Meat and eat

Very Hungry Coeliac' Mel Persson's latest shows how gluten-free meals can be crowd-pleasers.

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Fermented black beans, also known as salted black beans or douchi, are beans that have been fermented in salt. They're a delicious, umami-packed addition to many Chinese dishes. I soak mine in rice wine, preferably Shaoxing or mijiu, but sake will also do. If you can't find the beans, don't worry, because even without them, this is a delicious stir-fry. Simply follow the recipe, leaving out the beans, but using the rice wine as listed, then season with salt before serving.

BEEF AND BLACK BEAN SAUCE

Serves 3-4

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil

• 2-3 dried Szechuan chillies (optional)

• 1 onion, roughly chopped

• 1 red pepper, seeded and roughly chopped

• 1 small carrot, peeled and sliced

• 3-4 garlic cloves

• 2-3cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped

• ½ broccoli, cut into florets

• 2-3 spring onions, cut into 5cm pieces

FOR THE BEEF

• 300g beef rump steak

• ½ tsp caster sugar

• ¼ tsp baking soda

• ½ tsp salt

• 1¼ tsp white pepper

• 1 tsp gluten-free soy sauce

• 1 tsp gluten-free Shaoxing or other rice wine

• 1 tsp sesame oil

• 1½ tbsp gluten-free cornflour

FOR THE SAUCE

• 4 tbsp fermented black beans

• 50ml gluten-free Shaoxing or other rice wine

• 1 tbsp gluten-free oyster sauce

• 1½ tbsp gluten-free hoisin sauce

• ½ tbsp sesame oil

• 100ml cold water