy, filling and fast, and this one completely fills the bill. It’s inspired by dishes we ate on our trip to Korea a few years ago. Just keep your portion of noodles down and fill up on all the lovely vegetables.

• 100g rice noodles

• ½ tsp sesame oil

• 300g steak (sirloin, flank, bavette or rump)

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

• 1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced into strips

• 1 large carrot, cut into matchsticks

• 4 spring onions, cut into 1cm rounds

• 200g shiitake mushrooms

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 5g chunk of fresh root ginger, finely chopped

• Large bag of pak choi or other Asian greens

• 2 tbsp soy sauce (preferably a low-sodium version)

• 1 tsp rice wine vinegar

• 1 tsp sesame seeds (white or black), to serve

FIRST, cook the noodles according to the packet instructions, then drain and toss them in the sesame oil. Trim the beef of any fat and cut the meat into thin strips. Heat the vegetable oil in a wok. Add the red pepper and carrot and stir-fry for 3 minutes over a high heat. Add the spring onions and mushrooms and cook for another 2 minutes, then add the beef, garlic and ginger. Continue to stir-fry until the beef is seared on all sides. Trim the pak choi or greens and slice them if the leaves are large. Pour the soy sauce and rice wine vinegar into the wok and add the greens, then cook over a slightly lower heat until the greens have wilted. Add the noodles and warm them through. Serve at once, sprinkled with sesame seeds.