Chilli basil beef

There was a day of un sandwich, pickle chips and gaufres liègeois - with raspberries. I frequently confuse fraises and framboises. They're a mere mbo apart. In any case, mysteriously the idea of eating as many fruits and vegetables as I could suddenly appealed. This is the result of a few recipe ideas crammed together, which leads to a formidable combination of super-délice. (I maybe just invented that phrase.)

1 piece of rump steak (or stir fry beef of preference)

Vegetable oil

3 cloves garlic, finely sliced

1/2 chilli, finely sliced

2 spring onions, sliced

5 - 6 chestnut mushrooms, quartered

Cashew nuts

1 cup (approx.) beansprouts, rinsed and drained well

Handful or so of baby spinach leaves

6 mint leaves, torn

12 basil leaves, torn (substitute thai basil for this and the mint, if you have it)

1/8th lime

Soy sauce

Sesame seed oil

Finely slice beef into 3" or so strips, and then marinate in a small bowl with 1 - 2 tsps fresh lime juice, 1 - 2 tsps soy sauce and 1 - 2 tsps sesame seed oil. Adjust to taste. (Optional: marinate entire steak, sear and slice for bloodier meat.) Leave to marinate while preparing other ingredients.

Heat 1 - 2 tbsps oil in a wok, over medium-high heat (high as you can go without insta-scorching, in essence.) Add chilli, stir for a few seconds 'til it starts browning, then add 2/3 of the garlic and stir for another 30 seconds or so. Add spring onion for 30 secs or so, and then stir in the beef. Cook until just to your liking, then remove from wok and set aside.

Clean wok, add another 1 - 2 tbsps oil and allow to heat. Add mushrooms and cashew nuts, and stir fry for 1 - 2 mins, until mushrooms are partly done and a little golden brown on the outside. Add another tsp or so of sesame seed oil and then the remaining garlic, stir fry for 30 seconds, then add beansprouts. Allow to heat through, but do not overcook.

Add beef back to pan, and stir through to warm. Remove wok from heat, and add lime juice and soy sauce to taste. Shortly before serving stir in the spinach leaves and fresh herbs.

This is all piquant and delicious, though the sauce was a little thin - can thicken with some cornflour, especially if serving over rice or with rice noodles.