Xo sauce is available in jars online or from Asian supermarkets. It is an Asian cheat in the way that mustard or worcestershire sauce is for Western palates. If you can’t get hold of it, then our Cook’s Notes below has an alternative. serves 4
200g rice, cooked (this is the uncooked weight)
500g minced beef
5 eggs, beaten
4 spring onions, finely chopped
150g frozen peas
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
4 tbsp Xo sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce (plus extra to serve)
Marinate the beef in the sesame oil and oyster sauce for a few hours.
Scramble the eggs until not quite done - they should be sloppy.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large wok and fry the beef for a few minutes until cooked.
Add the Xo and soy sauces, and cook for a few more minutes.
Add the peas, cook quickly then add the rice. Add a little water if it is sticking together.
Add the egg and stir through until cooked.
Stir in the spring onions, and serve with soy sauce and hot chilli sauce, to taste.
Cook’s notes
As a substitute for Xo sauce, blend together a thumb-sized piece of ginger with 3 cloves garlic and a shallot (or half an onion), 1 tsp prawn paste, 2 tsp each of soy sauce, oyster sauce and fish sauce. Use as above.